Welcome to “Safety Saturdays,” a weekly segment that covers all things safety related at SCAD Savannah.
“The update is, it’s been several weeks but we are still focused,” said Executive Director of Safety and Security, John Buckovich.
Following the incidents at Barnard as well as Boundary Village a few weeks ago, you have probably noticed, walking through the doors of Arnold Hall or walking around residence halls at night, that there has been an increase in security officers on campus. You may have also noticed that this has not gone away.
“We haven’t changed our approach. We still have the additional officers at the residents halls,” said Buckovich.
“The police officers that SCAD hires off-duty are still focusing on the residence halls,” added Buckovich.
“We haven’t relaxed.”
And with the new training template the Savannah Campus Head of Safety & Security, Charles Hall has planned, a greater presence of staff as well as an anticipated change in the way officers interact with students is to be expected.
“We are still creating a sense of vigilance with the security officers that are working the residence halls and the officers who are working in the buildings.”
Security officers have been instructed to be at 24 hour buildings from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., as well as residence hall checkpoints, foundation buildings both 15 minutes before and 15 after classes and on the ground patrolling larger residence halls such as Boundary Village, Turner Annex, Turner House.”
“At Barnard we have an officer at the pedestrian gate, we have an officer walking the property and of course we have an officer at the access control point,” said Buckovich.
According to Buckovich the changes that have been implemented, including the up-staff, are practices that — despite the year coming to an end — are set to continue.
“We’re coming to the end of the academic year but we’re still paying attention,” said Buckovich.
Check in every Saturday for an update on all things safety related. For more information on SCAD Safety & Security, contact John Buckovich at jbuckovi@scad.edu or Charles Hall at chall@scad.edu.
Written by Asli Shebe.
Asli Shebe is a senior writing major from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She began working for District in 2014 as a staff writer, then copy editor, A&E editor, Chief Assignment editor and finally, Editor-in-Chief in 2017. Asli currently holds the record for obtaining the most job titles during her time at District. When she’s not writing for District you can find her biking around the Historic District of Savannah at odd hours of the day.
