“I have heard they are terrified,” State Rep. Jolanda Jones is hosting a town hall after hearing from students about recent crimes at the University of Houston.
HOUSTON — Elected leaders are now getting involved in the concerns for campus safety at the University of Houston.
It follows protests from students in the wake of a violent sexual assault as well as armed robberies on and near campus. A student was sexually assaulted in a parking garage, a student was robbed at gunpoint near a bus stop, and a suspect was arrested for two scooter robberies, according to crime reports from UH.
The complaints about safety on campus keep coming, and now a state representative is asking university staff to listen.
“It’s really scary, not much we can do,” said Emily Nguyen who lives in the Moody Tower near the Welcome Center student parking garage. The calls for change are now reaching state Rep. Jolanda Jones.
“The students have told me there’s no transparency, they’ve asked questions,” Rep. Jones said.” The school told me things we’ve done, there’s specifics I want to know, what does increased campus security look like?”
Rep. Jones is hosting a town hall at Emancipation Park on Friday, February 21 at Emancipation Park from 5 to 7 p.m. The goal of the town hall is to offer a space for leaders to listen to students’ concerns. Groups including the UH Student Government Association and UH Black Student Union will be in attendance. Rep. Jones says she has asked UH leadership to be there.
She’s holding discussions about solutions with UH.
“What I told them is it’s clearly not working whatever it is you did. The crimes are becoming more frequent and they are accelerating, it is concerning, which is why students are asking me to please do something,” Rep. Jones said.
Some students have specific demands.
“I’d like to see $18 million worth of lighting, that’s a big number but there’s so many areas of campus that are poorly lit,” student Chelsy Odelugo told KHOU 11.
The University has stated previously it is increasing patrols and security guards around campus. The university is also in the midst of an $18 million campus lighting project. Some students hope the increased security presence will remain.
“It’s expected they’ll bring out police and up security, I hope it sticks around,” Nguyen said.
A suspect has been charged for two scooter robberies, one that happened inside the parking garage.
KHOU 11 requested another interview with UHPD about those recent crimes and we were told no one was available.