April 12, 2002

S.A. Approves New Blue Lights to Boost Security

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Last night the Student Assembly (S.A.) approved the installation of new lighting and blue lights as an effort to boost campus security.

The movement for better lighting began when students and administrators took a night lighting tour last fall, according to resolution sponsor Nicholas Linder ’05, chair of the Committee on Residence and Community Life.

“[Our question was] is there a safe route — not a safe shortcut — to every location on campus,” he said.

The implementation of new lighting and blue lights has already been agreed to by the administration.

New or improved lighting will illuminate Libe Slope, Baker Court, White Hall, Tjaden Hall, South Balch (bus stop), Community Commons and the Big Red Barn/A.D. White House.

Additionally, blue lights will be added at the bus stop near the Townhouses and Robert Purcell Community Center, near the Bailey Hall parking lot and on West Campus near the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house.

Though passed unanimously, the aesthetic beauty of campus was one of the body’s major concerns, especially for architecture college representative Michael Wacht ’02.

Wacht suggested uplighting, where lights are focused upon buildings and reflected back, as is done on McGraw Tower.

How the lights will ultimately be positioned, however, “is still up in the air,” according to Linder.

Campus safety concerns were of foremost concern to minority liaison Funa Maduka ’04 who was recently elected student trustee.

“Would you weigh safety necessities above the aesthetic nature of the campus?” asked Maduka.

Linder emphasized that campus safety was “the number one concern” of the resolution.

Possible future initiatives include education on blue light use and later weekend schedules for buses.

In other business, the Office of the University Ombudsman responded to an appeal to the results of S.A. elections.

Linder and four other candidates had filed a complaint before the results were released alleging that other candidates had spent more than the $50 limit on campaigning.

“There is no dispute regarding the fact that two candidates spent more than the $50 limit,” said Ronald A. Bricker, associate ombudsman, in a letter to the elections committee.

Bricker wrote that the election committee’s rules were contradictory; one rule calls for disqualification for “major offenses” such as violating the limit and another allows the committee discretion in handling offenses.

Only four of the eight eligible members of the elections committee were present to certify the results.

Bricker recommended a re-vote be taken with all eligible members of the elections committee present.

“It’s a fair decision,” said Linder. “This has nothing to do with partisanship or political machines. We just want a fair hearing.”

In other news, hotel representative Esther Tang ’04, chair of the Dining Committee and Executive Vice President Mark Greenbaum ’02 commended Nadeem Siddiqui, director of Cornell Dining and Retail Services, who is moving to Stanford University on June 1.

“Few people, let alone administrators, have had the ability to consistently make me believe that they were there for the good of the students,” said Tang. “I hope more people will look to his example and continue his legacy in the art of service. I wish him all the best.”

Archived article by Peter Norlander