Campus Security & Public Safety

KHQ story on Centennial Trail “Grabber”

http://www.khq.com/category/195686/video-landing-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6117031

A power outage is currently effecting the Gonzaga campus. As of 5:25 PM, most residence halls are without normal power. Marian Hall appears to be the exception. The Cog is open for dinner. Foley Library is open until dark. Crosby is still open at this time. We’ve heard that power could be out 3-4 more hours.

If there ever was a couple of nights to stay at home and NOT roam the Logan Hood, it’s the next two: windchills of -20both nights. If you do choose to go out, please take care of your fellow Zags!

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Death-of-Luther-Student-Ruled-Accidental-116241069.html

Pedestrian Safety is a responsibility of both the pedestrians, and the drivers, who travel on and near the Gonzaga University Campus. Here are some common sense safety practices we can all follow to keep our community members safe:

Safety tips for PEDESTRIANS:

Be safe and be seen: make yourself visible to drivers

• Wear bright/light colored clothing and reflective materials.
• Carry a flashlight when walking at night.
• Cross in a well-lit area at night.
• Stand clear of buses, hedges, parked cars or other obstacles before crossing so drivers can see you. Read the rest of this entry »

So you have had the same roommate for several months or you just got a new roommate at Semester.  How do you deal with a major personality clash?? What about the roommate who secretly borrows your things and then denies ever having them? Or the person who won’t talk to you but sends you a text or an I.M. from a computer….2 feet away from you!

In some cases, it can become a pretty serious issue and may even turn toward violent behavior.  Do you know your resources before it gets to that point??

Here are some steps to help deflate a potentially harmful situation between you and your roommate:

• Talk honestly and openly to your roommate. People get on each other’s nerves and sometimes become upset. Roommates are no exception.
• If you are upset or if your roommate is upset, give each other room and time to calm down and reconsider.
• Work at your relationship with your roommate. Don’t let anger or discontent pile up and explode. Most roommate conflicts are manageable if communication is kept open.
• Talk to your RA or RD and get them involved.  Use their experience and knowledge with campus life.

If you have a conflict with your roommate that you are afraid may turn physical, let someone know!  Call your RA, RD, or GU Security so we may help mediate and stop an incident before it starts.

If you have become a victim of a physical confrontation or any other crime whether it is your roommate or anyone else on campus, call GU Security.  We will help guide you through whatever process you need from Residence Life assistance to calling local law enforcement if you choose.

Remember to always make healthy choices even in times of conflict.  GU Security is here for you 24/7 so do not hesitate to call us!  313-2222

The City of Spokane is the host for the 2010 US Figure Skating Championships which starts today and will end on January 24th.  There are over 270 competitors in the competition and many more visitors coming to Spokane to watch them.  If you are planning on going down town or will be attending functions off campus and normally call for a cab ride for transportation, plan to have a longer wait period than normal.  Plan ahead for your pick up time and be patient for your ride because there will be more traffic congestion in the area. Remember a few tips on personal safety:

• If you plan on attending a function downtown or anywhere off campus, go with a group of people.
• If you are able, leave any valuables at home such as wallets, purses, iPods.  These are easy pickings if left in a booth or on a table at a club or party even if you just get up for a minute to dance, use the restroom, etc.
• If you are walking, wear appropriate clothing such as light and reflective colors so drivers can see you in dimly lit areas.
• UTILIZE SAFERIDE!  If you are uncomfortable where you are or fear for your safety with no safe way home, call SafeRide at (509) 568-8000.  Have your Student I.D. on you and receive a free ride back to campus.
• Look out for each other and use the buddy system.  Be a good bystander and call saferide for a friend or call Security at (509)313-2222 if you are close to campus for an escort…no questions asked.

Our priority here at Gonzaga Security is you….please make yourself a priority as well and make good decisions and look out for each other.

How is this “magic” trick done?

