Lipscomb students expressed concern after one of the emergency call boxes on campus was found broken.
Assistant Director of Campus Security Patrick Cameron said that campus security made the discovery during one of the monthly tests.
The call box is located in Lipscomb’s West parking garage, on the second level by the elevator and during the time it was broken, campus security placed an ‘out-of-order’ sign on it.
Nicole Becker, a junior living on campus, said she expects the call boxes to be in good condition at all times.
“You expect something like that — if it says emergency or something like 911 — you expect them to work and to be there if you need them,” Becker said.
Mariah Lester, a junior commuter student, shares a similar opinion.
“I’d feel like pretty shortchanged,” Lester said. “These are supposed to be working.”
Cameron said he believes Lipscomb would not be held responsible if something were to happen when a box was not working.
“From a liability standpoint, as long as you’re testing them on a regular schedule, I think you’re covered,” Cameron said.
Lester thinks that the call boxes should be tested more than once a month.
“You can’t really protect robberies from being on campus, but you could protect yourself or get help when you need it,” Lester said. “If that help wasn’t available, I’d feel scared.”
There are 22 campus emergency call boxes, mostly located in the parking garages. There is a direct call line to campus security on each box.
Cameron said that the call boxes are used once every few weeks to report minor car accidents in the garage, for example.
Although the emergency call box that was out of order was fixed last week, Lester said that having access to those is important.
“You never know when anything could happen,” Lester said. “That one time that it does happen to you and it’s not working, I would feel unprotected.”