When students leave their evening classes, the sky is either a gradient of dark blues and oranges or it is entirely pitch black. For students taking night classes, the walk from Carson Hall to Lot E that is usually a nice, leisurely stroll during the day can suddenly feel like an unsettling and eerie walk. 

While the use of the Emergency Blue Light Call buttons scattered throughout campus seems nice, it is unfortunate that it is not accessible through every part of the campus. These buttons only serve as a way to report known or suspected crime, especially in emergencies.

But what if students were able to request a walking buddy to escort them at night? In a recent poll conducted by the SSU Star, 91% percent of students said that they would feel comfortable using an app that provided a safety escort service. 

According to End Violence Against Women, data in 2021 showed that one in two women felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a busy public place, compared to one in five men; 

four out of five women felt unsafe walking alone after dark in a park or other open space, compared to two out of five men.

Fortunately, in moments where students feel vulnerable or even a little scared to walk across campus to their cars, students can now request services using an app called Rave Guardian, unveiled by the Office of Emergency Services. This allows students to access various safety services both on and off campus. 

But the app’s most important feature is called a Safety Timer which allows the student to set a timer with their current location if they feel unsafe, indicating where they are going and when they should arrive. If the student does not make it there on time and de-active the timer, Guardians or campus safety will be immediately alerted.

“I didn’t even know the feature, or the app, was an actual thing,” said Magdelina W., a fourth year pre-nursing student. “Last semester I took several evening classes and it was so creepy walking alone at night so I think it’s a great idea. It might even help save lives.” 

“It for sure should be implemented everywhere. It’s kinda ridiculous that it isn’t a normal thing for colleges, especially for ones bigger than our university,” said Erin Gorko, second year sociology student. 

Although it is not implemented in every university, the idea of a student safety service isn’t entirely ludicrous; in fact, UC Davis has recently implemented a system that allows students to request a safety escort from their classroom to their car called Safe Rides. 

According to the official UC Davis website, Safe Rides drivers are trained Host Security personnel who have been background checked, fingerprinted, and are in compliance with the California DMV pull system. All drivers also have valid California state driver’s licenses as well. Each Safe Rides employee has completed the Safe Driver Awareness course administered by UC Davis Learning and Development instructors.

In 2016, Rutgers University also launched their own safety escort program called SafeHalo. This allows students to text the SafeHalo phone number with their current location and where they would like to go. Communication begins immediately and continues until two student volunteers meet up with the student, who must provide a short code to confirm the text, according to the Rutgers website. However, it is not meant to replace the police. 

These apps and programs help students feel protected, and SSU’s students can feel a little safer walking through campus at night with the use of Rave Guardian’s features. Kelsea O, a second year art student said,  “I have the app downloaded already. I haven’t tried the [Safety Timer] feature yet, but I think my parents will be relieved to hear this.”