TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Several incidents at the University of Arizona over the past six months have raised safety concerns for some students, prompting a safety panel on Friday by the Student Government Association.
One of the biggest catalysts for Friday’s forum was the murder of a professor at the university last October.
Ava Ordog is a junior at the school who attended the panel. She says her sense of safety has gone down since the tragedy.
"This October was the first school shooting I’ve experienced," she said. "As time has gone by, my sense of safety has decreased."
School leaders, including UArizona President Dr. Robert Robbins, spent about an hour answering student-submitted questions about safety and ways to improve it.
SGA President Patrick Robles, a senior at the school, says students deserve to be more directly involved in decisions that will directly affect them.
"The answer to campus safety isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach," Robles said. "It’s a nuanced approach, and it’s important to be inclusive of all these different backgrounds."
Gabe Berkey, a sophomore, echoed similar thoughts.
"They’re decisions based around students and for students, and I think it’s only fitting [that] students are in the discussion," Berkey said.
President Robbins would acknowledge past failures of school leadership during the panel.
That accountability is something Robles says is a step in the right direction for improving safety on campus. The next step, he says, is action.
"We’re grateful we have an ally I like to believe in President Robbins," he said. "So we’re hoping to see these conversations and these commitments comes to fruition in the following school year."
Robles said they hope to continue having more panels in the future.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
