Content Warning and Statement of Intent: The purpose of this document is to advocate for all

students, primarily those who are marginalized on UW’s campus. As such, this resolution
contains sensitive topics including sexual violence, police violence, and mental health. We
encourage you to take steps required for your wellbeing and step away from the meeting
and/or turn your camera off. Please remember as you engage with these topics that they are
highly sensitive and traumatic topics for many students.

WHEREAS current HFS residents pay 7 dollars a day to park in residential parking, equalling
approximately 525 dollars per quarter on top of the cost of tuition, housing, food, and other
expenses (1); and

WHEREAS many HFS residents require the reliable use of personal vehicles in order to transit
to and from their jobs, healthcare, and family members; and,

WHEREAS the interaction of UW Students and residents with those breaking and entering into
vehicles opens up the possibility for violence against these students (2); and,

WHEREAS continuing UW HFS resident Izzy Oballo, who houses her car in a residential
parking lot, states “Last year during spring my car was broken into in Garage W29. I had items
stolen from my vehicle, the person who broke in slept in my passenger's seat and smoked in my
car…It took almost three weeks to fix the damages. I find it very concerning that…anyone on the
street can walk into a parking garage students pay a lot of money to use each quarter. For the
amount of money we put towards being able to park we should… be able to know that our
vehicles are safe at all times. There should be something in order to keep students and their
belongings safe.”; and

WHEREAS UW HFS resident Michael Saunders, who housed their car in Garage W33 states,
“Last summer, my vehicle was broken into and my shoes got stolen unfortunately. The repairs
were almost $400 due to the vehicle having an older window model, and the items stolen were
worth like $500. I find it quite appalling to go back to W33 because the glass that was broken
from my window is still there in the same spot it was broken into. As a student, paying fees for
parking with no security or follow-up, I truly wonder why there is even such an extraordinary
cost to parking on campus. Like this is where I live”; and

WHEREAS Madison Truitt states, “My name is Madison Truitt and I am an Undergraduate
student here at the University of Washington. I live at the Commodore Duchess apartments and
as such park in the C06 parking lot, aka the parking lot under Red Square. Seeing as how I pay
between $400-near $600 per quarter and the UW Police department is so close to that garage, I
assumed that my car would be safer in this garage than any of the rest. Sadly that has not been
the case. I have had to move my car between several parking garages for my safety over the past
year and on the weekend of November 20th my car was broken into back in the C06 parking lot.
 These damages were such that my back rear window had been broken, shattered, that my
entire front steering panel had been ripped out and thrown around my vehicle, my car battery had
been stolen, and my air filter had been removed and stolen as well. This rendered my car
undrivable and certainly not safe. During that period, I had to renew my parking permit. I could
not afford to do so as I had to pay to have my car towed and repaired in an auto shop.
Not only has parking on campus not been safe, but it has been extremely costly in
numerous ways I couldn’t have imagined. Once my car got to the auto shop, I was informed that
there were issues I didn’t initially see (such as the stolen air filter) but that those that damaged
my car were about 2 steps away from stealing my car. The lack of safety in the UW Parking
Garages very nearly allowed grand theft auto to happen to my vehicle. In total, parking at the
University has cost me nearly $2,000 in damages and repairs, in addition to nearly $2,500 in
parking and fees.
The University of Washington needs to ensure there is safe parking, for students, for
faculty, for visitors, for everyone who comes onto this campus. This University needs not only
more parking lights (which if I am being honest is a very weak first step into creating a safer
parking lot), but through having gated garages with FOBs given to those with a parking permit,
though having cameras installed to be able to identify anyone who gets in a garage and damages
a vehicle. If the University wishes to keep students and faculty here and happy, they need to
invest in safety measures that do not involve police and truly keep us and our property safe,”;
and,

WHEREAS the majority of current residential parking lots are publicly accessible and not gated
from non-UW students and residents in contrast to colleges such as the University of Houston in
which access is limited solely to university residents (3); and

WHEREAS camera surveillance was found by a study of the US Department of Justice to be

associated with “reductions in… violent crime” where violent crime is defined as “murder and
non-negligent homicide, sexual assault offenses, and both aggravated and simple assault
offenses” (4); and,

WHEREAS systems of surveillance exist in cameras placed within residential halls and
communities that are exclusive to HFS residents and their guests; and

