One thing came up over and over again at City College’s first Health and Safety Forum: safety is everyone’s responsibility.
The event, held on Oct. 24 at the biweekly College Council meeting, was meant to inform students and faculty about the college’s programs regarding safety.
“We take campus safety and security very seriously … and we thought that we could use this platform to get the word out,” said John Parker, vice president of administrative services.
Representatives gave presentations on safety-related issues from around campus. Topics ranged from policing to self-care and mental health.
There are a number of ways students can get involved with safety on campus.
Knight’s Watch is a program that begins with daylight saving time and continues through the spring semester.
Volunteers walk campus from 3-10 p.m. and report any incidents they see. They will also provide escorts to faculty who are working late and need someone to walk them to their car.
“We’re just to observe and report and have a presence to make everyone feel safe,” Facilities Director Jay Purnell said.
Knight’s Watch is open to students and faculty. Students who are interested in participating should reach out to John Parker through his executive assistant Dena Prater.
City College is also taking action to address the opioid epidemic. City College is providing Narcan and fentanyl test strips at the Student Health Center. There is also training available on how to properly use Narcan.
City College has also received funding to put a Narcan vending machine on campus. It is currently held up by supply chain issues, but it should be here soon, according to Parker.
There are also opportunities for students to get involved with overseeing campus safety.
“We encourage participation on our Health and Safety Committee and we are looking for representation now,” Parker said.
The committee meets on the first Thursday of every month from 10-11 a.m.
Students are also invited to get involved with the San Diego Community College District’s Police Advisory Committee that has representatives from the student body and the broader community.
To get involved with either, reach out to Dena Prater and she will determine if there is a constituency that needs to be represented.
Students interested in learning more about safety at City College can find a recording of the event on the college’s YouTube channel. They can also check out the district’s annual Safe and Sound report and read about it here.
