Danger isn't a major at CSU
Talk aside, campus always was, and still is, safe place to learn
By Brian Hicks
For the first time ever, there are armed guards on the campus of Charleston Southern University.
Armed guards.
They've installed more security cameras and extra lights, and now have checkpoints for anyone trying to get into the school late at night.
Students have to carry their ID at all times and show it on demand. They're planning to bring in drug-sniffing dogs for random dorm and car searches.
This is not what you might expect to find at a Christian college. But then expectations obviously are different for religious schools. The past month has illustrated that.
This semester, there have been two armed robberies on campus. Actually, one was on campus and the other occurred in North Charleston after two students were abducted at gunpoint from CSU, allegedly by other students.
The Post and Courier
Incidents on the campus of Charleston Southern University have prompted increased security measures.
No doubt this is serious — it's more robberies than some large state schools report in a semester — but it's not a "crime spree," as some folks around town have called it. Would two crimes on any other campus constitute a spree? For some, that would be a quiet semester.
The truth is, Charleston Southern has never been a dangerous place, and it isn't now.
Dr. Rick Brewer, vice president for planning and student affairs, says that "99-point-whatever percent of our students are great young people; the faculty and staff feel a calling to be there. But CSU is a "microcosm of society," Brewer says. And, unfortunately, society has been desensitized to acts of violence. That's just the way it is.
But don't think they cringe when they hear the worries of understandably concerned parents. No one holds Charleston Southern to a higher standard than the administrators. When asked earlier this week about the crimes, several of them shook their heads sadly and used the same word: "unprecedented."
Some folks no doubt think that CSU must have lowered its standards to have admitted hooligans, but that's not right. That misses the point, and the mission, of Charleston Southern.
Some Christian colleges make their students sign "statements of faith" affirming their religious beliefs. Most of those schools are, well, preaching to the choir. They require students to major or at least minor in Bible study.
At Charleston Southern, the faculty and staff strive to integrate faith into learning. They say that they want to provide an excellent liberal arts education — from a Christian point of view. They don't want to pick only from the stable, like some religious institutions, they want to add to the stable. Spread the gospel.
They don't make anyone sign anything, and require students to take only a modest six hours of religious study classes.
Besides, just because someone signs a piece of paper, it doesn't mean they are telling the truth. A man accused in one of the robberies was less than honest about his criminal record on the admissions forms.
As a result of these crimes, Charleston Southern may start doing background checks on incoming students. But since most students showing up at the college are 18, any record they have is likely to be sealed under juvenile records laws.
Make no mistake, these stepped-up security measures are not just a knee-jerk reaction to two crimes. Much of this has been in the works since the Virginia Tech massacre. But CSU officials have admittedly accelerated their schedule for making these changes.
The best gauge for how little effect this has had is the students themselves. This week, most were milling about the campus studying for finals. The campus was quiet, peaceful. That's not just a snapshot. Last month, the school held a forum to give students a chance to ask questions. Bob Ratliff, the dean of students, expected inquiries about the security cars on campus, an update on the crimes. Nope. All they asked about was the cafeteria menu.
It's not that they were afraid to ask, either. Spend some time on campus, and you realize that Charleston Southern is not a typical school. There is an unusually close relationship between faculty, staff and students.
Everyone knows what's going on, everyone talks to one another, everyone looks out for each other. They are like a family.
And that, ultimately, is why Charleston Southern remains a safe place.
"We believe that taking care of these kids is our purpose in life," says Don Little, the director of residence life and campus security.
You can take that as the gospel.
Reach Brian Hicks at 937-5561 or bhicks@postandcourier.com.
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ironhorse (anonymous) says...
Another security measure is to change the recruiting brochure to read "Get your degree at CSU....where most students aren't on bail for murder."
December 5, 2008 at 6:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
In my opinion, CSU has been a dangerous place since it opened it's doors.
December 5, 2008 at 6:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wonderdog (anonymous) says...
The school is located within a mile of the interstate and like most campuses, is not a "closed" campus. It is relatively easy for criminals to slip in and out of the area. Of course, when the criminals are students with ID cards, the situation is even more difficult.
December 5, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
This sounds like they've taken some positive steps to plug some admission and security holes. We'll see. I remember when it opened and have never felt that it was any more dangerous than any other college. It was in the woods between Goose Creek and Ladson and had a few cuties attending.
December 5, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
commonsence (anonymous) says...
If they are truly interested in providing a liberal arts education and spreading the gospel, why do they require staff to sign a statement of faith? So much for diversity of thought. Of course, Al Parrish signed that statement...
December 5, 2008 at 7:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
musicpaladin2007 (anonymous) says...
They dont, according to this article.
"They don't make anyone sign anything"
December 5, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
commonsence (anonymous) says...
music...they don't make students sign anything.
