Dear Catherine,

As we work to rebuild and renew New Orleans, it is important that Loyola University regularly reviews its public safety programs along with its precautions and responses. Last spring, I asked a committee of faculty, staff, and students to monitor the safety situation and to recommend ways in which we can improve safety. That committee, chaired by Paul Fleming, Assistant Vice President for Administration, and Robbie Reed, Director of Residential Life, recently gave recommendations that are under implementation. 

• We will increase personnel in University Police at Loyola. This increase will enable us to improve police visibility on and around campus through increased foot patrols, bicycle patrols, and marked and unmarked vehicle patrols. University Police are in direct radio communication with the New Orleans Police Department. 
• Additional surveillance cameras have been installed on both campuses, and more will be installed in the near future. 
• Lighting improvements have been made on the perimeters and interiors of both campuses, and we continue to look for opportunities to improve lighting. 
• We will also be doing more by way of safety and prevention programs and instruction.

This week, on Wednesday evening, there will be a meeting on neighborhood safety. It is sponsored by Tulane University, Loyola University, and the Second District of the New Orleans Police Department. The meeting is at 7:30 p.m., in Rogers Memorial Chapel at Tulane, and I encourage students, particularly those living in the neighborhood, to attend.

In closing, if you have ideas and suggestions about campus security, please do not hesitate to pass them along to me (pres@loyno.edu), Paul Fleming (pcflemin@loyno.edu), or Robbie Reed (rareed@loyno.edu).

Sincerely yours,