Amid Black Lives Matter protests sparking conversations surrounding police brutality across the nation, the University of Iowa launched its Campus Safety Improvement Committee in June 2020 to evaluate campus safety systems and the role of university police.

The committee’s 2021 final report to President Barbara Wilson revealed that existing safety systems were ineffective for many students, particularly the most vulnerable, and highlighted widespread feelings of unease around campus police. To address these concerns, the committee recommended creating an ongoing Campus Safety Improvement Board, which held its first meeting in October.

Composed of students, faculty, staff, and safety experts, the board seeks to prioritize collaboration and transparency to create a safer, more inclusive environment while continuously adapting to the evolving needs of the university community.

Angie Reams, associate vice president and dean of students and a co-chair of the board, described its first year as a foundational “learning year.”

“It’s about learning context and history, learning about the policies and procedures of the institution, learning more about campus safety, learning from students, also learning from faculty and staff in our campus community,” Reams said.

The Campus Safety Improvement Board consists of 15 members, including representatives from the UI Latinx Council, the African American Council, Undergraduate and Graduate Student Government, Faculty Senate, and Staff Council, as well as experts in student accountability, campus safety, and public communication.

Reams explained that she and the board’s other co-chair, Sara Sanders, dean of the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, were appointed to their roles due to their leadership on the Reimagining Campus Safety Implementation Committee. However, she noted that their tenure as co-chairs will conclude at the end of this year.

“One of the things we’ll have to determine is how the leadership of the board goes forward. And that’s something that we’re still working on, and we have different ideas about how we want to do that,” Reams said. “The chairs will rotate, but the board will continue to move forward.”

Hayley Bruce, chief of staff and public information officer for UI campus safety, noted that another result of the 2021 Reimagining Campus Safety was the formation of the Campus Safety Student Advisory Board in 2022.

“One of our goals following the Reimagining Campus Safety Action Committee process was also to be intentional about sharing information about safety resources with students,” Bruce said. “This Board provides us with another opportunity to educate students on the free safety resources available to them on campus.”

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Mark Bullock, assistant vice president of campus safety, highlighted the Campus Safety Student Advisory Board as an important opportunity for dialogue between students and campus safety officials, fostering feedback on the services provided.

He noted that key topics of discussion have included Nite Ride, a free late-night transportation service for UI students, faculty, and staff; the Hawkeye Late Night Voucher Pilot Program, which offers discounted Uber rides to students as a safe late-night transportation option; and campus-wide lighting assessments to enhance safety.

In addition to providing a helpful feedback loop between students and campus safety, Bullock said the Campus Safety Student Advisory Board can also foster understanding and improvement.

“My goal with it is to increase transparency, continue to share and educate our community about the different things that we do, why we do certain things,” Bullock said. “And then continue to get feedback on, within the constraints that we’re working under, how could we improve and provide our services better.”

Bullock and Bruce encouraged interested students to attend the Student Advisory Board’s meetings, which are held twice per semester.

“We really want to hear directly from students,” Bruce said. “What’s impacting them, and how we can help them with any safety concerns that they’re facing? And the best way to do that is to get them together and be an open book and answer their questions.”