Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: News
University abuzz about 'perfect storm' of crime
Officials not worried about student arrests, violent crime affecting school's reputation
Anthony Campisi
Three students have been arrested or indicted in the past week. The north side of campus has seen two shootings in a month. A female student was sexually assaulted in her off-campus apartment, and suspects have flashed students in two separate incidents.
The crimes are "the perfect storm," said Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush.
Ultimately, Rush said, because the crimes are completely unrelated, it's simple bad luck that has caused concern among officials and students.
"There's no doubt that [these incidents] … will raise some people's anxiety levels" on campus, Rush said.
In the short term, officials and experts say, strategies for handling the situation include communicating with the University about safety concerns and placing the incidents in the context of citywide crime trends.
University spokeswoman Lori Doyle said she isn't concerned that Penn's image will be hurt by these incidents.
She called crimes on campus - even those perpetrated by students - "inevitable" in an urban campus like Penn and said "it's going to take a lot more than a few negative media stories to make a dent on [the University's] reputation."
Public relations experts tended to agree with that assessment, but they said there are still steps a university can take in situations like this.
David Kirk, president of thePRguy Inc., stressed the importance of communication about safety issues.
Keeping the Penn community updated about crime problems has become increasingly important in the wake of last April's massacre at Virginia Tech, Kirk said.
Rush said that because a Penn Police officer fired the shots that killed a gunman at Club Wizzards last Monday, it was especially important to inform the University about the incident.
"Having a fatal shooting from the Penn Police is highly unusual. … Clearly this is a huge thing," she said.
Additionally, Penn's strategy of attempting to place recent campus crime in the context of the wider crime epidemic happening throughout the city is sound, according to John Moscatelli, senior vice president and COO of Anne Klein Communications Group LLC.
The crimes are "the perfect storm," said Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush.
Ultimately, Rush said, because the crimes are completely unrelated, it's simple bad luck that has caused concern among officials and students.
"There's no doubt that [these incidents] … will raise some people's anxiety levels" on campus, Rush said.
In the short term, officials and experts say, strategies for handling the situation include communicating with the University about safety concerns and placing the incidents in the context of citywide crime trends.
University spokeswoman Lori Doyle said she isn't concerned that Penn's image will be hurt by these incidents.
She called crimes on campus - even those perpetrated by students - "inevitable" in an urban campus like Penn and said "it's going to take a lot more than a few negative media stories to make a dent on [the University's] reputation."
Public relations experts tended to agree with that assessment, but they said there are still steps a university can take in situations like this.
David Kirk, president of thePRguy Inc., stressed the importance of communication about safety issues.
Keeping the Penn community updated about crime problems has become increasingly important in the wake of last April's massacre at Virginia Tech, Kirk said.
Rush said that because a Penn Police officer fired the shots that killed a gunman at Club Wizzards last Monday, it was especially important to inform the University about the incident.
"Having a fatal shooting from the Penn Police is highly unusual. … Clearly this is a huge thing," she said.
Additionally, Penn's strategy of attempting to place recent campus crime in the context of the wider crime epidemic happening throughout the city is sound, according to John Moscatelli, senior vice president and COO of Anne Klein Communications Group LLC.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 14
Rush Must Go
posted 12/03/07 @ 5:39 AM EST
So Maureen Rush gets paid gobs of money every year in order to tell us that we should just deal with this "bad luck?"
And she hasn't been fired because. (Continued…)
Alumni
posted 12/03/07 @ 10:20 AM EST
Maureen Rush comes from the Sylvester Johnson school of lame excuses for poor performance. The current passive police strategies are not working and it's time for fresh leadership with new ideas. (Continued…)
04 Alum
posted 12/03/07 @ 11:31 AM EST
Rush - the shootings, assault, and arrests are "bad luck"? Ever since Judy Rodin left, crime at Penn has steadily increased. And regardless of what the administration might say, the crime and negative publicity WILL AFFECT PENN'S REPUTATION AND RANKINGS. (Continued…)
no more excuses
posted 12/03/07 @ 1:09 PM EST
When Penn allowed its PD to be used as a patronage haven for retired city cops, its effectiveness was compromised. Ask DPS why do they have such high turnover. (Continued…)
Richard Levine
posted 12/03/07 @ 1:40 PM EST
Maybe all of these are coincidental and unrelated crimes, but in the larger view, the University is becoming progressively less safe. A student death seems like an eventuality, and this would be extremely damaging for Penn. (Continued…)
DBM
posted 12/03/07 @ 2:25 PM EST
Build a wall around the campus. There's not one ounce of education (aside from armed robbery) to be found outside.
Peek a boo - I see you
posted 12/03/07 @ 5:11 PM EST
I have an idea: How about all the geniuses writing these blogs crawl out from the anonymous rock under which they just love to hide, so we can see what they look like. (Continued…)
Alan Krigman
posted 12/03/07 @ 6:11 PM EST
Well, you at least have to admire Maureen Rush for chutzpah.
I'm a housing provider (KRF Management -- don't call us until April 15, much as we'd like to help) with properties in the 43rd - 45th street safe area (where we don't need Penn Police eating doughnuts in their cars using up parking spaces, Penn Security rent-a-cops exposing themselves to our ladies, or UCD Safety Ambassadors swapping lies at our cafes). (Continued…)
P T Barnum
posted 12/03/07 @ 7:07 PM EST
Well if it's a Perfect Storm then "Mo" and "Piss Bottle" should pull a Clooney and Walhberg and go down with the ship. UPPD is a ship without a rudder and the biggest joke out there. (Continued…)
a pennstudent
posted 12/03/07 @ 10:45 PM EST
http://www.petitiononline.com/MRush/petition.html
This is the petition created by a few concerned Penn students regarding Maureen Rush and the current crime at Penn. (Continued…)
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