NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is moving forward with a three-phased plan to upgrade the Code Blue Emergency towers, also known as call boxes, on campus and in parking lots. The call towers are a part of a safety system that is utilized to call TSU Police Department in case of an incident or emergency on campus.
Marlah Green, the Assistant Director of Renovation and Construction for the University, said the upgrades are necessary to continue ensuring campus safety for everyone. “One of the enhancements we are making with the towers … we are putting cameras on them,” Green said. “The towers are important for the safety and security of the students, staff, and visitors to the campus.”
Contractors installing an updated Code Blue Emergency tower with cameras in the visitors parking lot. (Photo by: Alexis Clark)
As a part of phase one, the University replaced the cameras located on campus buildings and say several will be equipped with a public address system. Phase two includes replacing call towers in the parking lots surrounding the campus. Green added that “360” cameras, capable of rotating in a full circle, will be placed on these towers.
Currently, there are 26 towers on campus. Phase three of the project will consist of adding at least ten more call boxes.
As of Sept. 2022, there are 26 towers on campus. The university plans on adding at least ten more call boxes.
Dr. Curtis Johnson, associate vice president and chief of staff, said the additional towers will be in locations that provide comprehensive coverage for safety.
“Our plans are to strategically place them where … you can see the blue lights from almost every campus location,” Johnson said. “You will see the towers and know where they are, verses trying to find one at every building.”
Johnson said this has been an ongoing project and reiterated the importance of safety for the students and hope to have the installations complete before homecoming beginning October 2.
Tennessee State University is leaving no stone unturned as the campus begins an aggressive push to enhance safety measures. In a press conference held this morning, President Glenda Glover announced a plan that included new initiatives while upgraded others to assure students, parents, alumni, and the public TSU is a safe and secure campus.
TSU President Glenda Glover announces the University’s 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan at a news conference Friday, as State Rep. Harold M. Love, Jr, and State Sen. Thelma Harper, both TSU alumni, watch. (Photo by John S. Cross, TSU Media Relations)Glover laid out a 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan developed in consultation with security and law enforcement experts, including Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson, Metro Police North Precinct Acting Commander Gregory Blair, Tennessee Bureau of Investigations Director, Mark Gwyn, and a cross-section of individuals who represent the university in various capacities, to develop additional strategies for safety improvement. The plan addresses key concerns such as increasing visibility and patrols by police officers, strict enforcement of TSU’s ID policy, an active tip hotline, more frequent room inspections, and enhanced campus surveillance measures, among other crucial steps.
“The administration is taking a multifaceted approach to further enhance safety measures that strategically address the issue of insuring that there are no weapons or other illegal activity on our campus,” Glover said. “Having a weapon on campus is immediate grounds for expulsion from the university.”
Joining President Glover at the news conference were leaders from the University family including the student representative from the Campus Safety Commission Tarence Rice, Faculty and Staff Senate Chairs Jessica Gabriel and Dr. Michael Catanzaro, TSU Police personnel, members of TSU’s National Alumni Association, TSU Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Dwayne Tucker and Kevin Williams, alumni Senator Thelma Harper and Rep. Harold Love, Jr., and other community leaders.
“This plan calls for action, accountability and assessment by all, and all three are equally as important. And it starts with me,” Glover said. “Police, staff, faculty and students as well as the President will be held accountable for ensuring that this plan is implemented in a timely and professional fashion. This plan goes into action, not next week, not next month, and not next year, but now.”
The 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan birthed out of two Town Hall meetings held with students who voiced their concerns about the TSU Police Department and other campus activities. Effective immediately, the TSU Police Department now reports to Glover.
“Metro police, particularly the North Nashville Precinct officers, have been a tremendous help in providing resources that will assist with our safety enhancement plan. The university is also grateful for the outpouring of support for our students and TSU as a whole, from alumni and supporters across the country.”
Below are the components of Tennessee State University’s 10-Point Safety Enhancement Plan:
Increased visibility of the TSU police force.
We have a partnership with Metro Nashville Police, who have already joined with TSU PD in providing increased patrols on campus. We have also begun the process of hiring more TSU Police and Security Officers to fully implement the increased activity.
2. The opening of a new TSU Police satellite office in the Floyd Payne Campus Center, near the courtyard area.
This satellite office will be fully operational beginning November 1, 2015.
Strict enforcement of the TSU ID policy, requiring students, faculty, and staff to wear IDs at all times.
We will strictly enforce TSU’s ID policy, which requires students, faculty, and staff to wear their campus-issued ID at all times. IDs must be worn visibly and not contained in a pocket, book bag or handbag. Fines will be imposed for individuals not wearing IDs. (The first time there will be a warning or referral. The second time is a $25 fine, and the third time is a $50 fine). The same policy will also apply to parking. Students and employees must show a campus-issued decal and ID to come on campus. Special IDs and parking passes will be issued to campus visitors.
The incorporation of a tip hotline, through our Red Flag System, that will allow individuals to report information anonymously. We also have a mobile TSU Safety App which can be downloaded to cellular phones.
We are offering cash awards to students as a part of our See Something Say Something
This initiative encourages students to report suspicious activity to the TSU PD.
The initiation of a Student Safety Patrol staffed by volunteers from male student organizations—which include fraternities, service organizations, and other related campus groups—to accompany individuals across campus.
The TSU Student Safety Patrol will consist of uniformed volunteers that will be strategically located across the campus for added patrol and provide assistance to students when requested. Recruitment has begun and will continue throughout the semester.
More frequent room inspections in campus housing.
Room checks are randomly conducted if there is reasonable cause to believe that a student is using a residence facility for purposes that are illegal, constitute a hazard, or would seriously interfere with campus discipline.
Enhanced surveillance on campus, including cameras and lighting will continue.
Increased access control on campus through proximity readers.
We began this initiative with our classrooms and expand the program to include the Floyd Payne Student Center in approximately 3 weeks. Other campus buildings will come on-line throughout the year.
The completion of Phase II of the fence project on TSU’s campus.
Phase I is approximately 75% complete. It is the existing fence with gates and access control from Kean Hall on 33rd to Hale Hall on Albion. In Phase II – we will continue the fence to other parts of the campus. It will start from the existing chain link fence behind the Torrence Hall Engineering Building to the TSU steam plant area.
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About Tennessee State University
With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
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