Dartmouth students who use Safety and Security's student-run driving escort service to escape the frigid cold are the targets of a new campaign publicizing walking escorts.
Although the green cars and vans that canvas the campus throughout the day and night are often considered the best travel option for students heading home alone, Safety and Security will suggest that students who call for an escort use the walking escort program.
"It started out as a walking program," College Proctor Bob McEwen said. "We would like to encourage [students] to do the walking service more."
"We are doing an unbelievable amount of transports," he added.
Although the walking escort service is being emphasized over the driving escorts, Ken Clemmer '96, who currently heads the program said, "We're really not changing too much."
The new emphasis on walking escorts is due to rampant misuse of the driving service, according to Clemmer.
"It has gotten to the point that so many people are calling because they want rides and not because they are afraid to walk," he said.
Clemmer said the publicity campaign aims to make students consider if they really need to have a driving escort.
"We're asking people to really think about what they're doing, if they're taking advantage of the system," he said.
A shift to walking escorts "will free up officers to deal with real security issues," Clemmer said.
While most of the walking escorts are Dartmouth students, Clemmer said officers often have to provide driving services because of a lack of eligible drivers for the Safety and Security vehicles.
Clemmer said he first investigated the decision to encourage greater use of walking escorts last Winter term.
He said he discussed his ideas with the officers who "thought the walking escorts would be a good thing to get back to."
The number of vehicles available for rides will remain the same even though walking escorts will be suggested to callers, McEwen added.
"For people who genuinely want a ride, I don't think they're going to be denied," Clemmer said.
"We're not saying we're fed up driving people around," Clemmer added.