WHEREAS surveillance of a space made even more public than these walkways would not
further encroach upon residents’ privacy beyond these indoors cameras; and,

WHEREAS camring systems would improve the timeliness of patrols and responses to decrease
the interface between residents and UW students and those who are breaking and entering into
vehicles (5); and,

WHEREAS, in a statement from the ASUW Director of Campus Partnerships, the Blue Light
system at UW is dysfunctional, the cost of adding onto and repairing this system would be
tremendous, and UW has shifted its focus away from the Blue Light system; and,
WHEREAS the ASUW Co-Director of Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists
agrees that “the blue light system is dynfuctional and not enough” and states that installation of a
camera system in residential parking lots “is a necessity”; and,

WHEREAS UW Security Services Manager Michael Sletten estimates an approximate cost of

$48,000 for the installation and implementation of camring security systems within a single
parking garage the size of Stevens Court lot W32. This number is an estimate and may not
entirely reflect the actual cost upon installation; and,

WHEREAS “The financial implications of merging proactive CCTV monitoring and directed
police patrol: a cost–benefit analysis” by Piza et al indicates “strong support for the cost benefit
of the CCTV Directed Patrol strategy, as the direct costs of the intervention inputs were
completely offset by the benefits generated by the crime reduction” (6); and,

WHEREAS a systematic review by from McMaster University demonstrates a “significant and

modest decrease in crime…” associated with CCTV monitoring and that the “largest and most
consistent effects of CCTV [are seen] in car parks” (7); and,

WHEREAS Campus Safety Responders respond to public calls for service within a very diverse
community, providing various services to our community, providing support to our law
enforcement officers, interface with other campus stakeholders and constituencies on all safety
matters, the campus and nearby areas, acting as an ambassador for safety, and advocating for
University regulations (8); and

WHEREAS Campus Safety Responders respond to situations on campus in a tiered approach

that reduces the chance of violence against community members and offers resources to
community members in distress; and,

WHEREAS the Campus Safety Responder Program began in 2021 and currently contains only
three unarmed Responders as of April 2022, limiting the range and efficacy of this program at
the current moment; and,

WHEREAS a similar strategy may provide data to indicate the most optimal allocation of limited
human resources related to unarmed security patrols in the residential parking lots; and,

WHEREAS UW Transportation Services has engaged in a pilot program with UWPD in which
they partially fund a Campus Safety Responder focused solely upon the parking lots in UW
Transportation Services’ jurisdiction; and,
WHEREAS Campus Safety Responders, as human beings, express bias against marginalized
community members in their response to situations within on-campus parking lots; and,

WHEREAS the UW Policy Directory details that “Transportation Services provides access to
commuter and residential parking at the University of Washington, Seattle. The University is
responsible for managing parking to allow campus access. Transportation Services manages the
parking for the University through designating lots, designating parking spaces for specific uses,
permitting, and enforcing parking rules within Chapter 478-116 WAC and this policy statement,”
(9); and,

WHEREAS any capital investments or installations within the Residential Parking lots of UW
must be authorized by UW Transportation Services; and,

WHEREAS UW Transportation Services is currently developing a strategic initiative for campus

safety pulling upon a specially allocated reserve. A camera system was installed in UW Tower
last year under this initiative. However, Eric Johnson of UW Transportation states that there is “
not a timeline or any requirements for camera installations in residence parking garages outlined
in the master plan.” Actions so far in the strategic initiative include sealing off doors to reduce
entry in to the Triangle Garage, installation of camera systems in to UW Tower and adjacent
parking lots, and the aforementioned pilot program for a parking lot focused Campus Safety
Responder; and,

WHEREAS UW Transportation Services reports a preference for data based decision making;
and,

WHEREAS the RCSA represents residential opinion as a democratic residential organization

including representatives from the residential communities; and,

WHEREAS the RCSA supports the installation of these cameras as a resource to improve
residential safety in parking lots in recognition of current residential concerns and supports the
allocation of the funds for this effort with a focus on minimizing costs to UW students,
represented by Executive Board Bill 2122.3 “A Bill in Support of Camera System Installation in
Residential Parking Lots”; and,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF

WASHINGTON:
THAT UW Transportation Service prioritizes residential parking lots in the strategic initiative of
improving campus safety which will use UW Transportation Services specially allocated funding
sources; and,

