STAFF CHAT
Police Chief Paul Chapa, Assistant Police Chief John Rowse and Lieutenant-Investigator John Santellan spoke with SGA. Chapa explained TUPD’s role on campus and spoke on their role in collaborating and guiding students, rather than punishing students for misconduct.
Sophomore Senator Nellie Clark brought up a situation in which she and sophomore Senator Sydney Barner had been in a few weeks ago and found a stray dog on campus. The senators called TUPD, and they dispatched an officer to the scene, but none arrived. Chapa said they had investigated the call and found that an officer had been dispatched, but talked to the wrong students about the dog. He said TUPD would take more steps in the future to improve communication between officers and students.
Senator Clark also mentioned that some students who request police escorts at night wait outside in the dark, with no officer arriving. Chapa apologized on behalf of TUPD and said that they only have two officers on duty at night, and they sometimes get backed up with no student drivers able to take the escort call for them.
Junior Senator River Rocha asked how many officers are on duty throughout the day to better understand the workload. Chapa said that there were never fewer than two officers on duty at any given time. During the work day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., there are more officers on duty, but after 5 p.m., it thins out to two officers. Chapa also stated that TUPD is somewhat understaffed at the moment, but upon hiring more officers, there will be three or four officers on duty at all times. TUPD is working on fulfilling one vacancy and waiting for university funding to fill two more, but TUPD is not and never will be under the minimum number of officers required to keep the campus safe, Chapa said.
Inclusion and Belonging Chair Ayesha Farrukh asked what role TUPD plays during a student health emergency, such as alcohol poisoning or drug overdose. Chapa replied that TUPD’s first and foremost concern is the student’s wellbeing; officers will always take care of the student before asking any questions. Chapa said that TUPD will usually ask where the students got the substances. They do this to investigate if multiple students were getting substances from the same place.
Farrukh spoke on behalf of a residential assistant who was told by TUPD to take care of the student and did not provide further assistance. Chapa apologized for the experience and said that when TUPD is called for a health emergency, it then falls under their jurisdiction and care. TUPD typically calls an EMS to check up on the student or transport them to a detoxification center.
Chapa shared that Trinity hired a second ambulance during football games for health emergencies. The ambulance is paid for by the university and won’t charge for its services.
Senior Senator Alex Brown raised a concern among students about a person driving around campus and harassing students, often offering them candy and calling them drugs. Chapa said TUPD was actively working to identify the individual, and encouraged anyone who is in contact with this person to call TUPD immediately.
CLIMATE CHECK
Senator Clark updated SGA on students’ efforts to make campus windows safer for birds. She said that Facilities Services had put the project on hold due to a “conflict of interest” with the Cat Alliance of Trinity (CAT), an organization upgrading their cat houses on campus, conflicting with the bird safety project. Senator Clark said that Facilities told her the project would “be taking a resource away from the cat population,” and said that she would continue to discuss the issue with the Facilities Department and will talk to CAT about the project.
Junior Senator Darcie Gulick said students have been getting locked in the Chapman courtyard, since it requires a keycard to get in, but has no keycard reader to get out. Senior President Omar Ratrut said that SGA will put up a sign warning students that the door locks behind them.
OFFICER REPORTS
Jessica Edonick, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, announced that the university is currently hiring an associate director for student care support, who manages student care referrals. Dean Edonick invited senators to have lunch with the four finalists for the position.
Dean Edonick announced that Ben Williams, Associate Dean of Students, finished defending his doctoral dissertation and received his Ph.D., and is now Dr. Williams.
