LOCAL NEWS

Mother Of Slain Student Responds After U Announces Nearly $1M In Campus Safety Investments

Aug 15, 2019, 7:41 AM | Updated: 11:56 pm

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The University of Utah has announced it is investing almost $1 million to implement new recommendations made by the Presidential Task Force on Campus Safety.

The $1 million will be an addition to the nearly $6 million already announced for campus safety, officials said.

The safety actions come after an independent review of the university’s response to the Lauren McCluskey case.

McCluskey’s mother, Jill McCluskey, said in a written response that the university needs to focus on changing the culture and hold people accountable:

“Matt and I applaud investments in campus safety. However, the University’s principal problem was the lack of response from the campus police to a female student’s multiple requests for help. One of Lauren’s friends told me, ‘On the Thursday before we lost Lauren she asked me to come to the library to meet her because she needed help. She said the police didn’t believe her about her scary ex and she didn’t know what to do.’ None of these investments in safety will change the culture. For real change to occur, the University of Utah needs to hold people accountable. They must take responsibility for what happened.”

According to the university’s press release, some of the safety improvements will include:

  • Make student parking available after 3 p.m. in lots adjacent to the Marriott Library, the Eccles Library and the Student Union
  • Cluster evening classes in quadrants, with corresponding alignment of campus transportation systems, courtesy escorts and campus security patrols
  • Expand emergency mass communication capability by adopting a system that allows emergency messages to be communicated within buildings, including via desktop and landline telephone systems, and broadcast throughout campus grounds
  • Add a Threat Assessment Team as an adjunct to the Behavioral Intervention Team, creating a two-team system capable of assessing both threats from outside and inside campus
  • Hire an additional consultant in the Office of Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action and an additional student conduct case manager in the Office of the Dean of Students
  • Increase self-defense training workshops on campus offered in conjunction with Survivors of Assault Standing Strong
  • Expand the online training module system used by the U to include faculty and staff and add additional online training modules for students
  • Contract with a third-party consulting firm to conduct a phased security assessment of all campus buildings and physical surroundings.

University officials say they also plan to hire a chief safety officer.

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Man being taken on stretcher to an ambulance figures blurred...

Lauren Steinbrecher

West Jordan man trying ‘to be funny’ allegedly shot and killed best friend

Investigators believe a joke between friends turned into the shooting death of a West Jordan man. The fatal mistake is also turning into a message police hope every gun owner can hear.

7 hours ago

Matt Gephardt meeting with Denis Hawkins after a rental car company after they ignored his calls fo...

Matt Gephardt

Get Gephardt helps Spanish Fork man clear up insurance claim for rental car damage

Get Gephardt clears up an international rental car insurance standstill.

7 hours ago

small housing units...

Debbie Worthen

Utah’s micro-shelter pilot program gets extension to help homeless

A micro-shelter pilot program will stay in place for at least six more months.

7 hours ago

A trench used for training a team of firefighters to be a part of Utah County's Special Response Te...

Shelby Lofton

Heavy Rescue school students respond to real-life emergency during trench collapse training

A team of firefighter students training to be on a Special Response Team rescued a man buried in a trench collapse the week they'd been studying trenches.

7 hours ago

The Cache County Council took up the e-mail controversy...

Mike Anderson

A single text stirs political fallout in Cache County election

A text message is blowing up into a whole lot of political fallout in Cache County.

8 hours ago

A map shows where the Chief Toquer reservoir will connect to the Ash Creek Reservoir....

Cary Schwanitz

Feds pour $7 million into southern Utah water pipeline project

A project to build a new pipeline that will run from the Ash Creek Reservoir to the Chief Toquer Reservoir received $7 million from the bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

9 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Mother Of Slain Student Responds After U Announces Nearly $1M In Campus Safety Investments