Jared Cain, Campus Carrier Deputy News Editor
Lately, student discussion of the benefits and costs of installing new outdoor crosswalk lighting has taken on a new level of vigor. The desire for increased lighting on campus crosswalks has come up frequently this year during SGA meetings, and according to Dean of Students Debbie Heida similar issues were brought up in meetings three years ago as well. Junior class president Adrian Lopez heard the issue had been brought up as far back as seven years ago.
Lopez explained that the frequent safety concerns that necessitate the installation of more crosswalk lighting, particularly in the dim area located between the Memorial Library and Thomas Berry Hall, outweigh the economic costs. According to Heida, the installation of each crosswalk fixture like those illuminating the crosswalks in the central campus traffic circle would cost approximately $30,000.
“The school finds it sufficient for students to look both ways before crossing the street, which obviously is important,” Lopez said. “But people have been still been hit on bikes next to the library, and while the hedges have been cut down, I think that a lot of the issue still lies in that when it’s dark and raining, as it so often is, you can’t see if there’s somebody in the road.”
According to Lopez, the school has deemed the lighting project unnecessary for the time being, not on the list of priorities and too costly.
“I think it’s something that should be a priority, especially since it’s been brought up many times,” Lopez said.
SGA President Tedric Palmer explained that the goals of SGA and administration revolve around receiving a consensus among the campus population with regard to more lighting. According to Palmer, while some of the most vocal opinions at SGA meetings have been in favor of more lighting, others tend to disagree.
“Some administration think campus is too lit, and some students as well have voiced that they think there is too much light,” he said. “It’s hard to get a feel for what the entire campus feels, and that’s what’s hard to gauge right now.”
Palmer said that many other students are uninformed or indifferent on the issue, and so it’s important to make sure everyone can form some sort of opinion in order for SGA and administration to represent the students in their entirety. According to Palmer, the issue ultimately lies in finding the right balance of public opinion with regard to the decisions made concerning crosswalk lighting.
“We as a campus are known for (our natural beauty), but safety is important too,” Palmer said. “So it’s finding the right balance between these things and between administration and the student body and making sure everyone can get their voice in.”