This semester campus security has a new home base in the Recreation-Fitness Center. Located directly behind the R.F.C. ticket booth, the new office is considered to be an improvement over campus security’s previous location in the Union Building.
An increase in space and visibility were cited as the primary reasons for the move.
“The Union location was dated and not very professional,” said Bill Born, vice president for student affairs. “It was also far removed from much campus visibility and campus traffic between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m., the routine weekday shifts.”
Al Mackowiak, director of campus safety and security and a veteran of Goshen’s police force, agreed that the new location would give patrol staff greater access to student life.
“This is Bill Born’s dream child,” Mackowiak explained with a chuckle. “Security doesn’t really need to be in the Union. This is a much better environment for them, and we hope it will be more approachable for students.”
“It’s definitely a more friendly-looking environment,” Mackowiak added, likening the previous location to a “grungy closet.”
Another reason Born and Mackowiak decided to move the security office was to make room for renovation work in the Union beginning this March and to take advantage of under-utilized space in the R.F.C. To Born, the R.F.C.’s status as a high traffic building in the evenings and on weekends made it an attractive alternative to the Union location.
“Beyond students, we have a number of community memberships and community patrons who use the R.F.C.,” Born explained. “Given the traffic and goal of visibility for our security staff, this location made the most sense.”
To beef up security, Mackowiak also hopes to hire more staff, decrease the number of golf carts in use and begin using a bicycle patrol once the weather gets warmer.
“Bicycles are healthier and allow you to talk to people easier,” Mackowiak said. “They go places where golf carts fear to tread.”
