What Are Today's College Students Worried About?

Even with safety as a top priority for colleges and institutions around the world, more college students are worried about their physical wellbeing than ever before. According to a survey conducted by ADT and Clery Center, a staggering 82 percent of student respondents said they were concerned about their physical safety on campus.  

What is contributing to the declining mental health and worries of college students today? A study of more than 2,000 college students by Inside Higher Ed and Pulse measured what factors are playing into their worries and found a variety of popular factors including the rising instances of violence, a lack of security on campus, and a lack of trust in Title IX procedures.  

What Are Students Afraid Of? 

1. Not Enough Security Presence

College campuses are usually large and open areas. While all institutions have some level of campus security, many students feel like there is not enough presence on campus. 56 percent of respondents claim they have never had an interaction with a campus security guard or campus police officer and only 28 percent say they feel “very safe” walking on campus. Students want to see more security spread across their campuses, especially in the wake of national tragedies that highlight the importance of first responders.  

2. Dark Pathways on Campus  

Whether the lights above a campus sidewalk are out, or completely non-existent, most students want their campuses to be better lit. Students fear assault and isolation in these areas on campus, something that most respondents said would be eased by more light. 34 percent of students ranked improved lighting in their top two choices of most important improvements their institutions should make on campus.  

3. No Trust in Title IX 

Many colleges have gained the unfortunate and infamous reputation of either not taking Title IX claims seriously or ignoring them to preserve the image of the college. 36 percent of students said they would give their colleges a grade of “D” or “F” when it comes to handling Title IX cases. Sexual assault is sadly a prevalent issue at schools, and many students feel as though their schools are not responding seriously enough.   

4. Easy Access to Buildings 

According to survey results, 77 percent of students say they occasionally worry about an active shooter or intruder on campus and 11 percent say they think about it on a weekly basis. Besides the increase in mass shootings in the United States, many students worry about their physical safety on campus because of the openness of the property and the lack of security in buildings. Many college campuses have open buildings, dorms and lecture halls, something that 15 percent of respondents said was the most pressing security issue on campus. 

Why Is This Happening? 

Violent incidents on college campuses and schools are on the rise. According to data from Everytown researchers, there have been eight shootings on college campuses since 2007 that killed three or more people. The same data shows 202 school shootings in 2021 alone.  

But it isn’t only shootings that college students need to worry about. The issues of sexual assault, a lack of trust in the Title IX process and drugging amongst students at bars and parties have also become prevalent issues. Students are not only worried about being victims of crime, but worried about how the incident will be handled.  

How Kokomo24/7® Can Help 

Kokomo24/7® understands the challenges of colleges and universities because we have been helping to improve the health, safety, and wellness of over one million students since 2018. 

The pandemic has greatly changed the way we look at student safety and school safety and our robust and easy-to-use software platform provides value to administrators, students, and parents by offering them access to our multiple software solutions. 

Anonymous Reporting 

The Kokomo24/7® Anonymous Reporting tool provides students, staff, and community members with a private way to report concerning behavior. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in four out of five shootings, somebody knew of the shooter’s plan before the attack occurred. 

Emergency Alert 

Our Emergency Alert Button helps ensure the safety of all community members with a way to call for help during times of extreme emergency. With the simple press of a button, first responders will be dispatched to your location.  

Incident Management 

Kokomo24/7®’s Incident Management tool features one centralized dashboard to help you collect, track, manage, and respond to both the predictable and unpredictable. Our software maintains a database of student incidents, allowing users to better connect data points in order to understand what is going on.  

Feedback Management 

Our Customized Forms provide surveys to collect the information you need, when you need it. Understand how your campus community feels, about anything and take the appropriate actions when needed. 

Communications Management 

The Communications Management suite helps users to streamline messages to select people or groups of people to stay informed of important emergency and non-emergency updates. Timely notify your campus community of anything they need to know.  

Visitor Management 

With our Visitor Management tool, you can ensure all visitors are properly managed and tracked through screening tools, attendance tracking, and options for digital badging, resulting in safer, more secure campuses for students everywhere.  

Ever since Kokomo24/7® was founded in 2018, we have been a leader in compliance and risk management solutions for all things health and safety. Kokomo24/7® proudly serves schools, communities, and workplaces. Our mission is to deliver highly effective, easy-to-use, and trusted compliance and risk management solutions that bridge the gap between public safety and technology. 

Whether you work for a small school, a Fortune-500 company, or any institution in between, we want to hear from you! To learn more about Kokomo24/7® or to get a free 15-minute demo click the button below.