There are approximately 306 students in support of changes to “improve outdoor lighting throughout campus,” according to a WyoVocal post launched on October 6, 2014.
The post claims a lack of lighting outside the Student Union and around Prexy’s Pasture creates an unsafe campus. The post prompted ASUW Director of Governmental Affairs Chris Ryan to perform outreach and research on the issue.
“Nothing has been brought to my attention regarding safety issues. That is not to say that it has never happened, but no one has told me,” Ryan said. Ryan also said the cases of reported poor lighting he investigated were not even on campus, but near the Bison Run Apartments.
“The biggest areas of concern from students were actually off campus areas of Laramie, the most emphasized being Willet Drive between campus and the apartments,” Ryan said.
The area described by Ryan is a city road and managed by City Public Works in conjunction with Rocky Mountain Power. Lighting along that stretch is therefore a city issue, not applicable to the university.
Bria Frame, a UW junior, said lighting on campus is indeed insufficient and as a result, she said she feels threatened while walking in the dark.
“I don’t think it’s completely dark, but I walk alone at night frequently and I always walk around with my keys clenched in my fist and always checking my back,” Frame said.
Frame said increased lighting would help decrease crimes and increase safety, but not completely remedy the issue.
“You can’t destroy rape culture with more lighting, but better lighting makes students feel safer and it lessens the possibility of crime in general,” Frame said. “If a crime does occur in better lighting, it’s easier for video cameras, victims and passersby to see it and record or report it.”
There is, however, no consensus that increased lighting would deter sexual assault crimes. Megan Selheim, coordinator of UW’s STOP Violence Program said a lack of lighting is not causation for heightened rates of sexual assault crimes and more lighting on campus is unlikely to deter those crimes.
“The lighting on campus has no effect on safety in terms of sexual assault, in my experience,” Selheim said. “Ninety-nine percent of the sexual assault survivors that I’ve worked with since I’ve been at UW have been assaulted by people they knew, so outside lighting wouldn’t make a difference in that respect.”
Selheim also said, while better lighting may not curb sexual assault, it could still be a safety issue.
“That doesn’t mean that lighting on campus is not a safety concern, it just hasn’t been a safety concern in my experience in regards to sexual assault,” Selheim said.
Ryan said students should know student government would act to the best of its ability in the best interests of the student body to address the issue.
“ASUW is committed to work on any and all issues that reach a threshold on WyoVocal,” Ryan said. “I am still in communication with the city and physical plant as they complete the projects where they can.”
