Columbia is committed to enhancing safety around campus for the benefit of students, faculty and staff. As an urban campus, security is of the utmost importance, according to Columbia’s website.

Between January and June 2011, 705 reported incidents have caused the security department to take action. The three buildings with the most reports were the Alexandroff Campus Center, 600 S. Michigan Ave., with 85 reports; the 33 E. Congress Parkway Building, with 81 reports; and the Residence Center, 731 S. Plymouth Court, with 73 reports.

“They are our biggest buildings, except for 731 S. Plymouth Court, but [the Residence Center] is the one that is occupied most often because it is a residence hall,” said Robert Koverman, associate vice president of Safety and Security. “I think the two determinant factors are the size of the building and the number of people who occupy the building.”

According to Koverman, the reported incidents varied from water leaks to theft to assault. Each of these events requires a different response that security has to make, he said.

In a criminal type incident, like a theft, which is the most frequent incident in the top three buildings, security’s first concern is the victim and making sure that he or she is not harmed, Koverman said. Then security teams up with the Chicago Police Department to look for the suspect, if they have been sighted or if they are in the building, or seek a possible suspicious person, he added.

“The post orders [between the buildings] are generally the same, except for 731 S. Plymouth Court, which is different,” Koverman said. “Some of the procedures may be a little bit different depending on the building. For the most part, they are pretty consistent.”

According to him the Residence Center receives more calls for security because it is open 24 hours. The residence hall can have an incident happen at 3 a.m. when the other buildings are closed, he said.

“[Reported incidents] kind of average out,” Koverman said. “Even though 600 S. Michigan Ave., 33 E. Congress Parkway or 623 S. Wabash Ave., may not be open 24 hours, they are certainly open all but six or eight hours, and they are more occupied.”

The Residence Center also deals with events that happen outside of the building, according to Kelli Collins, associate director of residence life.

“Our security has been increased, especially with us having students [who] are temporarily in housing in other locations,” Collins said. “We have increased security between [residence buildings], and security has increased its rounds.”

According to Collins, students don’t complain about security or the incidents that happen in the Residence Center. However, there have been a few complaints about the number of security personnel in their building in comparison to the University Center of Chicago, 525 S. State St.

However, the Residence Center has changed some of its security procedures, like adding a new electronic check-in, much like the one found in the University Center. The Residence Center is trying to make new security regulations to keep up with the other dorms, Collins said.

“I can tell a little bit of a difference compared to going to the University Center where I visit friends,” said Andrea Wright, freshman musical theater major and current Residence Center resident. “Overall, I haven’t felt threatened yet.”

Wright is impressed with the way security handles things at the Residence Center, like checking key cards when they don’t recognize a resident.

“I am comfortable with what we have in our building,” Koverman said. “Most of the calls that you see are for a service: water leaks, found property, that kind of thing. Our response time is two to two and a half minutes, and if it’s an immediate threat, our response time is immediate.”