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EDITORIAL

THE SPECTATOR
February 8, 2008
 
 

Regulations vs.
Practicality

Does Campus Safety strike the right balance?

    Along with being challenging, motivating, and impressive, Hamilton's close and safe community becomes apparent with even the shortest visit to campus.  Unlike my friends on bigger campuses, I'm not constantly worried about the safety of my belongings and myself.  I consider myself lucky to attend a school where I can be out alone and not need the pepper spray my friends and I all got as going away presents from our overprotective parents.
    This sense of security is due largely in part to the campus safety officers we have on campus.  It's more than comforting to know that these officers are willing to provide students with an escort at any hour, in addition to providing a multitude of services to protect the security that is created by the community of students and faculty here at Hamilton.
I have an even deeper gratitude for our campus safety.  As a freshman, I'm not allowed to have a car on campus.  However, my extenuating circumstances have made having my car a necessity.  Campus Safety has been understanding and allowed me to park my car on campus.  This privilege is extended to a few freshmen every year, and I was fortunate enough to be one of them and happily accepted the parking permit, even if it meant I had to park in North Lot.
    I have discussed with other friends that have cars on campus the inconvenience of walking from North Lot to Wertimer, where we live, in the dark, cold, and snow.  While grateful for being allowed to park on campus at all, it's hard not to be tempted to park in the nearly empty lot next to our house.  Despite the lot being nearly empty, it's inevitable that we will find one, two, or even three parking tickets if we park there, and many of us have.
    With last semester's "incidents" and "hateful acts" here at Hamilton, it's understandable that students wonder if the best course of action is being taken.  I have no doubt that keeping the entire campus safe is a strenuous task and requires massive amounts of energy and dedication.  This is why I ask if it is really in the best interest of every member of the Hamilton community for Campus Safety to enforce simple traffic laws.  I can't believe that allowing the four freshmen in Wertimer with cars to park in the empty spaces near their house will greatly affect the safety of other people on campus when other areas actually require attention.
    Where can we draw the line between enforcing rules because they are genuinely useful and protective and enforcing rules just because they are rules?  It's definitely hard to decide, but this line does exist.  Sometimes, it makes more sense to abandon the rules for a more practical approach.

by Kate Tummarello '11