“Join Us for a Vital Town Hall: State Representative Addresses Rising Crime at University of Houston”

State Rep. Jolanda Jones is hosting a town hall meeting on Friday to discuss student safety at the University of Houston. This comes after a series of troubling incidents, including a sexual assault reported on February 7, where a man allegedly attacked a female student in a parking garage.

In addition to this incident, there have been multiple robberies on campus recently, including the theft of scooters. These events have raised significant concern among the university’s nearly 50,000 students.

Jolanda Jones, who represents the area, has heard from students worried that their safety is not being prioritized. “The school focuses more on athletics than on student safety,” she said. “Students feel unsafe given the violence happening on campus.”

In response to rising fears, students organized a protest on February 12, demanding better safety measures. The university has since increased security, including a round-the-clock police presence in the garage where the assault occurred.

Renu Khator, the university’s president, announced plans to improve safety measures, stating that more police officers and monitoring vehicles are being assigned to the campus. She also mentioned speeding up a project to improve lighting across the university grounds.

Additionally, Khator is forming a task force to address security issues and has brought in an outside consulting firm to review current practices and recommend improvements. In a recent letter, Khator acknowledged the stressful atmosphere created by these incidents and emphasized the university’s commitment to maintaining a safe learning environment.

Despite these efforts, Jones remains anxious about the impact of crime on students. “These incidents can affect grades and overall well-being,” she noted, stressing that some situations could have led to even worse outcomes.

Jones, a proud alumna of UH and a former city council member, has previously helped students deal with various issues, including a controversial incident involving a police officer and a theater student. She aims to mediate concerns between students and the university.

The town hall will take place from 5-7 p.m. at Emancipation Park, located at 3018 Emancipation Ave, northwest of the university campus.