Annual walk geared toward improving campus safety

By Megan McClain

Students will be able to participate Thursday in the annual Safety Walk hosted by Student Government in partnership with UK Police.

A variety of campus administration and services, including Greek directors, Divison of Student Affairs and deans, will walk through North, South and Central Campus to raise awareness and improve campus safety.

“The goal is to come together, look around campus and find areas to improve on,” SG President Micah Fielden said. “It is part of our duty to participate in the event and increase safety.”

The route will include the most walked path’s of the university and the Cat’s Path.

“We are looking for places that are potentially unsafe right now,” said Drake Staples, SG deputy chief of staff. “Unsafe could mean anywhere from lack of lighting, tall bushes and lack of visibility.”

Both Fielden and Staples explained students are welcome to come and offer input about areas of the campus in which they feel unsafe or that could be improved.

This event is not in response to any sort of threat to safety, it is to raise awareness and make sure UK’s students feel safe and comfortable walking around campus.

Staples said he is eager to see how the Safety Walk can improve the campus and bring UK students together.

“It is a great opportunity to have so many people from UK interested in the walk and the safety and well being of students,” he said. “So many kids have worked on it and put in a lot of hours already, it should turn out great.”

Participants will meet outside the SG office, which is located in the basement of the Student Center next to Panda Express, and the walk will begin at 8 p.m.