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This letter is in response to statements made by Vice President of Student Affairs Chris Clarke in the article documenting the treatment of Campus Safety personnel by Lawrence University administration. Clarke stated that Campus Safety received radios for improved communication, received pay raises and were given Fridays off last summer. Reading the statements made by a member of the administration reminded me of the John Lewis quote, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” This is my way of saying something and trying do something to spark change within Lawrence’s administration. Let’s break down these statements.
Clarke’s first statement regarding Campus Safety now having radios is truthful. They now have two-way radios to communicate. However, there are not enough staff in the department to utilize them properly. The Campus Safety department is down to three officers, one supervisor and one administrator. Because they are woefully understaffed, officers and the supervisor are now working 12-hour shifts alone with no backup, so there’s no one to call for help on their new radios. From what I’ve seen, the administrator does not actually work shifts. As a point of reference, during my first year at Lawrence, there were at least two Campus Safety staff working almost every night (three on most weekends). Now there are three officers in the entire department.
Clarke also stated that all staff had off Fridays during the summer of 2022. That statement is unequivocally false. Campus Safety is on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Every summer and holiday break, there is always at least one Campus Safety Officer on duty. The notion that campus would be able to function without someone from Campus Safety on duty is preposterous. Who would students call when they are locked out of their rooms, forget their ID and need to be let into a building or need a ride to Banta Bowl? Who would respond to fire alarms, medical emergencies and wellness checks? Even the police, fire department and ambulance crews need Campus Safety to gain access to buildings, rooms, and fire systems. Who would lock and secure buildings at night and open them in the morning? The fact that administration could possibly be that naïve to the day-to-day operations of campus is, quite frankly, horrifying.
Clarke mentioned that Campus Safety Officers recently received a pay raise as one of the reasons that the department is not treated poorly. That statement is factual, but that raise still only brings Campus Safety Officers up to approximately $17.00 an hour, earning on average $35,350 in gross pay per year. Gross pay does not account for deductions for things like federal, state and local taxes, as well as deductions for Medicare, Social Security, insurance and benefits. Let’s say that an individual making $35,350 is paying 18.4% of their paycheck into taxes, Social Security and Medicare annually. That brings their net pay down to $28,841. This number still does not reflect additional deductions for insurance and other benefit-related deductions like a 401k. In my opinion, this salary does not seem in line with the number of duties the Campus Safety Department handles.
Per a 2020 Lawrence University financial statement, Lawrence University has approximately $112 million in property and equipment on campus. Those Campus Safety personnel are responsible for those $112 million dollar assets. Not only are they responsible for the items of monetary value on campus, but also for the safety and security of every student, faculty member, staff member and visitor to this campus.
During the 2021-2022 year, there were 1,483 students enrolled in classes, 198 faculty members and 328 staff members. Also figure in days like Commencement, move-in day, Homecoming, Mile of Music and other events which attract visitors to campus, for whom Campus Safety Officers are also responsible. A department of three full time officers, one full time supervisor and one administrator (who, again, does not work regular shifts) are responsible for over 2,000 Lawrentians and $112 million dollars in property, all while earning less than $28,000 a year and being dangerously understaffed. Lawrence’s financial statements, enrollment numbers and faculty and staff numbers are all available on their website.
The way this administration has treated the Campus Safety department and the safety of the University is unacceptable and extremely negligent. The statements that were made to the Lawrentian avoided the real issues and attempted to make excuses for inexcusable treatment. I wish I could say that only one department is treated like this on campus, but unfortunately, departments like custodial, grounds and maintenance are also often overlooked and not treated well. The administration of Lawrence University has neglected one of the most important aspects of our community. The front-line workers of Lawrence are often forgotten and ignored, despite their workloads and responsibilities growing and increasing.
Families send their loved ones to Lawrence University expecting a safe, clean college experience. Lawrence University does little to provide that experience. The infrastructure of the university is crumbling, as noted by the steam leak, black mold and asbestos issues Campus Safety faced in their former office in Brokaw Hall. So often the blame for these issues is pushed to the staff. After all, they are the ones answering the phone and responding to the calls for assistance, so it’s very easy to blame them. However, the staff are only as successful as the administration allows them to be. Issues like this start at the top of an organization and roll downhill to the front-line staff, inevitably negatively affecting the rest of the community. Something needs to change, if not for current Lawrentians, then for future generations of Lawrentians.