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V i l i The Factory Times - May 1, 1991 C o b l e s k i l l C o l l e g e o f f i c e r s c a l l i n g f o r g u n s . . T hf D ati \ G 'Z fttì . Monday, April 22, 199\! By IAN McGIVER Gazette Reporter COBLESKILL — Arguing they do not have the tools to carry out their duties, the nine public safety officers of the State University of New York College at Cobleskill have asked for the right to carry handguns on duty. President Neil Bobbins has sought advice from the faculty and the 2,600 students. He said he will make a deci sion before the fall term. Ccbleskill’s faculty governance committee held two forums last se mester to discuss the issue. More sessions are expected. \We’re only just startin g our study,” said Diane Geerkin, chair man of the committee. College security experts and others agree the heart of the debate is noi whether college police should be armed but what type of safety patrol is wanted on the 400-acre campus on the edge of the village of Cobleskill. The choice is between having secu rity guards with the role of watch men or safety forces with police powers. Cobleskill College officer and onion representative Ronald Swartz said if the officers are to continue to take police actions such as making traffic stops at all hours, responding to reports of assaults and campus store alarms and escorting money de posits, they want to carry guns. They now are armed with night sticks only. \Over the last three years, we’ve pretty much all come to realize that , the things we’re doing are stupid or foolish without firearm s ,” said Swartz. The two area campuses where the campus officers do carry guns say the firearms have not been fired in decades and are drawn only once or twice a year. Officers at the State University of New York at Albany and Skidmore College ap-ec the guns are a deter rent to crime. The security force at Skidmore College has carried handguns since the 1940s, but no one there can re member an officer ever shooting anyone, said Bob Kimmerle, director of college relations. “Over the course of the years, though, I’m sure they’ve had to draw their weapons,\ he said. One senior said he feels comfort able knowing the security force is armed. “I think when freshmen come up, they're a little at awe that they [the officers] carry guns.” said Todd Zorn, co-editor of The Skidmore News, the student-run campus newspaper. “Once you're here, you get used to it,” he said. “ I quickly realized they’re here for us.” “The arming issue has been around since the early 1970s,” said Bruce McBride, SUMY'S executive director for university public safety. Until that time, the bulk of the patrol serv ice a t the state university’s 28 cam puses was provided by security personnel whose powers were mostly limited to being watchmen who lock ed doors and provided escorts. But In 1973, the state Legislature gave the presidents of SUNY's 28 campuses the power to appoint peace officers to patrol their institutions. Today, the SUNY peace officers have many of the same powers as police officers, with some excep tions. The SUNY officers’ jurisdictional powers are limited to their campus, unlike police officers, whose powers extend across the state. McBride said the 1973 law was prompted by a “perception\ during the 1960s that crime had worsened throughout the country and on col lege campuses. That same year, SUNY’s board of trustees granted the college presi dents the authority to arm their peace officers. Today, campus safety officers aie regularly armed at five state cam puses: Albany, Oswego. Brockport, the University at Buffalo and the College at Buffalo. Arming stirs debate McBride said part of the oppo sition to armed college police sterns from “an academic philosophy in which campuses are viewed as areas of open inquiry” and the fear that armed police would dampen the free dom of expression. Advocates of arming the Cobles kill campus force say the size of Cob leskill — which has about 5,300 residents — should not be a factor. “Whether you’ve got a big commu nity or a small community, you'7e still got life’s problems coming on campus, ’’ said LL Larry Jerrett, an armed officer at SUNY Oswego. “Cobleskill is not unlike any other campus. They have the same prob lem s,” said village police Chief Thomas Duesler, whose officers, along with state troopers, back up the campus police. L t Gus Poll! of the SUNYA police, who are regularly arm ed during night shifts, said campus officers must always be prepared for the worst because something as routine as a traffic stop could turn into a violent confrontation. “It’s that one time out of your en tire career perhaps that you are going to need that weapon,” said Polli, who believes handguns are nec essary for the safety of both the offi cer and the potential crime victim. Those who favor arming campus police contend that if there were vio lence on campus, time would be lost while the college safety officers wait ed for armed backup. They also say state troopers and local police called to the campus may not be sensitive to the lifestyles and attitudes of the stu dents. “Local police are going to deal with [campus problemsj in a much more hostile way,” said Polli, a 19- year veteran of state service who has worked at SUNY’s Oneonta, Cobles kill and Albany campuses. “Given the fact that under some circumstances we must have armed officers on our campus, I would much prefer that such officers be regular members of our own public safety department who a re familiar with the customs and mores of. our aca demic community and who are sub ject to the university's internal controls and regulations,” said Wil liam Mercier, Cobleskill’s director of public safety. No guns at Canton But SUNY Canton President Earl MacArthur, whose campus of 2.300 students on the edge of a village with 6,500 residents is similar to the Cobleskill campus, rejected the arm ing arguments in a recent letter to Bobbins. I do not believe arming public safety officers on a small, rural cam pus is consistent with the academic mission of the college. The business of education, teaching, is part of the public safety officers’ responsibil- ity,” said MacArthur. He said his campus is adequately served by armed state and village police and the county sheriff's de partment. “Given the circumstances in this community, I do not believe public safety officers have ary overarching need to be armed. In my opinion, the disadvantages far outweigh the ad vantages,” MacArthur said. Faculty members, students and other armed officers say the Cobles kill officers must demonstrate to the college community they are profes sionals capable and responsible enough to be armed. Armed public safety officers at Al bany and Oswego said that in spite of the changes in their job over the las: three decades and the dangers and burdens they face, there is a percep tion by faculty ana other longtime members of the campus community that they are watchmen or \rent-a- cops.” . --------- -- u x * V 11 IJ opinions. Freshman Kim Stephenson j armed officers would create l sion. I just feel that just having the guns is going to cause more prob lems,\ she said. But other students contend officers need guns for their job and to get respect. “People doa’t put up a fuss when pulled over by a state trooper and he has a gun,” said Scott Shep- pard, a senior Accounting Club The SUNY Tech Accounting Club is an URSA Organization that was established in the bpring 1990 semester. Thomas Tribune11a, MBA, CPA, is the club's advisor and initiated the formation of a specialized club for Accounting students. Previously, the only business-oriented club on campus was Phi Beta Lambda. The purpose of the Accounting Club is to promote an academic, as well as a social outlet, for Accounting and Business majors. Our first full year as a club has been a very successful one. This is due in part to the enthusiastic leadership of our past By Christine club members participated in this program in conjunction with the AARP. Our members have obtained memberships to the National Association of Accountants and have attended several of the monthly dinner/meetings held through the Mohawk Valley Chapter. However, the Accounting Club's \claim .to fame\ is their fundraising parties at the end of each semester, known as \Party Your Assets Off\. The club has also conducted fundraisers with Phi Beta Lambda and through Christmas candy sales. We have recognized local charities through a donation of canned goods during the president, Francis Nolan, who graduated last semester, and our current president, Gail Gorski, who also served as vice- president. Credit must also be given to the dedicated members of our club, who attend the weekly meetings and lend their time and energy to club activities. The club has undertaken various activities throughout the past year, including our most recent endeavor, Volunteers For Income Tax Assistance This is a national program whose purpose is to provide free tax advice to lower income individuals and senior citizens. Many of our continued on pg$ x
