Senator Terri Bonoff and Police Work to Increase Campus Security

A recent Minnesota Daily article reported University of Minnesota students don’t feel safe due to the increasing number of violent crimes on campus. Senator Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, is working to keep these students safe.

Terri said while higher education institutions in metro areas have dealt with fluctuating crime trends for decades, the recent uptick is unique because of the criminals’ boldness, the article reported.

“University police have issued 14 crime alerts since the beginning of the semester for crimes, which include two sexual assaults, an attempted kidnapping and many armed robberies,” the article reported. Students at the university have been petitioning for more police to monitor campus to decrease crimes.

“We’re doing our best to be aware of our surroundings and to maintain our personal safety, but concern for our security on a daily basis has interrupted the flow of our normal lives,” one student said.

The article reported University police Chief Greg Hestness said he has met with city law enforcement officials to increase campus surveillance.

“Criminals seek out urban areas where there is a lot of foot traffic, places where they can get in and out quickly and where they have a lot of potential victims,” Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek said. “Urban college campuses fit with this model.”

University police Chief Greg Hestness said he has met with city law enforcement officials increase campus surveillance. Cameras will be installed at light-rail stops to increase security on Washington Avenue, the article reported.

Bonoff is planning to check back with the University next legislative session to make sure practices are on track. Senator Bonoff is also leading policy to make transparent reporting on health and safety during study abroad programs a reality.

Cal Poly Student, Matthew Yount, Dies in Swimming Accident While Studying Abroad with CEA Global Education in Spain

An article from The Tribune recently reported the tragedy of a 20-year-old student who died in a swimming accident while studying abroad in Seville, Spain.

Matthew Yount was a business student from Cal Poly who traveled to Spain as part of the CEA Global Education program. According to a Spanish newspaper, Yount and two friends dived into the river Guadalquivir for fun after a night of drinking. Yount’s friends said he never resurfaced after jumping into 45-degree water. Hours later, divers finally found Yount’s body.

The San Telmo bridge, built in 1931, is 26-feet high, according to a report in the New York Times.

Yount was on the golf team at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and teammates who played in the Cal Poly Golf Fundraiser Tournament over the weekend wore light blue ribbons with the initials "M.Y." in honor of Yount.

The Cal Poly SLO Men and Women’s Golf Team posted the following note on their Facebook page after Yount’s death: “Our Cal Poly Golf Family is truly saddened because yesterday we lost one of our own, Matt Yount. Matt has definitely made a positive impact on all of his teammates and friends. That impact will last forever.”

Cal Poly President sent out a statement expressing his sympathies to Yount’s family, the article reported.

ClearCause Launches New ASAPP S.O.S. App To Keep Students Safe Abroad!

 ClearCause has announced a partnership with React Mobile to launch a mobile safety application called ASAPP S.O.S. (A Student Abroad Preparedness Plan: Save Our Students)! The revolutionary app provides students traveling in more than 18 countries with the ability to notify emergency contacts, services or help with only one touch.

ClearCause and React Mobile share the goal of keeping American students safe as they study abroad. ClearCause founder Sheryl Hill’s son, Tyler Hill, died a preventable death while he was studying abroad with People to People Student Ambassadors when he was barely 16 years old. CEO Robb Monkman was a hostage victim on an off-campus incident during his college career. His passion for safety and security has resulted in React Mobile, a safety application on smart phones with the power of one-touch GPS location and emergency contact. 

The free ASAPP SOS app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play and enables youth and students to choose their destination country in its settings. The student is then given the option to notify local emergency services or authorities depending on the geographic locale after an SOS alert is triggered. (Example: in the United Kingdom, the app will prompt a user to dial 112 or 999 instead of 911).

The SOS app also has a “follow me” feature, available for a small optional monthly fee, which enables the student to self-select emergency contacts, which could be parents, program, insurance company, peers, etc. The follow-me feature tracks the GPS on students’ smart phones, in real time, whenever they want to make others aware of their location. This feature is perfect for students traveling in foreign countries to let their loved ones know where they are. One touch of the “I’m Safe” button will let concerned parents, for example, know the student is safe.

In an emergency, the student simply presses the SOS shield on the app to send a panic alert containing a link to their GPS location to select emergency contacts via text message and email. These can optionally be posted to Facebook and Twitter. Once the SOS is activated, the student is automatically prompted to call the authorities with the correct three-digit number.

“Most people do not know what number to call when a crisis strikes in a foreign country,” said Hill. “Our SOS app automatically prompts the user with the correct number, simultaneously alerting pre-defined contacts to let them know they need help.”

For additional information about the SOS app and other strategies for keeping students safe while traveling abroad, visit www.ClearCauseFoundation.org. Get the app at the Apple Store and Google Play!