On-Campus Safety Considered at Salem State University
The Campus Climate Study at Salem State University is a survey that the university encourages all members of the Salem State community to complete, so long they are at least 18 years old. The goal of the survey is to “measure people’s personal experiences and perceptions so that [the university] can more thoughtfully address challenges and plan strategic initiatives to enhance the college environment.”
In considering a university’s social climate, safety immediately comes to mind. Over the past few years, the university has received attention from the media for criminal and social issues that have unfolded on campus.
This prompted the question: Do you feel safe on campus? Salem State Reports asked five students to weigh in on the question.
Ryan Bradley
Business Administration Major, Class of 2020
“I feel relatively safe at Salem. I don’t go out thinking I’m going toget jumped or anything like that.”
Cheyenne Bryan
English Major, Class of 2020
“In some aspects, yes…but also I want to say ‘no,’ because I had a professor who was very racist towards me, and I had to report him to the head of his department. Overall, I feel like half the time [I feel safe] and half the time I want to transfer out of Salem State… because I feel like I’m surrounded by white people all the time, so it’s kind of difficult to relate to anybody sometimes.”
Luigi Angelone
Communications Major, Class of 2020
“I don’t really think about how safe I feel most days. I feel safe enough.”
Jenny Gagnon
Social Work Major, Class of 2018
“I would say I feel safe at Salem State. I feel like my answer is biased because the first school I went to was a very private school, so whenever there were issues going on, we didn’t discuss them.”
Makayla Brown
Political Science Major, Class of 2019
“I do and then I don’t… only because the shuttle service, when I get out at 11 o’clock [at night], they are pretty much non-existent. They don’t always come, so I would have to walk, and I don’t like having to walk the distance. On campus [during the day], overall, I think I feel pretty safe.”
