UTEP Named Among Top 3 Safest Texas College Campuses
Last Updated on September 09, 2020 at 12:00 AM
Originally published September 09, 2020
By UC Staff
UTEP Communications
EL PASO, Texas – The University of Texas at El Paso’s dedication to campus safety has earned the campus a No. 3 ranking in a list of the safest college campuses in Texas, according to a survey conducted by YourLocalSecurity.com, which based its rankings on the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security data and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase all the work our campus community has done, and it is our department’s honor and privilege to be a part of that,” said Cliff Walsh, chief of the UTEP Police Department. “A department achieves these kinds of results because of the engagement of the community and the support the community in turn gives back to the department.”
UTEP Police offers a variety of outreach and safety programs to help promote campus safety, such as the department’s safety escort service, which allows students to contact an officer at any time to escort them to their vehicles, giving them peace of mind.
Campus police officers are frequently visible on campus engaging with students in friendly conversation and are available to offer assistance when needed. During the transition to remote learning, campus police ramped up their efforts and outreach by engaging with the community through social media.
“We encourage our staff, even though campus population is limited, to continue to work diligently to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty and staff on campus, who are paramount to the success of the University,” Walsh said.
West Texas A&M University earned the No. 1 spot, and Weatherford College was No. 2 in the ranking.
The University of Texas at El Paso is one of the largest and most successful Hispanic-serving institutions in the country. The University has a student population that is more than 80% Hispanic, and it enrolls more than 25,000 students in 166 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in 10 colleges and schools. With more than $100 million in total annual research expenditures, UTEP is ranked in the top 5% of research institutions nationally and fifth in Texas for federal research expenditures at public universities.
