A s the Department of Public Safety works with Rave Mobile Safety to develop an app to improve safety for UNC’s campus and students, the school should prepare to hit the ground running and effectively introduce the entire student body to the app as soon as it is unveiled.
The app, Rave Guardian, which is already used by numerous universities throughout the country including the University of Pennsylvania and American University, will be a valuable resource for the University and its students.
With resources including a direct communication line to public safety via text or call and virtual safe walk, among other things, the app will certainly have an important place on campus .
As the app will hopefully be available to UNC students by the end of this year, now is a good time to plan how it will be implemented on campus.
Incorporating an introduction to the app into freshman orientation is a good place to start, but having an information session for upperclassmen next year would be prudent in order to ensure that the entire student body is well prepared to use the app.
In light of the recent incident with an armed man on campus in which DPS drew some criticism for its slow response, the University should be proactive in the unveiling of this app.
