A group made up of parents and students at Ohio State University is continuing to push the school to do more to keep campus safe.
Buckeyes for a Safe Ohio State recently created a billboard that reads, "Protect your students like you protect your goal post."
"We see that on game day. There is so much security and so much protection, and we feel that every day should be as safe as game day," member Allyson Reid said.
On Sept. 24, the university announced an additional investment of $2 million per year over the next decade to enhance safety and security on campus. With the additional money, the total safety and security budget for the university will grow to nearly $35 million annually.
Members from Buckeyes for a Safe Ohio State think the university isn't doing enough and isn't being fully transparent about what they are doing, particularly with the additional $2 million a year.
"Parents and students deserve to know where that money is going," said Reid.
A university spokesperson told 10TV News the school has used the additional $2 million to do all of the following:
- Install mobile lights and cameras in the off-campus area
- Provide free safety devices to students
- Expand a Lyft Smart Ride program so it runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Increase security patrols, including the Buckeye Block Watch and campus service officers
- Reach out to an external safety expert to look at the university's efforts regarding off-campus safety, along with the city of Columbus
Last week, the university unveiled its Buckeye Block Watch, a group that monitors off-campus neighborhoods. The Buckeye Block Watch is separate from the Columbus Division of Police, monitoring the University District Wednesday through Saturday from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. The group does not carry firearms, nor does it have the power to arrest anyone.
Members of Buckeyes for a Safe Ohio State said the Buckeye Block Watch is not enough.
"It seems more like a friendly neighborhood patrol, and if you read about them, that's really what they are, which is fine as an additional extension of CPD, but no way can they replace CPD," member Irene Hendricks said.
