ASMSU officials said they are concerned with campus safety because of the recent sexual assaults on campus, so much so they wrote a bill to increase lighting and emergency phones on campus.
The bill, written in the middle of its Student Assembly meeting Thursday, advocates for a safer campus and to support the Residence Halls Association's safety report issued last year.
"One incident near the tennis courts, and tailgates are changed," said Derek Wallbank, a representative for the Council for Students with Disabilities. "We've had 11 sexual assaults and nothing. (The MSU Board of Trustees) have done nothing - it's a disgrace."
Wallbank said ASMSU needs to address the 11 reported sexual assaults that have been overshadowed by tailgating issues.
Student Assembly Chairperson Andrew Schepers said ASMSU will draft letters to the trustees and administration officials urging for more attention to campus safety.
"Now with the situation, (letters) are going to hold more weight than they usually would," he said.
Josh Rabinowitz, the RHA representative for ASMSU who introduced the safety bill, said RHA is actively involved with safety.
RHA passed a bill Wednesday to provide $500 for the Capital Area Transportation Authority's Night Owl service, which provides students with free fares when regular bus routes stop operating.
Students can call (517) 432-8888 between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. weekdays, and until 9 a.m. on weekends, for rides on campus.
"That's 1,000 free rides to avoid a rape or assault," Rabinowitz said. "It's something we're probably going to keep going with."
Rabinowitz said ASMSU's connection with the board and university officials is something RHA lacks.
"RHA in the past has not had much connection to people like the MSU Board of Trustees," he said. "ASMSU already has one established - that's a place where we could use their help."
Rabinowitz said he wants the Council of Graduate Students, the Women's Resource Center and other campus groups to join the effort.
ASMSU and RHA would like funding for more lighting and emergency phones to come from the university, but they might allocate their own money, Rabinowitz said.
Rabinowitz could not say when the facilities might be added.
"The whole issue with campus safety fell under the radar," he said. "As long as no action is being taken, this will keep happening."
