As campus-wide e-mails from Public Safety have indicated, two students were mugged this past Monday: the first at 1:15 a.m. at the corner of Broad and William Streets, and the second at 10:45 p.m. in front of Denison Terrace. One individual has confessed to both muggings, but it is unclear as to whether the same man in both muggings accompanied him.

Given these events, it seems only appropriate that the campus be a little more on edge than usual. When crime pricks even a small hole in the Wesleyan bubble, it can be very disconcerting. However, while we appreciate Public Safety’s efforts to keep the student body informed through multiple e-mail messages, we fail to see how advising the community keep a lookout for “suspicious people” works to accomplish anything other than further stoking already-piqued public fears and suspicions.

Rather, Public Safety can further elaborate on ways in which members of the community can remain safe and alert. Not listening to an iPod when walking late at night, for instance, can increase awareness of surroundings. This kind of advice gives the community concrete, achievable ways to feel secure when news of on-campus crime breaks.

Furthermore, it might be worth rehiring a dispatcher for The RIDE to efficiently answer student requests, particularly if someone calls The RIDE to avoid placing themselves in an uncomfortable situation.

The most important thing to remember is that the University does not exist behind walls, but within a larger town: to appreciate its strengths is to be aware of its shortcomings. Crime remains an issue within the Middletown community, so it remains an issue in the Wesleyan community.