Blue Lights and Upgrades to On-Campus Safety Services

Dear Saint Mary’s Community,

As part of its ongoing charge to evaluate and update safety protocols and procedures across campus, the Saint Mary’s Action & Response Team (SMART) has begun an assessment of Blue Lights and Emergency Call Boxes. This assessment, along with the recently completed Campus Safety Walk held by the offices of Student Life, Facilities, and Campus Safety, along with students, has identified which Blue Lights are no longer functional.

In the coming weeks, the offices of Campus Safety and Information Technology Services (ITS) will continue their efforts to better utilize more modern technology and provide a more accessible way for the Saint Mary’s community to communicate with campus safety and 911 emergency services. Out-of-service Blue Lights will be removed, and newer technology, such as the Saint Mary’s LiveSafe App, will be prioritized in providing safety services across campus. 

Blue Lights were added to campus in 2003 in response to student requests for increased safety measures following an act of acquaintance sexual assault. Since then, Saint Mary’s has established the Campus Assault Response and Education (CARE) Center, added a full-time CARE director, and implemented a CARE phone line that is staffed 24-7 when classes are in session. While the Blue Light system was originally considered a measure to deter acts of stranger violence, data shows around 90 percent of sexual assaults on college campuses happen between people who know each other. The College continues to address sexual assault and interpersonal violence in a number of proactive ways, including further utilization and strengthening of modern technology as well as the Green Dot bystander intervention program that teaches acquaintances how to be engaged bystanders. 

Recent usage records show Blue Light activation is rare. Since the beginning of the 2020–2021 academic year, these devices have been utilized only twice—once for a disabled automobile and once for minor medical assistance. Strategic placement of the remaining Blue Lights moving forward will remain an integral part of ensuring the continued safety of all students, faculty, and staff.

The Saint Mary’s community will have multiple opportunities to participate in this process. During the spring semester, SMART will hold conversations with faculty, staff, and students about the development of a comprehensive plan to replace outdated devices with a new system. In the interim, if there are questions about SMART’s work to update this infrastructure, members of the campus community may contact Hampton Cantrell, Chair of SMART and Executive Director and Chief of Campus Safety and Transportation, via email at hnc2@stmarys-ca.edu. 

Kind regards,

Saint Mary’s Action & Response Team (SMART)

Chair - Hampton Cantrell, Executive Director of Campus Safety and Transportation 

Vice Chair -  Anthony Garrison-Engbrecht, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Life

Sarah Speron, Vice President for Facilities 

Francisco Chavez, Chief Information Officer

Ben Enos, Director of Media Relations

Jennifer D. Heung, Ph.D., Associate Provost of Faculty Affairs

Jean-Ann Balassi, Director, Employee Benefits, Human Resources (Interim member of SMART)