On the heels of its annual security report presented to the student body, the Safety and Security Department of Yeshiva is receiving some negative feedback for recent crimes in and around the Independent Housing Program apartment buildings.

At least one student's car has been broken into on Laurel Hill near IHP buildings, and two Independent Housing apartments, one in 480 West 187th street and one in 90 Laurel Hill, have been robbed in the last month. Furthermore, a non-Yeshiva student was mugged near the 186th street entrance - the one most commonly used by Yeshiva students - to 90 Laurel Hill. Most recently, an undergraduate was stabbed on Amsterdam Avenue and 189th Street. Although this area is officially not part of the campus, many students in Yeshiva feel the assault points to the larger problem of a far lower security standard around IHP buildings than there exists for the dormitories.

The spate of crimes comes at a bad time for the Department of Safety and Security. In its annual security report, released October 1st, the university stated only two burglaries and no robberies were reported for the entire 2000. These numbers reflect a very impressive turnaround from the 1999 statistics, printed in the same report. However, the news of recent crimes permeating throughout campus could possibly break this trend.

Many students have long held suspicions that Yeshiva does not disclose every incident that is reported to them in these accounts. Even before the report, students had been filing grievances about Burns Security. A Sy Syms School of Business Junior recalled that when he went to lodge a complaint about the general security laxness around IHP, Chief of Security Donald Sommers told him that he could request a security escort to and fro his building to any other part of campus. When he later asked one guard for a ride to Schottenstein, the guard said he could not help him.

One Yeshiva College senior wonders "why there are three security guard stations in the vicinity of Rubin, but none near any of the IHP apartment buildings." He suggests that security set up a booth on Laurel Hill and 187th street.

This last suggestion is already under consideration. University Dean of Students David Himber revealed that Student Services is currently advocating adding an extra guard booth. He further noted that security has indeed increased patrol near the IHP buildings and has stepped up security measures all over campus in response to "general world events, and not to anything that has occurred at Yeshiva specifically." He assured parents that "safety and security of the students are of primary concern to Yeshiva University."

In a similar vein, Sommers pointed out that although security has been stepped up all semester long and will be increased when necessary, he does not know of any resolutions regarding an additional guard booth, a decision which, he said, comes from the Yeshiva administration. He did mention, however, that it is too early to start clamoring for further measures, such as for placing a security guard by the entrance or every IHP building - a thought actually being considered by some students and parents - until there is concrete evidence that such drastic moves are absolutely essential.

Sommers also responded to the recent events, claiming that they are being overblown: he claimed that the recent stabbing occurred off campus, while the two apartments were robbed because in one a window was left open, and in the other a door was left unlocked throughout Shabbos. "Security is here to help the students," he noted, "but the guys have to cooperate as well."