The University of Kentucky Student Government Association (SGA) held the first-ever “Wildcats Safety Alliance Caucus.”
Thursday, Jan. 16, members discussed issues such as sexual and physical assault, security, lighting on campus, hate discrimination and mental health during the caucus.
The caucus was formed this semester to tackle student safety concerns on campus.
SGA Student Safety Coordinator Jacob Grider said SGA’s student safety survey will resume after taking a hiatus in 2024 due to internal reasons.
The survey will be placed on BBNvolved in February by SGA. In 2023, 100 students participated.
“The student safety survey is an accumulation of all thoughts of the UK student body about, essentially, what does safety mean to them and also how is that applicable in their lives as we see fit,” Grider said.
Freshman Senator and Chair of the Safety Alliance Conner Brumley shared data with the attendants about crime located on and off UK’s campus, as well as around Lexington, Kentucky.
Brumley also shared collective data about student’s experiences on college campuses across the United States.
The idea to hold a caucus focusing on UK students’ safety was put together by Brumley and fellow freshman senators after they were sworn in on Oct. 9, 2024.
“That was around the same time as the numerous sexual assault and rape cases were being reported on campus,” Brumley said, “So we got together and said, ‘let’s do something.’”
One theme throughout the freshmen senator’s campaigns was the importance of student safety and communication with students about safety, according to Brumley.
“A lot of us freshman senators felt like the university wasn’t communicating transparency in safety,” Brumley said.
Brumley said his goal for the caucus was for students and other SGA members that attend their meetings to see the work that comes next for their group to solve issues including hazing, rape, aggravated assault and other crimes occurring on campus.
“At the end of the day if this caucus achieves nothing else, let it be that we spoke and had that open discussion . . . that others on this campus have not been willing to have,” Brumley said.
According to Brumley, meetings are hopefully set to occur twice a month to ensure members are discussing crucial campus issues.
“Safety’s not a one-solution-fits-all type of conversation to be had and the same thing goes for the caucus,” Brumley said. “The caucus’s focus surrounds prevention, advocacy and education.”
Student safety is a top concern for SGA as a whole, according to Brumley, which gives leeway to communicate with UK overall regarding student safety concerns.
“We wanted to ensure we gave a platform to University of Kentucky students to come to UK SGA to talk about those issues,” Brumley said.
Wildcat Safety Alliance Caucuses are open to non-SGA students to attend and give input in these meetings.
