Campus safety and financial aid for freshmen

Partnering with the student life program, Lieutenant Christopher Moore was able to share some helpful safety tips with freshman and staff members on Sept. 18 and 19.

“When you have so many people coming from so many different backgrounds, it is hard to find things in common,” Moore said. “But if we could all get on the same page of safety as a community, we could all play a helping hand in making this campus safer.”

During the presentation, Moore gave information that he said will “last a lifetime.”  The presentation began with the blanket statement, “if you see something, say something.” Moore stressed the importance of this throughout the event, saying that doing this could solve potential issues.

Another topic was a discussion on internet safety. Aside from being able to identify a false email from an authentic FMU account, Moore spoke about the personal topic of inappropriate photos.

“When you post a picture on the internet, does it ever go away?” Moore said. “The answer is no. When you go to look for a job, the first place they look is the internet to see if there is any content floating around that could hurt their name. So, next time you are about to send or post an inappropriate photo, don’t.”

Moore answered students’ questions about how to improve their safety on campus and what to do when they feel threatened.

“Look out and report people that do not seem to belong on this campus,” Moore said. “People that clearly have no vested interest in the campus: groups of people that have no clue where they are going, and guys with their noses in the wind looking for girls. Now, I’m not saying call us for every unfamiliar face you see but if you ever feel unsafe, give us a call.”

Moore finished the event with some words of advice.

“Think about your community as a whole,” Moore said. “You have to think about how your actions are going to affect the community. Your actions affect your neighbors sometimes. For example, if you don’t wash your clothes for three weeks, eventually it will start stinking up your neighbor’s place. That’s fine if you want to live like that, but when your freedom starts infringing on other people’s rights, that’s when the friction comes into play and as far as students staying safe, you can report anything that you don’t like.”

Campus safety is something that all students should be aware of. If you as a student or staff member ever feel unsafe on campus, the campus police station is open 24/7 and can be reached at (843) 661-1109.

After Moore finished speaking, students were also given advice and instruction on how to receive financial aid.