December 5, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
doiseeu2 (anonymous) says...
What do you expect from a University that hires criminals such as Al Parish
December 5, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
What do you expect from organized religion? As I said, dangerous since it opened it's doors.
December 5, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CSUgrad08 (anonymous) says...
coldbud... you are an idiot. There is no organized religion at CSU and it is definitely not a dangerous place. We live in a world that is full of corruption... CSU is no more dangerous then walking in the mall and wondering if some unsuspected person is going to go on a shooting spree... if you want total safety... you might as well lock yourself in your closet and never come out.
It is a tragedy about Al Parish... but that is not the fault of CSU. CSU has moved on... why don't the media and people like those who have commented move on... don't you all have a life?
December 5, 2008 at 12:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
Posted by CSUgrad08 on November 12, 2008 at 11:22 p.m.:
... my dad taught me how to be a gentlemen, polite, and upstanding.
It looks as though someone needs to hang a sign around your neck that says "Try again" and send you back home to dad. He failed.
I guess neither the education from your dad education nor at CSU included anything along the lines of effective communication? Do you really think that calling someone an idiot is going to get them to consider your point of view? You graduated from CSU? You write more like a middle school graduate.
Everyone knows that, in reality, CSU has changed only in name. They did that to allow for a larger revenue influx. I know several students that left CSU within the past couple of years due to conflicting religious beliefs. To say that it's not part of organized religion is incorrect.
CSU is dangerous not because of the crimes they have dealt with recently, but because of the brain washing that all cults are involved in.
CSUgrad08, I guess your education at CSU didn't include anything along the lines of effective communication? Do you really think that calling someone an idiot is going to get them to consider your point of view? You graduated from CSU? You write more like a middle school graduate.
Everyone knows that, in reality, CSU has changed only in name. They did that to allow for a larger revenue influx. I know several students that left CSU within the past couple of years due to conflicting religious beliefs. To say that it's not part of organized religion is incorrect.
CSU is dangerous not because of the crimes they have dealt with recently, but because of the brain washing that all cults are involved in. Individual faith is one thing, organized religion is another... and it's dangerous.
Posted by CSUgrad08 on November 12, 2008 at 11:22 p.m.: CSU does their best to be set apart as a Christian campus and they do just that!
You're also a little wishy-washy on your own statements, aren't you?
December 5, 2008 at 2:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
Sorry for the double post. Not quite sure how that happened. It's Friday though... no biggie :)
December 5, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
iceman1978 (anonymous) says...
I'll never understand why officials in charge of Charleston Southern finances felt as though the sun rose and set in Al Parish. I knew something wasn't right with that man within an hour of meeting him. Old money families of Charleston knew something wasn't right, even if they couldn't put their finger on it. It was mostly the emerging new wealth families who lost big because of this man.
Charleston Southern lost over $10 million because of him and yet nobody in their financial planning department has been fired. To my knowledge, there has been no accountability for this. Lack of accountability and hypocrisy seem to be systemic in our society today. Look at the bank bailouts. Not one person has been placed under arrest and brought before a Federal grand jury for corrupt activities. Multi-billion Dollar banks run into the ground receive a bailout at the expense of taxpayers, while the same people who ran it into the ground walk away with millions. Where is the outrage of the American public? Where is the outrage in the halls of Congress? I guess people are too busy keeping up with the next gossip story from our tabloid media. Out of sight, out of mind.
This university was nearly run into the ground. Al Parish is to blame, but he didn't do this by himself. Someone else made the call to invest the university endowment fund in his investment pools. I graduated from CSU a few years back and I no longer donate money to the university because of Al Parish. If they have the same people running the place as those who decided to put all the universities eggs in one basket with this crook who, on the surface, sounded like some financial wizard; but was actually running a Ponzi scheme, then they can do without my donation.
The whole "academic excellent in a Christian environment" thing doesn't make sense to me either. I met a few people at Charleston Southern that were friendly, but if I could go back and do it all over again, I would have either stayed at the University of South Carolina or went to the College of Charleston.
December 5, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bpwnz (anonymous) says...
Was either incident drug related? If not what's with the drug dogs? Hopefully they just stop giving criminals football scholarships.
December 5, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
csuvictim99 (anonymous) says...
Crime has been at CSU for a while now. 10 years ago, I know of a girl who was rapped by one of the students they held in high regard. The girl went to school officials but instead of helping the girl. The campus ministries person there at the time told her she was a disgrace and must be lying. They put her in a psychiatric hospital and then kicked her out of the school. The girl had a 3.5 grade point average and was not a bad student. My point? Crime has been happening at CSU for a while. They have just been sweeping it under the rug and blaming the victim when it is one of their "good kids" who does it.
December 21, 2008 at 2:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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