I have been a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University for almost 4 years now and throughout this time, there have been several instances in which I myself, and the campus at large, have felt unsafe. 

For the Fall 2024 semester, FDU Florham decided to make its campus "semi open" meaning that public safety would only guard the entrances/exits to campus at a certain time of night, leaving them open for the majority of the day. In my 4 years here, there have been several incidents regarding safety. 

1. On August 31, 2021 there were reports of an unknown man entering campus uninvited and joining in on a game of manhunt with students. The incident was recorded in the now discontinued student newspaper The Pillar here 
2. On April 4th, 2023, FDU Florham engaged in a shelter in place due to reports of an armed person near the campus. Students were instructed to stay away from doors and windows for almost 5 hours in case of potential gunfire. This story is reported here
3. Barely a week later on April 11, 2023, a man was arrested and charged with kidnapping, physical assault, and sexual assault of a FDU student who was held at knifepoint in her own dorm room, as reported by The Daily Record 
4. On November 20th, 2024, students were yet again met with a shelter in place order due to an ongoing police investigation regarding a student who was believed to have possession of a gun. The shelter in place lasted about 4 hours, ending at around 3 am. The suspect was arrested early in the morning November 21st, 2024, off campus. Story was reported here

These are just the notable safety issues that I am personally aware of. Students should not feel afraid on their own campus. Public safety should not get to pick and choose when they feel it is important to record who enters our university.

Additionally, even when public safety was guarding the gates, I have seen them wave people through without collecting any information. I have been in multiple cars with students who showed miscellaneous items, such as fast food gift cards, instead of ID to test if they would notice. In all of these cases, students were let in to campus without the officer noticing. 

I am not one to rally for a suffocating police or security presence. However, I feel genuinely recording the information of those who visit FDU is a bare minimum that should not have been brushed off or removed from procedure. Cutting safety measures is not only irresponsible, but also dangerous. If so many notable situations occurred in just four years, most of which while FDU was still a closed campus, how many more incidents will happen in the future now that this duty is neglected? 

Sign this petition if you feel FDU Florham should go back to being a closed campus with public safety officers posted at our gates at all times, committed to keeping accurate records of campus visitors and student entries. Convenience should never be prioritized over safety. FDU has provided many of us with an excellent education and I feel it is our right to return the favor and teach them that our safety is not something to be taken lightly.