Letters to the Editor

We get what they pay for

Julie Crist’s story (“Unchecked Ids instigate scrutiny of student safety, front page, April 20) on student safety raises issues that go beyond simply checking IDs. It also raises questions about what happens when you try to penny-pinch by outsourcing services. Thank you, Charles Leone, for pointing out that Temple security guards are trained in first aid, CPR and other emergency procedures.

OK, but so what! What good does that do us if trained security guards are not in all the campus buildings? I don’t live in a dorm. Does this mean that if I happen to require medical attention in the lobby of Gladfelter, Anderson Hall or any other building on campus that doesn’t have security I’m out of luck?

How does the campus population benefit from having some security guards who are trained in emergency procedures and others who aren’t? The adage “you get what you pay for” definitely seems to apply here.

Outsourcing a crucial service such as security may save the university money by cutting back on overtime, benefits, pensions, etc., but as a commuter who spends a large amount of day and late-night hours on campus, it does nothing for me.

Frank Johnson

Doctoral Candidate

Anthropology

Another Perspective

I must say that I was a little disturbed by the April 20-26 issue’s front page cover story. I am a student at Temple University, as well as a Supervisor for the student workers that work for the Department of Campus Safety Services. I feel that in that article we got dealt a bad card.

Now I know we are far from perfect, and we try to weed out the slackers who do not perform their duty. You should firsthand see what we go through in a single day at a post.

The faculty does not help either. They do not set an example because they also give off an attitude when asked for I.D. What are we supposed to do? Not let them enter into the building? What if a person has problems but they have a temple I.D?

Before I acquired my current position, I sat in buildings for 2 years. I was fortunate to be in the same building for most of that time and I developed a relationship with the students as well as the staff to where I see them everyday and don’t have to ask them, but if it is not a familiar face I will ask. I even caught people stealing out of the building.

Maybe a story should be written about cooperating with each other, helping each other make Temple a safer campus.

Aubrey Martin

Supervisor for Student Workers

Department of Campus Safety Services