<p>The statements I've read from officials of USC regarding the latest tragic assault of a graduate student are unbelievably tone deaf, in my opinion. Rosy descriptions of how safe the campus is and about how the fatal beating is "an isolated incident" do not ring true when well-publicized assaults have occurred in the not too distant past. Was it wise for the deceased to walk about alone in the wee morning hours? Clearly not. But USC's statements do little to comfort worried students and other community members.</p>
<p>USC Graduate Student, 24, Found Dead In Apartment Near Campus</p>
<p><a href=“USC Graduate Student, 24, Found Dead In Apartment Near Campus - CBS Los Angeles”>http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/07/24/lapd-usc-grad-student-found-dead-in-apartment-near-campus/</a></p>
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<p>If the campus is not safe then USC should have more security guards or police to patrol the campus.</p>
<p>The deceased lived in an off-campus apartment building not owned or operated by USC. I don’t see how this is a USC security matter any more than any other crime committed in L.A. It’s a loss to the USC community, of course, but it’s not USC’s responsibility to assure the safety of every student in every circumstance. At this point, we don’t even know the circumstances of the crime (and we may never), e.g., whether the student was killed by an acquaintance or was involved in some unsavory activity. It seems absurd to jump all over USC about this tragic event.</p>
<p>He was a 2nd year engineering grad student from China. I think the crime rate among that group is low enough that I think it’s a big stretch to say the possibility of his unsavory activity led to his demise is anywhere near as likely as the other possibilities. </p>
<p>He was killed off-campus, but sometimes “off-campus” is just an official term–it may be as close as across the street or intermixed with the official campus. It is likely that there is no designated university housing for grad students and that USC does not run any apartment complexes. I think it is still the university’s responsibility to figure out a way where grad students can live in a safe place on the salary they are provided. </p>
<p>I agree that USC needs to do something to keep its students safe. We’ve been to the nearby California Science Center a number of times, and the surrounding neighborhood is not one in which I would feel safe walking, even during the day.</p>
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<p>The apartments are close to the USC campus, which does have a relatively clearly defined border.</p>
<p><a href=“Google Maps”>Google Maps;
<a href=“http://cityparkusc.com/”>http://cityparkusc.com/</a></p>
<p>USC has about 400 campus apartment spaces for graduate students.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.usc.edu/schools/GraduateSchool/living_housing.html”>http://www.usc.edu/schools/GraduateSchool/living_housing.html</a></p>
<p>The Los Angeles Times has a crime map of the area:</p>
<p><a href=“http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/university-park/crime/?q=1247+West+30th+Street%2C+Los+Angeles%2C+CA+90007%2C+USA&lat=34.027699&lng=-118.290479&g=Geocodify”>http://maps.latimes.com/neighborhoods/neighborhood/university-park/crime/?q=1247+West+30th+Street%2C+Los+Angeles%2C+CA+90007%2C+USA&lat=34.027699&lng=-118.290479&g=Geocodify</a></p>
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<p>While this is true in one sense, such a blase attitude by USC’s admins is unlikely to make current students and their parents feel safe, alums happy about their alma mater’s tone deaf response, and most importantly, facilitate attracting the best students to the USC campus. </p>
<p>Incidentally, USC’s location and crime rates has been a chronic problem going back at least 3 decades. When I asked about colleges in the LA area, my California relatives overwhelmingly urged me to avoid USC because of the crime issue. </p>
<p>Then again, back when I was in HS in the early-mid-'90s, USC was also not the highly respected academic institution it is now. Back then, there were reasons why it had unflattering nicknames like “University of Spoiled Children” or one popular in the Chinese-American community “University of Stupid Chinese”. </p>
<p>There are lots of off campus apartment buildings that are, essentially, “on campus”. They are within 2 blocks of campus and lots of students live in them- including freshman. I was there on business in April and got a tour of the campus by a student and her parent (my boss) and they were very satisfied with the safety of the immediate off-campus areas. The campus locks down at 9pm (I think) and you need an ID to get in (or be a guest with someone). The whole campus is fenced/gated. I think there is only one direction from campus that really gets a little sketchy. I think the university has greatly expanded its patrol area. It is tragic that this happened, but things happen ON campus at many schools, too.</p>
<p>30 Street, where the attacked student lived is closer to the campus ground than some fraternity houses and other properties in USC community.</p>
<p>Click on blue pins to see.</p>
<p>USC google map
<a href=“USC - Google My Maps”>USC - Google My Maps;
<p>It doesn’t really matter how close or how far away the apt was; if it wasn’t university property, university security has no jurisdiction. The university can work with the city on a safety plan such as requesting street lights or traffic signals, but it can’t make the city maintain them. Students are good targets for robbery. They have computers and cell phones and electronics. Some have drugs.</p>
<p>^^not true. Many urban colleges, including USC, have arrangements with local police such that the campus cops patrol the 'hoods around their campus, primarily where students tend to live. USC cops even has defined “patrol areas.”</p>
<p><a href=“http://capsnet.usc.edu/department/department-public-safety/faq”>http://capsnet.usc.edu/department/department-public-safety/faq</a></p>
<p>Penn security patrols way off campus property.</p>
<p>This incident took place inside the DPS patrol zone - very close to campus. I do not find the administration’s attitude blasé – I am perhaps more plugged in as my child is currently a student at USC – but this is a tragedy that should not have happened. USC officials DO promote the campus as relatively safe, and given where it is, DPS does a good job. No they can’t prevent every instance of crime, but a student being beaten to death inside the patrol zone – unacceptable.</p>
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<p>Is USC’s DPS an actual police department? The web site makes it look very police-like, but I can’t find any place on its web site where it says that DPS officers are actual police officers.</p>
<p>^^Not sure it matters, since 'SC’s folks patrol the neighborhood in coordination with LAPD, but p3 should answer your q.</p>
<p><a href=“http://capsnet.usc.edu/sites/default/files/all_departments/DPS/USC%202013%20ASR.pdf”>http://capsnet.usc.edu/sites/default/files/all_departments/DPS/USC%202013%20ASR.pdf</a></p>
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<p>@Snowdog </p>
<p>I wasn’t saying the actual USC response was necessarily blase. That word was in reference to MommaJ’s perception of security off-campus not being USC’s responsibility…especially if USC’s admin hypothetically were dumb to openly state that. </p>
<p>While the campus police might patrol the area around campus, I really doubt they are going inside buildings to check on safety as they might in a dorm. This man was found in an apartment, in a private building.</p>
<p>When there was a murder ON campus in Boulder, the first responders were the campus police. They immediately called for the city police who did the investigation and arrest. They did nothing but detain the suspect and secure the scene. Campus police have very limited ability to prosecute for any crimes that took place on campus. They might be able to detain a suspect off campus, but then they would have to call in the city/county to make the arrest and prosecute.</p>
<p>Most universities work with the cities they are in to provide a safe campus. USC seems to have more than a few crimes and assaults, but it is in a big city with a high crime problem.</p>
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<p>Yeah, and the local police aren’t either. There’s this 200 year-old document that prohibits such things…</p>
<p>Since the campus ‘owns’ dorms, like any landlord, they have the ‘right’ to go in an inspect.</p>
<p>5 suspects have been arrested, 4 for murder, 1 for robbery. They are suspected in another robbery near Dockweiler Beach. LAPD credits USC’s surveillance technology in assisting with identifying the suspects.</p>
<p>USC does make the safety of its students, faculty and staff a top priority. </p>
<p><a href=“LAPD: 5 arrests made in connection with deadly assault of USC student”>http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-arrests-usc-assault-20140728-story.html</a></p>