On Feb. 20, the Student Government Association led a protest for campus safety following a recent rise of crimes on campus.
Students marched from the Welcome Center bus stop and to the UHPD station, demanding changes from the UHPD to improve campus life.
“I think it’s a dark time for us right now,” said supply chain management sophomore Elanna Benton. “I feel like the energy is kind of low but we are still trying to help everyone out.”
The protest caught the attention of not only students on campus but also local news stations KHOU11 and FOX 26 Houston, which covered the event.
“It shows that we’re resilient and we’re not just going to give up until we get what we want, which is more security,” said political science senior Sydney Thomas.
The SGA and many students believe UHPD is failing to provide transparency and accountability to the University.
“We’re still trying to pick up our own lives and we have to tell far older people to do theirs properly, especially a security entity like UHPD,” said digital media sophomore Christopher Hooper.
The protest also focused on UHPD Chief Caesar Moore and what attendees called his unacceptable recent actions.
“We’re still trying to show our faces and show that we care about what happened,” Benton said. “We want a change. There’s a lot of women here today and I think that shows we’re scared for ourselves and our heart definitely goes out to that girl.”
To show solidarity and respect during the march, protesters paused at the Welcome Center garage for a 15-minute silent tribute to the female victim, reflecting on the duration of the attack.
The protest outlined six main demands: holding UHPD Chief Caesar Moore accountable, conducting routine checks on all security cameras during breaks, increasing funding for campus safety, improving campus lighting and emergency call tower technology, enhancing escort services and investing in Third Ward’s safety and community.
“The things we have been hearing from Moore are unacceptable,” said Sen. Terrell Wallace. “Him saying he’s tired, he’s recharging. We are all tired.”
The protest drew approximately 40 attendees, many carrying signs that read “No Moore Silence” and “Where is Moore.”
Chants directed at the UHPD called for fixes to cameras and lighting and questioned the reliability of the department.
“I believe it’s that matter of perception, of seeing action and an outcry of accountability for you to do your job properly,” Hooper said. “You need to see students in action as a collective asking you to do your job.”
Meeting with Moore
In a recent meeting between UHPD, SGA President Deigo Arriaga, Vice President Austin Craig and Chief of Staff Daniela Gonzalez, the group discussed progress and future plans.
As the students explained their plans to distribute pepper spray and personal alarms on campus, they were met with questions about funding and legality.
Gonzalez said it felt like UHPD was trying to stop their efforts. Soon after, she was removed from the meeting despite being invited.
“He just said, ‘I know who you are Daniela, but you’re not supposed to be here,’” Gonzalez said. “It’s a closed door meeting and I expect the same respect that I give back.”
Craig described the meeting from their perspective, noting that Moore criticized his use of the word “improved” instead of “increased” when discussing safety. Moore then lectured the group about respect, saying he did not feel respected by them.
Moore also claimed UHPD ranks in the top 5% of all police departments and requested that students bring any safety concerns or ideas directly to him, Craig said.
“He gave us a lecture about respect and how we were disrespecting him. If that doesn’t tell you something, I don’t know what will,” Craig said. “To understand that, if you want to listen to students, you should have started on the right foot, and yesterday he continued to lecture us about respect.”
SGA plans
Last semester SGA recieved $63,235 from the Harris County District Attorney’s office to relaunch the sexual assault initiative.
Of that, $24,000 was allocated for pepper spray and personal alarms for students. Approximately 1,300 items are expected to arrive in the coming weeks.
The organization has also started creating a committee regarding campus safety to include student voices in administration decisions.
“We are going to put constant pressure on the administration to make sure that safety is a priority,” Craig said.
Arriaga has been invited to a task force for safety and security, Craig said.
“I think the administration should be happy that students are taking the initiative to bring those items to campus and protect each other,” Gonzalez said.
Another student forum is planned to address concerns and discuss how SGA can help.
Reallocation of funds
A key point of the protest was to draw attention to the allocation of funds across campus departments and organizations.
Speaker of the Senate Tav Cockwell noted that the new athletic director earns $90,000 annually, with a $50,000 increase every single year and a $50,000 bonus with every championship win.He also questioned the investment in future construction projects, such as a new plaza on campus.
“How many of you think it’s odd that we are paying tuition, we’re paying dollars into this institution, and we can’t even get adequate protection?” Cockwell said.
Students feel the administration has failed to allocate sufficient funds for campus safety.
“I want to see more funds allocated and us students being part of that process of allocation,” said public policy sophomore Joshua Sambrano. “I know that there’s a lot of trouble that ended up happening with SFAC. I know that there was quite a bit of money placed everywhere else, other than public safety here.”
Sambrano said this is a recurring issue, with funding repeatedly denied to the student body.
He added that while public relations statements and addresses from UH President Renu Khator have increased police presence temporarily, they have not led to lasting results.
“We built the RAD center, we updated our football stadium, but our garages still don’t look good,” Benton said. “The security is not good for them. But every year, their prices increase for them and it doesn’t make any sense.”
