If Chad can hop the gate to the Greek Leadership Village at 2 a.m. on a Saturday morning, then what's stopping anybody else from doing the same? Or worse, simply walking into the complex when the gate is propped open by a Bird scooter, as is often the case.
In 2018, the GLV opened its doors to 27 of the Greek chapters at ASU, serving as a new housing opportunity for those in Greek life to live together in one community.
There are tall gates surrounding the houses giving off a seemingly safe, enclosed space for ASU students to live. From the outside, this fortress looks contained, but some unwanted characters still seem to venture in.
The security at the GLV falls short of other on-campus housing, leaving its residents vulnerable to the uninvited guests that surround the complex.
Darby Dunlop, a senior studying political science, said she had an unnerving experience while visiting the GLV's Chi Omega house with a friend in early October 2018. When going up the elevator, which connects to the chapter next door, a man followed them into the elevator and the girls noticed the man did not select a floor.
On the short ride up to the third floor, the man reached into his pants and started touching himself inappropriately in front of the two girls. After exiting they exited the elevator, the man began badgering them. Feeling threatened, the girls ran downstairs where somebody proceeded to call the police.
Dunlop said she thinks events like this are able to happen because the location of the GLV compromises its security.
"It has a lot of the same security the on campus dorms have. I think it is just more of the nature of the location being right off of Rural that kind of adds to the component of danger because people are just walking in off the street, rather than having to walk on campus first in order to get in," she said.
Brenda Carrasco, public information officer for the ASU Police Department, said there are no special safety measures taken at the GLV. Carrasco wrote in an email statement that "the area around Greek housing is patrolled just like any other area on campus."
Compared to many other dorms across campus, the GLV seems to leave it up to students to take responsibility for their own security.
As a resident of the GLV, I rarely have to scan myself into the complex, as the service gates aren't consistently kept closed. Once behind the main gates, access to houses through the side doors is quite easy, as many have been left open.
Although students should feel safe while living in any on-campus housing, the reality is that there are no effective measures to keep them safe at the GLV, and that needs to change.
Editor's Note: Darby Dunlop is a previous science and technology reporter for the State Press.
Reach the columnist at psaso@asu.edu and follow @paytonsaso on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the authors’ and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 500 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
