One of the worst times to be at Pierce College is during the night. When the sun sets and the few sources of light left are the fluorescent glow from open classroom doors, or from the hallways, dangerous events have been known to take place at Pierce College. For the safety of everyone on campus, it is necessary for the places with foot traffic to be properly illuminated.
Already during this spring semester, a sexual assault has occurred and the cover of dark gives those who would commit crimes an added advantage. Something needs to change or anyone who is on campus during the night will not feel safe.
A particular issue is the lack of lighting in parking lots. Anyone who needs to go to their car at night has to deal with the bad lighting. Faculty members and students alike must take a risk by traveling in the dark. Some find themselves taking long detours for a lit path to vehicles.
A simple solution to this problem is for Pierce to have bright lights along all pathways people use. If those on campus can see where they are going, they would be better equipped to sense nefarious figures.
Whether it be the areas north and south of the gym building, the rear part of campus near the auto-tech buildings, or the lawn between the Center for the Sciences and the Library/Learning Crossroads, or by the football fields, the campus is simply lacking in adequate lighting.
If students want to feel safe, all it takes is light at night so they can see and be aware of their surroundings. In addition, better visibility would allow campus police and law enforcement to catch people committing crimes by removing the cover of darkness, possibly deterring car thefts or people who try to harass other students.
Pierce administrators must make a decision that ultimately elevates the environment at Pierce. That means allocating some money to invest in making Pierce a safer campus, and part of that fund must be set aside to install proper lighting fixtures outdoors. On the pathway to a safer college, Pierce can start by shedding a little light for a more illuminated campus.
