MINNEAPOLIS — The countdown is on for the University of Minnesota campuses preparing to welcome 58,000 students this fall. The University of Minnesota Board of Regents were presented with an update on safety improvements the University has been making.
Myron Frans, the university's senior vice president for finance and operations, says updating infrastructure is one of their top priorities. He says the campuses are adding more emergency blue call center towers, updating surveillance systems and software, and re-evaluating which of the 240 campus buildings should require a university ID to get inside.
“We aren’t going to lock every door on campus. There was a big miscommunication about that,” Frans clarified.
Currently, 140 buildings across the campuses are open to the public. Libraries, museums, theatres, and student unions will remain open to public.
What about Dinkytown?
Dinkytown has seen a series of crimes involving people shooting fireworks at people and buildings.
Frans says the University of Minnesota Police Department is getting a funding boost for more resources. Last year, the department received approval to increase their department to 71 officers. Currently, Frans says they have 52 officers.
“We work closely with Minneapolis Police, State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff to patrol Dinkytown. We want everyone to feel safe,” Fran said.
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities sophomore student Somuayira Nsude says she feels safe walking alone at night on campus, but not in Dinkytown.
“[Dinkytown] It needs better lighting,” Nsude said. “It would be a lot easier to feel secure especially as a woman with these kind of things.”
Frans says there is also discussions about bringing more emergency blue security posts into Dinkytown while the City of Minneapolis awaits replacing and repairing old street lights.
The City of Minneapolis approved allocating $4.5 million funds specifically to street lighting improvements in the Marcy Holmes neighborhood. The University’s Government Relations team has been working with the City on the project which is slated to be done in 2024.
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