Sam Houston State University students have noticed a recent rise in announcements from the University’s “Katsafe” system.

SHSU describes Katsafe as “the University’s emergency alert system and preparedness program. The University is committed to keeping you informed by sending notifications in a timely manner and offering preparedness resources.” which is not only for students, but for students’ parents as well.

Why is there a rise in these announcements this past year? What has changed?

The crime statistics are reoprted on shsu.edu and are updated weekly. The website also provides the statistics of past years as well.

As of October 13th 2022, there have been 11 reported sex offenses on campus. In 2020, there were 11 cases reported in that entire year.

In 2020, there were a total of 3 on-campus burglaries reported. As of this week, there have been 9 reported so far in 2022.

There was 1 case of stalking reported in 2020, in comparison to 7 reported so far this year.

On campus, there has been a reported 47 cases of drug abuse violation arrests in 2022. Back in 2020, there were 42 total.

These are just a few examples of the rise in crime rates here on campus in 2022. There are many factors that could be causing this. Something that could be considered is the fact that the university is growing, more students are enrolling as well as the campus expanding.

University Police Department offers many services to keep the campus safe. There is a 24-hour security escort service for faculty, staff, and students. Of course, Katsafe announcements are also one of the main resources for keeping students safe and aware.