Members of the foliage and lighting survey team: Mary Brownlie, Kaye Johnson, Sharon Munro, Denise Livingston, Lisa Kiritsis, Joyceln Lorito, Rosemary Briscoe. Missing from photo: Lynn Charron, Dave Johnston, Garry Moore and Chris Zelezney.
Even a campus needs an annual check-up, says Rosemary Briscoe. A special constable with the crime prevention unit of the Campus Community Police Service, she says a yearly survey of the University’s grounds has meant improvements to sight lines and safety for students, employees and visitors.
A group of volunteers walk through the campus, checking on the state of lighting and foliage, with a view to ensuring all areas are well-lit. Briscoe says their reports have alerted Facility Services to specific need for lamp standards and trimming of overgrown plants.
“When I first started in 2007, there were a lot of areas where it was very dark on campus,” she says. “We have seen a big improvement.”
Volunteer Joyceln Lorito, residence life coordinator for Laurier and Cartier halls, says the experience was definitely worthwhile.
“Our students are travelling around the campus,” she says. “We want to make sure there is enough light for them to feel safe.”
The work of keeping the campus secure is never done, says Briscoe. She invites anyone who notices a deficiency in the lighting to send a notice to repair@uwindsor.ca.