Moesha Facey
A need for better lighting on campus has arisen as the student body voices concerns about many areas being too dark at night due to inadequate or non-existent lighting, raising safety concerns. SGA treasurer Ross Butler (C’28) sought to draw out the dark areas on campus to bring light. On October 22, 2024, Butler conducted a night survey of the campus.
Butler identified and captured 10 different areas on campus that in some way needed lighting improvements. Some places had no lighting system installed, others had lights that needed replacement or the lights installed just were not bright enough. Some of these places included; the driveway to get behind the post office, and a bench area behind Terrace which had no lights. The west side underpasses of campus that lead to the ARCC had no lighting on the ramp walls and stairwell walls as the lights from the light post were out. Even the lights by Learning Services also need replacement. Additionally, the main road to the campus from the Cottages needs brighter lighting.
Butler along with Anijah Bond (C’28), drafted a Campus Lighting Reform Bill on October 10, 2024, to address these concerns. The bill aims to improve lighting in multiple areas on campus to enhance safety and comfort for students, especially at night when there are campus events that could be occurring. The bill was presented to the SGA student body on October 29, 2024, and passed. Further steps are being developed to implement the changes outlined in the bill.
The SGA plans to introduce a new LED lighting system on campus. These lights will be installed/ and or replaced in various areas, facing downwards and away from any dorm room windows to avoid complaints about bright lights disturbing rooms. The position of the lights will always prevent bright lights from glaring in people’s eyes. LED lights are environmentally friendly and safe for college campuses. They consume less energy and reduce the carbon footprint to help minimize light pollution.
The new lighting system aims to create a safer campus for all students, addressing safety concerns. It will benefit students with disabilities who struggle with poorly lit areas. A lot of students with disabilities have expressed that areas on campus were too dark for them and they had to resort to calling public safety for assistance just to get through some of these paths.
Improved lighting will also help with the unfortunate inevitability of sexual assault on every college campus. Better lighting will help to deter activities related to Title IX issues, such as sexual violence and aid in identifying perpetrators in incidents of misconduct. Additionally, it will reduce legal risks related to safety for the Mount.
Students can look forward to a brighter and safer campus. As the bill envisions, “The dark days at the Mount are almost over. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Genesis 1:2).
Comments