The beginning of this semester marked the welcoming of Rowan’s largest freshman class to date. This brought an increase of students to Rowan’s campus and the surrounding city of Glassboro, adding to the university’s ever-growing expansion. While this is an achievement worth celebrating, the continual growth, expansion, and sheer number of people attending Rowan may lead to an increase in crime. 

Crimes will happen every day on and off campus, no matter what Rowan does. 

It is impossible to control over 20,000 people at all times, and this is not an expectation any reasonable person would uphold. However, when crimes are committed and when the safety of faculty and students is in potential jeopardy, there is an expectation to be alerted by the university through Rowan Alerts, Timely Warnings, and Rowan Advisory. 

According to data collected from USA Today, 10 years ago, Rowan’s enrollment for the Glassboro campus was 14,778 students. The total number of crimes reported in the Clery Act for that year was 35. Over the last decade, Rowan has seen a steady increase in enrollment and variety in the number of total criminal offenses. In 2022, approximately 19,535 students attended the university, and 64 crimes were reported. 

In light of the 230 Victoria gun incident and there being no statement made from the university to alert students about what transpired, there has been a lack of communication between the university and its students about crimes, police activity, and dangerous situations. 

Over the last few weeks, there have been a few situations of increased police activity in areas on or slightly off campus that have been heard of through the grapevine and not through explicit information shared by Rowan. Information has been spread through text messages or by word of mouth, and when considering approximately 22,000 students this is not an ethical way to share important information. Anyone who has classes at 301 High Street can count how many sirens are heard on a daily basis. This is not to say that every loud sound heard must be investigated and shared with the masses, but it calls into question the ones that aren’t. According to Rowan’s website, the situations that constitute a Rowan Advisory being sent out include a “power outage, traffic advisory, snow closure, building closure, string of campus thefts, [and] police activity in [the] area.” 

Students and faculty have access to the Daily Crime Log which catalogs the time, date, location, and nature of crimes committed every day on Rowan’s multiple campuses. While this is an openly available resource, the crime log includes minimal details and students are not alerted when it is updated. The responsibility to stay informed about crimes on campus should not be placed on the shoulders of students but should be held by those in power. 

So far for the month of October, 40 crimes are recorded in the Daily Crime Log. While they do not all fall under the parameters that warrant a Rowan Alert, Timely Warning, or Rowan Advisory, arguments can be made for some. As described by the university, Rowan Alerts notify the campus when a significant emergency or dangerous situation is confirmed and are decided on a case-by-case basis. Before the alert goes out, it is considered by the university, the Lieutenant or Officer in Charge, the Lieutenant Commander, and the General Counsel. While the university is not required to issue a Rowan Alert for everything that happens on campus, they do state that, “the institution must provide adequate follow-up information to the community as needed.” By not issuing follow-up statements to the community we are playing a dangerous game of he said she said between students. This whisper-down-the-lane method gives life to rumors and misinformation while also contributing to a harmful campus community. What should have been delivered through a Rowan-issued email or text message is instead discovered by students through Snapchat stories or from friends of friends, leaving plenty of room for events to grow legs and transform into something different than what actually occurred. 

Safety and crime on campus will always be a topic of discussion for students. It would be unreasonable, if not impossible, for any college or university to put a stop to all crimes that take place on campus. It is not unreasonable, however, to maintain a clear line of communication and transparency between those in charge and students. 

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