Morehouse College President John Silvanus Wilson Jr. answers questions about campus security:
Q: What are the special challenges of security on a major city campus?
A: At Morehouse, we are proud of the fact that we are integrated into the very fabric of Atlanta. Our students enjoy the benefits of receiving a quality liberal arts education – plus the benefits of living and learning on a campus in the midst of a vibrant economic and cultural center.
But our urban Atlanta location does come with its share of challenges. We are affected by what goes on in the city – particularly in the West End neighborhoods adjacent to our campus that have high rates of crime, drug trafficking and gang activity. We don’t just observe these problems. Our students, faculty and staff are actively engaged in a variety of community service projects designed to help elevate the condition of our neighbors. Still, our students are especially vulnerable to being taken advantage of by criminals. So, we have to educate them to be safe without making them be afraid.
Q: You've dealt with shootings, sexual assault and robbery in recent months. What is the general sense of security at Morehouse?
A: Despite these incidents, I believe that most people still feel very safe at Morehouse. Safe, but motivated. The motivation comes from the fact that violence of any kind goes against our values as an institution, which has a legacy of nonviolent leadership. So, when we are impacted by violence or criminal behavior, we immediately question what more we can and should be doing to ensure that our values are not violated, either by Morehouse or non-Morehouse people. One of the ways we are answering this question is to rethink the impact of larger social problems and issues on our student enrollment policies and student development programming, as well as safety and security measures on and around campus.
Q: How do you improve security?
A: We have a huge emphasis on forging a new and vigorous partnership with the mayor and the City of Atlanta. We are looking for Mayor Reed to be more vocal and visible about safety in our environment. I have spoken with him twice about this and I know he cares a great deal.
At Morehouse, we recognize that there is no one solution to the challenge of campus safety so, beginning this semester, we are increasing the presence of Morehouse police officers on campus and we are also expanding our partnership with the Atlanta Police Department. We have new security tools on campus, including additional cameras and alarms, as well as new security policies and procedures.
Q: In May, you said Morehouse would be more aggressive on crime. How are you doing that?
A: We are being very aggressive . We continue to build on Morehouse's long-standing relationships with the City Council and Atlanta Police — as well as with my fellow presidents of the Atlanta University Center schools — to advocate for more and better support from the city to protect our campuses and stop crime in our community.
