UWI Mona campus safer today, says Professor Shirley
EFFORTS to improve security at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) have resulted in the campus being safer now than in the past, according to principal Professor Gordon Shirley.
But the leadership is still concerned about the safety of the community surrounding the campus.
“Statistics show the university today is a safer place than it was several years ago,” Professor Shirley said shortly after a ceremony at King’s House on Monday to mark UWI Day.
The principal expressed concern about the environment around the campus and the neighbouring University of Technology (UTech) in which students have to live and travel.
“It’s a reflection of the heightened security needs and concerns, not just in the universities, but in the community as a whole. The leadership of UTech and ourselves are committed to doing our part to improve security, and we are working with the (Jamaica Constabulary Force), and our security providers to ensure that we have a normal environment for our students in respect of safety,” he said.
The safety of the areas around the universities was brought into sharp focus when UTech student, DeeAndrea Morris, was shot and killed by a gunman while returning to her boarding house in Papine, St Andrew on December 22.
Meanwhile, as the UWI celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the institution will not only be highlighting its achievements but will be using the opportunity to shore up its funding for expansion, university registrar C William Iton disclosed.
“We have a very packed calendar of activities for the entire year. We hope to get many of our graduates and well-wishers to participate and we hope to use the year to address some of the weaknesses in our endowment capacity,” he said.
He noted that the Western Jamaica campus was scheduled to begin operations next year, and that the open campus, which provides courses online, had been launched.