New LiveSafe App Gives CCSU Students Hope For Campus Safety

NEW BRITAIN - In the wake of an on campus sexual misconduct scandal and strangulation case, students at Central Connecticut State University are hoping the new LiveSafe app can increase their campus safety.

With eight former students and faculty coming forward regarding sexual advances from theater department professor Joshua Perlstein, students have caused an uproar regarding how students can feel safer when on campus day or night.

“Whether its a sexual harassment case, a stalking case or any type of violent case, students need to know that can feel safe when walking around the campus,” Central Junior Steven Barth said. “As a campus community, it is really important that the student body and faculty can walk around the entire campus not feeling in danger.”

With a student enrollment of 12,000, campus wide safety remains a necessity for Central’s administration. With recent action taken place by the university’s President Dr. Toro regarding the school’s sexual misconduct policy, CCSU student’s are hoping that changes such as this and the LiveSafe App will continue to take place.

“It’s nice to see that the school is finally taking initiative for student safety,” Freshman music major Alexis Volpe stated. “It is really nice to see the President Toro and other faculty change the policy for the school’s sexual misconduct and finally make a change for once. I think the LiveSafe app is another step towards that change, too.”

The university encourages students to download the LiveSafe application with the intentions for it to act as another form of communication between CCSU and their students in case of emergencies.

According to the Central website, the LiveSafe mobile app “provides students, faculty and staff with a direct connection to CCSU police so that everyone can easily communicate their safety needs.”

Sophomore and criminal justice major Erica Kulla, believes the LiveSafe app to be a smart idea from the university.

“I think the LiveSafe app is a really good and smart concept for students to have free access to. It is definitely a tool that with help students feel much more safe while on campus, especially with everything that’s been going on recently.”

The LiveSafe app provides students with certain emergency features in the palms of their hands, such as location sharing with 911, campus police contact, emergency procedures and a safety map.

The university also made a newest addition to their features on the app titled “Sexual Assault Assistance,” due to the discovery of recent allegations and campus outcry. This feature allows students with contacts to Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention, the University’s Counseling Center, Student Health Services and the Women’s Center.

Anna Brewer, one of the victims who spoke out publicly regarding her personal encounters with professor Perlstein, expressed how she wishes more students were being taught about the emergency outlets the university provides.

“It seems pretty obvious to me that in general when it comes to students safety, more needs to be educated,” she stated. “Reflecting on the wake in the new revelations regarding the school, how suddenly the Women’s Center is visible and recourses are putting themselves forward, word of these outlets are finally being spread forward. But that was never the case before. Unless you are a victim, you don’t really know what is available to you as a student.”

Student’s such as Brewer, specifically when she was a freshman, do not know about all the services that are provided to them in an emergency. But it is hoped with tools such as the LiveSafe App, that students will begin to be aware.

“Making these tools part of regular conversation will go a long way and really help,” Brewer continued.

Not only has the sexual misconduct case sparked controversy regarding campus safety, but the recent arrest of Central’s Head of Student Conduct Christopher Dukes for kidnapping and strangulation also has students concerned for their well being while on campus.

“As if the sexual misconduct case wasn’t enough to frighten students, the scandal with Chris Dukes definitely makes things a little more concerning,” education major Bailey Murphy said. “Hopefully the [LifeSafe] app can help ease some students while there on campus, and other emergency tools as well.”

In addition to the LiveSafe app students are now provided with, students must not forget about the blue lights that are administrated around campus as well. These lights act as another form of public safety for students that indicate a phone for direct assistance to university police for any emergency at any time of night.

“Its definitely easy to get scared walking around the campus at any time of night, especially by yourself,” Kulla said. “Knowing that the blue lights are spread around campus makes me feel a lot better on top of the LiveSafe App.”

Students such as Kulla hope that within in the wake of these campus allegations, emergency resources such as the LiveSafe App and blue lights will help aid to CCSU’s campus wide safety.