THAT an ASUW Taskforce be convened including at least 70% student membership to provide
student opinion on actions that UW Transportation Services may take in conjunction with
UWPD in their strategic initiative to improve on campus parking lot safety to ensure that all
allocated student funds are being used to improve UW student safety; and,

THAT UWPD develop a report on the efficacy of the parking lot Campus Safety Responder with
data up to the end of Winter Quarter of the 2022-2023 UW academic school year; and,

THAT this report include trends in the incidence rates of responses within the on campus parking
lots of UW Tower; and,

THAT this report analyze the efficacy of the camera installation within UW Tower to determine
if there is statistical support for further camera system installation in other on campus lots; and,

THAT this report analyze the efficacy of the on campus parking lot Campus Safety Responder,
providing data on the nature of situations to which the CSR responded, the outcomes of these
situations, and if there is trend in the number of car break ins and damage before and after the
implementation of the on campus parking lot CSR; and,

THAT this report be provided to the above committee, ASUW Senate, UW Transportation
Services, GPSS, and the general UW Student population; and,

THAT the above committee at minimum include student representatives from ASUW Student
Senate, ASUW Board of Directors, Graduate Professional Student Senate, Residential
Community Student Association, ASUW Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists,
and ASUW Gender Equity Commission as well as any other interested students and student
leaders; and,

THAT the following will represent the voting members of the Taskforce: one representative
from ASUW Student Senate, one representative from the ASUW Board of Directors, one
representative from the Graduate Professional Student Seante, one representative from the
Residential Community Student Association, one representative from the ASUW Sexual Assault
and Relationship Violence Activists, one representative form the ASUW Gender Equity
Commission, at least one representative who is a current residential parker, and at least one at
large student representative; and,
THAT non-voting members of the Taskforce include at least one representative from UW
Transportation Services, at least one representative from UWPD, and if possible, a Campus
Safety Responder; and,

THAT these meetings be public and accessible to any interested parties; and,

THAT UW Transportation Services take into account the recommendation of this committee
when budgeting for the coming years; and

THAT this recommendation will be verified by a majority vote from the present voting members
of the Taskforce; and,

THAT UWPD commit to the allocation of funds to the improvement of safety within residential
parking lots in accordance with the recommendation(s) made by this committee; and,

THAT an email be sent to all UW Parking Lot users by UW Transportation Services outlining
resources in the case of car break in or assault with a focus upon on-campus resources as well as
the investigation into future resources; and,

THAT the above email be sent by Week 6 of Autumn Quarter for the 2022-2023 school year;
and,

THAT UW invest further in additional methods of protecting student safety in the nightscape
such as University District Alternative Emergency Service, SafeCampus, Nightwalk, and others;
and;

THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to UW Transportation Services Caryn Walline,

UW Transportation Services Eric Johnson, UW Transportation Services Staff Member Brent
Curtis, UWPD Deputy Chief Craig Wilson, UWPD Major Steve Rittereiser, UW Security
Services Manager Michael Sletten, HFS Executive Director Pamela Schreiber, the HFS Director
of Residential Life, the ASUW Director of Campus Partnerships Michael Saunders, the ASUW
Director of Community Relations Geeta Iyer, RCSA President Aliyah Cleveland, the ASUW
Gender Equity Commission Director, and the ASUW Sexual and Relationship Violence Activists
Director.

Sources:

(1) https://transportation.uw.edu/news/parking-rates-2020-21-approved
(2) https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/juvenile-carjackings-increase-
coronavirus/2021/02/24/903e8fda-6c81-11eb-ba56-d7e2c8defa31_story.html
(3) https://www.uh.edu/af-university-services/parking/Gated-Lots-Conversion/
(4) https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nancy-La-Vigne/publication/
280089845_Evaluating_the_Use_of_Public_Surveillance_Cameras_for_Crime_Control_
and_Prevention/links/55a7ccbe08ae5aa1579dbaa8/Evaluating-the-Use-of-Public-
Surveillance-Cameras-for-Crime-Control-and-Prevention.pdf
(5) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11292-016-9267-x
(6) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11292-016-9267-x
(7) https://www.mcmasteroptimalaging.org/full-article/es/cctv-surveillance-key-tool-crime-
prevention-3092
(8) https://jobsearcher.com/j/campus-safety-responder-campus-security-officer-at-northwest-
hospital-in-seattle-wa-k9M2gLa
(9) https://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/APS/53.01.html