It is taken for granted that when your child goes to university, it will be the institution’s job to ensure their safety. But what makes student safety so important on a university campus? Why is it the university’s responsibility to take care of its students? Here are the top reasons why:

Legal Responsibility

Universities have a legal duty to protect their students. The university has to be compliant with the Law of Negligence, and ensure that it has built adequate security and safety measures on its campus, or else a student can hire a personal injury attorney to sue the university.

And while many states in the US do not allow students to sue universities for personal injuries caused on campus, if the attorney can prove negligence on the part of the university, then the institution will have to face charges.

Here are some situations where a university can be held liable for personal injury to students on campus:

• Injuries suffered due to the condition of the university buildings and/or equipment.
• Injuries sustained due to the condition of the grounds and campus.
• Injuries caused when a student uses the university premises or its equipment for non-school purposes.
• Injuries suffered during physical education classes.
• Injuries caused during the transportation of students by the university.
• Injuries caused by a lack of adequate supervision by campus faculty or staff, especially if the injury takes place during hazing ceremonies.
• Injuries caused by a lack of adequate campus security.

Social Responsibility

Besides the fact that the university has a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of its students, it also has a social responsibility to take care of the future of the country. It also has a responsibility to the parents as well as the community to protect their children when they come to their institutions to learn and build their futures.

While it is still a hotly debated topic in the US, there is a relationship between the university and its students. In the early part of the 20th century, the university was considered a substitute parent, and it had a legal duty to protect its students, not just physically but also morally.

However, in the late 60s and 70s, with the growth of students’ rights activism, this attitude was dropped, and any relationship between universities and their students was denied.

Then, from the 90s onwards, there was a growing movement that there was, in fact, a responsibility that universities had towards their students. While it wasn’t as strong as the loco parentis laws of the early 20th century, it did focus on the fact that the university has a responsibility to act as a facilitator for student growth and keep them safe.

Financial Stability

When a university is deemed unsafe for students, it impacts its financial stability. Many universities are dependent on grants to continue operating. Without those grants, the university could end up shutting down.

Added to that, when a university is sued due to negligence, it loses a lot of money in settlements as well as fines. This money could be used a lot more effectively in creating a better learning atmosphere for the students instead.

Protecting its Reputation

A university that is considered unsafe will soon lose its student population. In today’s world, with so much violence being brought into classrooms, it has become even more imperative for universities and the communities surrounding them to ensure that their students have a safe environment within which to learn.

A university that is reputed to be safe for its students will grow and will attract a larger student population, thereby further increasing its value in the community.