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DejaVu What were you doing around 1 a.m. Saturday? Did you know a stabbing had just occurred? If you weren’t on campus, chances are you probably didn’t. Oh wait; even if you were on campus, chances are you didn’t either. Those who did hear about the stabbing heard through word of mouth. No public safety officer patrolled the halls of the dorms, no RA knocked on anyone’s door to make sure everyone knew. But how could the RAs knock on doors to inform their residents when they themselves were left in the dark? Whether you felt safe or not, the truth is that your safety was neglected. Part of being safe is knowing what harm is out there and taking the appropriate precautions. For the most part, students had no idea a stabbing had taken place until they woke up Saturday morning and read the email they received, sent earlier that morning at 5:28 a.m. An email, however, that was not received by the entire college community. 5:28 a.m. Five hours after the stabbing had occurred and the stabber’s whereabouts were still unknown. Isn’t a lockdown supposed to keep individuals secluded from the outside, safe and sound until the suspect is found? What is it going to take to get public safety to come up with a real crisis plan, considering the plan has not been updated since 2003, which was two years before the first stabbing occurred. Even though students were uninformed, credit does have to be given to public safety as far as the victim’s safety was concerned. His safety was their first priority, and because of it, he got the care he needed and is now thankfully in stable condition. Unfortunately, the job of public safety is also to look out for the safety of the campus as a whole and there was, for hours until the suspect turned himself in, someone loose on campus with a knife who could have potentially harmed more students. The campus was on lockdown, but to what extent was it enforced? Students were able to roam from building to building with no warning of what had just happened. Another job of public safety is to keep the entire student body safe when a situation like this occurs. When a cab full of Cabrini women pulled up to the entrance to be dropped off after a night off campus, public safety should have escorted them to their rooms. They knew what the suspect looked like, and it sure wasn’t a female. Instead, they handed them “safety blankets” which in reality were yellow tarps, and told them to sleep out on the pavement because they didn’t have a car to go somewhere else. Other cars who were not permitted back onto campus were told to go “sit in WaWa’s parking lot.” Did the lockdown go into effect immediately? No one will know. What we do know is that an editor was allowed on campus after four police cars had already arrived, meaning the police had already been notified and had already driven to campus, yet no lockdown was in effect. While public safety can’t change the way they reacted to the incident and the incident itself can not be taken back, it is unfortunate that what the Cabrini community is left with is a tarnished reputation. How do we tell people that Cabrini is still a safe place? That the recent incidents do not change the value of a Cabrini education or are a reflection of the average Cabrini student? This incident, that is similar in nature to the one that occurred two years ago, proves that heightened security such as signing visitors into buildings at 8 p.m. and the Welcome Center do not prevent violence. What public safety should focus their efforts on is an effective crisis management plan so that when acts like this, that are not unique to Cabrini occur, all student safety needs are met.
Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007
Campus supports Laurel House Project DANIELLE FEOLE STAFF WRITER DF727@CABRINI.EDU
A class project at Cabrini College is leading to various forms of involvement with Laurel House. Laurel House is the only domestic violence shelter and service in Montgomery County. Cabrini students are collecting old or unused cell phones and empty ink cartridges for Laurel House. Students should contact relatives and friends to gain more support about this drive. Cell phones and cartridges can be put in a drop-box in the admissions office, business office, registrars office and faculty support. The shelter was founded by the Women’s Center of Montgomery County in 1980. In 1981, Laurel House was incorporated as an independent nonprofit organization. Laurel House’s mission statement is to provide a safe haven for abused women and their children, to raise public awareness about domestic violence
and to advocate for social change against domestic violence. Students can attend a day of awareness session, provide Monday night activities for children, become a holiday volunteer, volunteer at Marian’s Attic, Laurel House’s thrift shop, or assist with in-kind donations. On Sunday, Oct. 28th, Laurel House will be holding a 5K run and walk against domestic violence. Registration information can be found in the Wolfington Center, which is located on the third floor of Founders Hall. Lauren Mindermann, coordinator of volunteer services at Cabrini College, said, “Laurel House is very excited to have volunteers from Cabrini.” According to Tommie Wilkins, director of volunteer services and community education at Laurel House, it would like male volunteers as well as women. The children there need to witness men whom they need not be afraid of. There are male victims too. Amy DeBlasis, an English in-
structor, participates with Laurel House in her Seminar 300 course. Amy DeBlasis said in an e-mail, “Students in my Sem 300 are completing a domestic violence advocacy program that will certify them to work in any shelter in Pennsylvania.” According to Wilkins, in cofacilitating a class with Amy DeBlasis, they are putting domestic violence training into a classroom. When students finish the course they can choose to volunteer individually. Students will be able to work with the police, a medical advocacy program and local hospitals when victims present themselves. Students in DeBlasis’ course are surveying students’ views on campus and the community about relationship violence. Wilkins said, “Students are a pool of information and knowledge that we can use to further educate people on campus and in general.”Any student who knows someone affected by domestic violence can call Laurel House’s hotline at 1-800-642-3150.
2007-2008 Loquitur Staff/Editorial Staff Editor in Chief Deputy Editor Managing Editor News Editor News Editor A & E Editor A & E Editor Features Editor Perspectives Editor Sports Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Events Editor Adviser
Kaitlin Barr Liz Lavin Nicole Osuch Jamie Hufnagle Ashley Cook Grayce Turnbach Katie Clark Brittany Lavin Jillian Smith Jessica Hagerty Megan Pellegrino Vickie Papageorge Diana Vilares Dr. Jerome Zurek
Staff Writers Jonathan Barnett Laura Lombardi Michael Bieker Brittany McLeod Christopher Blake Christina Michaluk Christopher Campellone Sarah Pastor Alicia Cook Nicholas Pitts Nicole Duggan Samantha Randol Danielle Feole Christy Ross Liz Garrett Meghan Smith Christine Graf Jessica Storm Jessie Holeva Mallory Terrence Danielle Kaine Lauren Townsend Robert Kallwass Diana Trasatti Shannon Keough Jake Verterano Ryan Kirby Britany Wright
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ANTHONY VELLUTATO/GRAPHIC DESIGNER