<p>
[quote]
"She considers them her heroes," spokesman Kevin Lampe said. She "is very grateful to them."
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<p>I had heard that she was attacked by friends who were on the street shortly after, but I did not know U of C students were present. Good post.</p>
<p>Obviously fake. The newspaper says that she was helped by students who were on their way to a party; we all know that there are no parties on the campus of UChicago. Nice try, idad.</p>
<p>That's a good point, Jack. And it was after midnight! I mean, that's way past my bedtime.</p>
<p>It's obviously a PR ploy to show that Chicago students party, date, and help strangers out.</p>
<p>We're really boring evil bastards, no matter what that other thread says.</p>
<p>...I can't believe that word isn't censored.</p>
<p>"She was taken to Northwestern University Hospital, where she was treated and released."</p>
<p>Northwestern always has to try to outdo you</p>
<p>Seriously, the U of C hospital is a couple blocks away. What's with taking her across the city?</p>
<p>Could have been what her insurance plan covers since this was (fortunately) not a life-threatening injury.</p>
<p>My guess is that ohio_mom is correct.</p>
<p>I expect U. Chicago's name recognition got a boost as a result of this story. I saw it initially on CNN, and then later on one of the three major networks, so it reached a national and even international audience (albeit on a Sunday). It sure warmed the heart of this parent with new ties to the university (notwithstanding the above disavowals by Jack et al!).</p>
<p>Northwestern has a better trauma center, I think-- I knew somebody who was hit by a car and she was taken to Northwestern, even though she was INCHES from the U of C hospital.</p>
<p>You do see the Maroon Thunder (helicopter) going out all the time for emergencies. I think our hospital does more cardiac-arrest type stuff.</p>
<p>It's interesting that the sentiment appears to be that this is postive press for UC. I would think quite the opposite. She was attacked in the UC neighborhood, lending further credance to the concerns some have about the safety of the campus area. I can tell you it would not warm this parent's heart to hear this news had DS chosen to attend UC. Some good surely, but also some bad also.</p>
<p>A whole discussion about this is going on on the UChicago LiveJournal. Check out the safety tips/concerns. It's a great school, a great city, and a beautiful neighborhood, but you do need to use common sense.</p>
<p>Thanks for the link - very enlightening.</p>
<p>SBDad -
a university in any big city raises concerns - and it was one of mine as well. But - its a dangerous world in general - the one school we toured that had had a murder recently was Colby - in rural Maine. Like you, I am not happy that Ms. Braun was attached, but I was much impressed by the young biologists, and do feel that they are a credit to the College.</p>
<p>Actually, the University of Chicago is very safety-conscious. You hear schools talking now about forming emergency plans in the aftermath of the VTech shooting? The U of C has had one since before September 11, 2001. It was revised after 9/11, and they looked at it again recently but didn't find that they had to make any changes. They have the second largest private police force in the world, behind the Vatican. The surrounding area has sense switched to using UC police instead of Chicago police. Dorm security is some of the safest I've seen at schools (4 key swipes into a private room, showing your ID card to the desk attendent, signing in all guests who do not live in that particular dorm, one door entry to most dorms, etc.). Campus shuttles run when the local buses end for the night, going until 2 AM on weekdays and 6 AM on weekends. A late night van service is available any time any night of the week. There is the normal blue light phone and police accompanying services. There are RAs, RHs, and RMs in the dorms who watch out for students, including keeping an eye on mental health. The counseling service is large and active and holds no social stigma. Yes, the University of Chicago is in an urban area, and with that there are risks and incidences. The thing is, the U of C has responded to these risks and taken steps to control student safety while keeping the campus free and open to the public.</p>
<p>I agree with all that has been said. The young men are certainly a credit to their university and UC has gone to great lengths to help keep students safe.</p>
<p>Chicago, the school, really is quite safe, but I can definitely see where SBDad is coming from. I'm 19, so I'm immortal, but my parents still get anxious about my safety from time to time (especially when news like this breaks). I just tell them what everybody else has already said - that between the UCPD and having some street smarts I don't ever feel unsafe. Still, I don't blame parents for feeling a little uneasy about news like this.</p>
<p>Thanks to Corranged for all the info about security measures at U. Chicago. </p>
<p>If one has done one's homework, one knows that street crime happens here -- as it does near any big-city campus (Georgetown, George Washington, Penn, NYU, Columbia, Yale, Northeastern, B.U., Harvard, MIT, etc.) -- and so, if one chooses to come here, one should come armed with street smarts, peripheral vision, and common sense accordingly. I still think that the two guys who came to the victim's rescue presented an image of gallantry that the outside world would not perhaps associate with the college where supposedly fun comes to die, and I was glad to know that my S would be going to school with people like that.</p>