Speed Bump

As much as the curvy roads on campus appeal to the NASCAR driver in us all, security has been forced to resort to stricter guidelines to create a safer atmosphere for pedestrians. But students have a mixed reaction to the changes.

“We received many complaints about speeding on campus,” said Mike Lauzon, assistant director of security. “We wanted to do something about it.”

Fairfield security received a radar unit as a donation from the Fairfield Police Department, due to the police department’s recent equipment upgrade, according to Lauzon.

We want to slow people down on campus,” Lauzon stressed. “We’re putting it to good use.”

“We want to act before a tragedy occurs,” said Frank Ficko, associate director of security. “We have had people come up here and thank us for what we’re doing.”

“There is no incentive and no quota for our officers,” Ficko said. “Security receives no proceeds. All vehicle registration and ticket collections go directly into the university’s general fund.”

According to Lauzon, the university’s mandated speed limit is 20 miles per hour throughout campus, and there have been 152 motor vehicle stops for speeding or reckless driving, especially around the Quick Center and Bellarmine Hall, since Sept. 1.

“If security is going to be serious about people speeding, then they should raise the speed limit to 25 or 30 mph,” said Teddy Najjar ’03. “Otherwise, everyone is speeding. You try driving around campus at 20 mph…I think even the bus driver goes faster.”

Holly Dubay, ’04, agreed. “I got pulled over for doing 30 mph up the Business School hill,” she said. “If I had been going any slower, I would have rolled backwards.”

When The Mirror surveyed 149 undergraduate students at random, 103 of them agreed that security is doing a good thing by ticketing excessively high speeders and reckless drivers, while 46 disagreed with security’s ticketing process.

Some students don’t think an increase in security regulation is a terrible idea.

“If students are going to drive recklessly, they deserve a ticket,” said Laura Landis ’04.

“I didn’t like getting a speeding ticket on campus, but I can understand because everyone here drives too fast,” said Everett Minger ’03.

Moving violation tickets cost $20, which is $25 less than the state’s mandated fine. Students who receive a total of five or more tickets (including parking violations) throughout the school year will have their car towed at the owner’s expense.

“I think it is just another reason for security to give out tickets,” said Mellissa Hushion, ’04. “Maybe tickets can be issued after a certain time at night because people do drive like maniacs at this school.”

“Fairfield University is a pedestrian campus,” Ficko said. “If students drive recklessly, individual driving privileges may be restricted. We’re asking you to please slow down.”