University of Houston Students Demand Stronger Safety Measures After String of Robberies and Sexual Assault
Students March on Campus to Demand More Action from University
Over a hundred University of Houston students gathered on Wednesday to demand stronger safety measures from the university after a string of robberies and a sexual assault were reported on campus within the past week. The students marched to the Ezekiel Cullen building on campus, chanting and demanding the university’s board of regents invest in student safety.
Recent Incidents Spark Concerns
The calls for additional safety measures come just hours after a man said he was approached and robbed at gunpoint while standing at a bus stop on the campus Tuesday near the Welcome Center garage. This incident occurred days after the university announced a plan to increase officer presence and reinforce security measures.
Sexual Assault and Robberies Reported
Last week, the university reported that a student was sexually assaulted and two other students were robbed near the Welcome Center garage on campus.
Charges Filed against Suspect
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed in an email to Houston Public Media that charges of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated robbery were filed Wednesday against a man accused of assaulting the student inside of her vehicle in the garage last week. According to the arrest affidavit, Eric Latroy Brown, 40, allegedly forced the student inside of her vehicle and sexually assaulted her for 15 minutes while holding a knife to her throat. They identified the man because of his tattoos. University police arrested the man hours after the incident Feb. 7 and released him that day, and charges were not filed against him until Wednesday, records show. Brown did not appear to be in custody when charges were filed.
University Enhances Security Measures
On Wednesday, the university announced it has enhanced security by increasing patrols and expanding security staff as students elevated their calls for safety. In an email, the university said it is working on immediate solutions to improve the visibility of its security team by placing improved lighting systems on police bicycles and carts. More security officers are stationed at all six parking garages and 10 surface lots, according to the university.
Students Call for Permanent Solution
But Shay Russell, a university student, said that adding police on campus is only a temporary solution, not a permanent one. "More police would not have prevented these violent incidents," Russell said during the protest. "What we need are proactive preventative solutions, not reactionary ones."
Student Demands
By the end of the protest, dozens of pieces of paper echoing safety demands were plastered to the doors of the Ezekiel Cullen building, where the board of regents gathers. The list of demands urges the university to establish a sexual health task force composed of students and faculty to address issues related to sexual violence and prevention, and restore free self-defense classes previously offered by the University of Houston.
Conclusion
The University of Houston students are right to demand stronger safety measures from the university. It is unacceptable that the university has failed to provide a safe environment for its students, and it is time for the university to take concrete steps to address these concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the current situation on campus?
A: There have been a string of robberies and a sexual assault reported on campus within the past week.
Q: What is the university doing to address these concerns?
A: The university has announced plans to increase officer presence and reinforce security measures, and has also enhanced security by increasing patrols and expanding security staff.
Q: What are the student demands?
A: Students are demanding that the university establish a sexual health task force composed of students and faculty to address issues related to sexual violence and prevention, and restore free self-defense classes previously offered by the University of Houston.
Q: What is the university’s response to the student demands?
A: The university has announced that it is working on immediate solutions to improve the visibility of its security team and has increased patrols and expanded security staff, but students are demanding more concrete action to address their concerns.