Tips to Reduce the Risk

• Remember that alcohol is still #1 date rape drug. Persons who drink alcohol are more likely to be sexually assaulted.
• Never leave a drink unattended, even for just a minute.
• If someone wants to buy you a drink, go with that person when they buy it so you can keep track of the drink.
• When holding your drink, hold it so where your hand is covering the top.
• If you or a friend feels extremely drunk after only a few drinks, get help because you may have been drugged.
• Other two predator drugs being used are roofies and GHB. Both make you feel drunk after 20-30 minutes. Both can cause amnesia and unconsciousness for three to eight hours.
• If you go into a room and the person locks the door, leave immediately.
• Go to a party with your friends and always leave together. If someone you just met wants to walk you home, thank him/her for the offer, but leave with the group you came with. You can always see this person the next day, when you’re both sober.

REMEMBER….any beverage including Juice, tea, coffee, soda and water can be drugged too.

STRESSED ABOUT FINALS?

Here’s some tips to help you through your week……

Limit caffeine intake during finals week. Caffeine is a stimulant that can actually make you feel more stressed. Caffeine can also keep you from getting enough sleep.

Be sure to get enough sleep during finals week. Not sleeping enough can make you feel more worried about your finals. It can also weaken your immune system, increasing the chance of you getting sick during finals week. This will only increase stress.

Eat healthy during finals week. This will keep you energized for studying and keep you healthy, both of which will help you reduce stress.

Only study for an hour at a time. After that, take a five to ten minute break. This will help you stay on task without getting frustrated or a headache from reading too much material at one time.

Don’t party at all during finals week, even if you do have an off day. This could set you back in your studying, make you sick and actually make you do worse on your finals. Resist the urge to party until after you finals are done. It will be well worth it.

Make sure to get some exercise during finals week. This will keep you healthy during the week, help you to be energized for both studying and your tests and actually help to reduce stress. When you begin to feel stressed, go for a quick run or lift some weights. The gym is a great place to work off some stress.

Gonzaga has a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) that is here to help students!  SART First Responders are employees of the university who have volunteered to serve as an immediate support person for any student who reports sexual misconduct.  First Responders have been trained on how to support reporting parties during this difficult emotional time.   Responders also have a variety of university and local resources that they can connect reporting parties to.   First Responders are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.   SART First Responders help connect reporting parties who want more support and resources to the Student Life Case Manager. First Responders can be reached by calling Dispatch at 313-2222 and asking for a SART First Responder.

Before I came to Gonzaga last August, I was the Program Manager for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Program for the Eastern Region of Washington State. What that means is I worked with a group of very bright people who were tasked with putting together plans for, and educating our community about, things like a influenza pandemic. I also had access to national and international experts in public health, including those who had personally experienced deadly outbreaks like SARS.

Here’s what I learned were the very most effective ways to protect myself and my family:

• get vaccinated
• wash my hands
• cover my cough (cough into your elbow, not your hand)
• stay home if I’m sick

Pretty simple, huh? All that expert guidance and it boils down to some very basic things that we should be doing ALL the time.

Some other things you might not know:

The flu bug is most commonly transmitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes droplets out into a shared environment. Then we (the “uninfected”) touch a surface where this droplet has settled with our hand and subsequently touch our mouth, eyes, or nose. So, wearing a mask is really only most effective to cover the cough or sneeze of an infected person. It may make an uninfected person feel better to wear a mask, but it really doesn’t do much – especially compared to washing your hands frequently.

The vaccine for a newly identified influenza virus is not sitting on a shelf somewhere. Once a new virus is identified, it will take several months to develop all of the vaccine it will take to protect our large population. In the absence of a vaccine, it becomes really important to do things like covering your cough, washing your hands, and staying home when you’re sick.

Antivirals like Tamiflu and Relenza are used to treat flu. When you hear about the government distributing “stockpiles” of medications to the states, this is what they’re likely talking about. They are NOT a vaccine that prevents influenza; they are best used to treat somebody who has been identified as being in the early stages of influenza. And, they’re in limited supply.

Some perspective: 36,000 people die every year from influenza in the United States, and a quarter million die world-wide. Habits like covering your cough, washing your hands, and staying home when you’re sick are things we should be doing all the time.

For credible information about the swine influenza, visit the CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/