Violent incidents rare on York U. campus

Students live in fear Letter, Sept. 14.

I would like to respond to three female students expressing their fears in response to escalating gun- related homicides in the Greater Toronto Area. The concerns of these women are understandable and the harassment they describe is unacceptable. However, their characterization of York University is misleading. The neighbourhood located outside York’s campus is only one of many different communities throughout the GTA that has reported gun violence.

In reality, violent incidents on York’s campus are extremely rare. No one has ever been wounded by gun violence on campus. According to current statistics, serious security infractions are three to five times less likely to happen at York than elsewhere in Toronto, making York one of the safest places to be.

York’s security budget has increased by approximately $1 million since 2002, with campus security staff on duty 24/ 7. Our student escort service is one of the most extensive and well-funded in the province, staffed by trained personnel, operating until as late as 3 a. m. York also has one of the largest and most extensive security video installations in the GTA, which can be linked to emergency phones across campus. I strongly urge any student who feels unsafe to take advantage of these services, or to contact our Office of Student Community Development for housing or other assistance.

York University is a community of 60,000 people living on campus and in neighbourhoods throughout the GTA. In this new urban reality, we must all be aware and strive to address the root causes of violence in our society. Robert Tiffin, Vice- President Students, York University, Toronto