University of South Florida-N.I.T.E.

Necessary Improvements to Transform our Environment

Congratulations NITE!

 Outstanding Student Organization of the Year 2007-2008

Volunteer Community Program of the Year 2007-2008

(Take Back the Night)

Guided by blue lights

By: David Guidi, Staff Writer

Students might not know it, but a flashing blue light could be the difference between safety and victimhood. Throughout the USF campus, flashing blue lights allow distressed students to quickly find emergency call boxes and contact University Police, but some students don't even know they exist.

 

Light plight

Although nearly one-quarter of the University's blue-light emergency call boxes have been malfunctioning, a replacement plan is underway.

By: Joshua Neiderer, News Editor

On a sprawling campus full of quiet corners, the blue glow of lights topping emergency phones may instill in students a sense of security. But many of those lights are out. Nearly one-quarter of the 55 lights meant to aid students trying to contact University Police during emergencies weren't functioning, a recent Oracle survey found.

 

Safety light construction ahead of schedule

By: Joshua Neiderer, News Editor

Some of campus' darker corners are about to become brighter. Construction of 48 new emergency blue lights, set to replace the old, often malfunctioning lights currently on campus is presently ahead of schedule, according to Physical Plant officials. A study conducted by the Oracle in February found nearly one quarter of the 55 blue lights, which denote the locations of telephones meant to aid students in case of emergency, to be malfunctioning.

 

Sexual abuse awareness event comes to campus

By: By Amanda Whitsitt | Staff Writer

Survivors of rape and sexual abuse may not get back the kind of life they had before their attack, but tonight they'll be able to try during Take Back the Night. From 6 to 9 at the MLK Plaza, victims of sexual assault will share their stories in a safe environment while supporters hold candles to encourage them to continue their journey of survival.

 

A night for speaking, listening and healing

By: David Guidi | Asst. News Editor

As the rain fell softly around her, Marilyn Bray stood before a microphone, and a small crowd of people huddled in the warm electric glow of the lights in the Phyllis P. Marshall Center pavilion. Shaking like a leaf in the light drizzle, her voice occasionally cracking, Bray told the more than 150 listeners of the most traumatic and horrible event in her life - how she was drugged and raped by a man she met at a bar.

 

Students survey safety on campus during Nightwalk

By: Alessandra Da Pra | STAFF WRITER

Groups of flashlight-toting students filled the dark corners of campus Tuesday night to raise safety awareness and address security concerns. As part of the Campus Nightwalk, about 30 people split into six groups, each of them armed with campus maps, notebooks and pencils in order to record any security issues they might encounter - from lighting issues, to broken door locks, to cracks on the sidewalks.

 

Emergency phones get an overhaul

By: Emma Sylvester | STAFF WRITER

When walking alone at night, great comfort can be found in a little illumination. Some of this comfort is found in emergency blue light telephones, distinguished by the flashing blue light above them. These phones are located between buildings and in parking lots around campus.

 

NITE searches for dangers in the dark

By: Christine Gibson, Staff Writer

On the first cool evening of the fall, about 80 students and administrators gathered for a walk. They weren't walking in celebration of the cool weather but to improve safety and security at USF. For the second time this year, the student group Necessary Improvements to Transform our Environment (NITE) organized a campus walk to find areas lacking in campus safety and security.

 

Student Group fires for safety

By: Jose Lopez Jr., Staff Writer

USF junior Jessica Sturges stood calm and ready, nine feet away from a paper target, holding a Glock 9mm. It was one of three guns she'd ever held in her life, all in the last two hours. She squeezed the trigger slowly, and screamed with excitement when the gun recoiled.

 

Vigil takes back night from sexual violence

By: Shelley Langan, Correspondent

One by one, survivors of sexual and domestic violence told stories of despair and encouragement Tuesday night at USF's 2nd annual Take Back the Night at MLK Plaza. More than 21 people spoke about the effects that sexual and domestic violence have had on their lives at an event organized by Necessary Improvements to Transform our Environment.