In the 2007-2008 school year, Mills College’s Department of Public Safety has increased access to their list of individuals who are banned from campus. Now, students can access pictures and descriptions of most banned individuals through the Mills Web site.
Banishment from campus, formerly called a “trespass” in Residential Housing Policy, concerns individuals not affiliated with the College.
The Public Safety Web site currently lists the names of five men who are banned from campus and includes their pictures. Only three have corresponding descriptions.
The Web site, accesible at www.mills.edu/campus/campus_safety/safety_alert.php, is not open to the general public, and can only be accessed with a Mills ID and password.
The Web site does not list all persons banned by Public Safety. Niviece Robinson, the assistant director of Public Safety said that there are seven bans in affect, but only five are listed due to privacy issues.
Robinson stresses that bans normally focus on an individual who is troubling one student on campus. A student must file a complaint with Public Safety regarding an outside individual before a ban can be put in place.
“The majority of bans are from domestic situations,” she said.
A person can only be banned after a written warning from a Public Safety officer has been issued according to Residential Housing Policy.
Some students are glad the banned list is available. Sophomore Diva Zumaya “doesn’t think it could hurt” and is relieved that “you can actually ban” persons that might be dangerous to people on campus.
The Residential Housing Policy lists reasons for banishment, which include causing or intending to cause harm or injury to community members, damage to property, or violating College policies.
Banishment, however, concerns some students, like sophomore Samantha Kaput, who worries the bans are only a temporary fix for a bigger problem. “I think it’s stupid that they don’t check people at the gate in the first place,” she said.
Robinson said that banishment is a powerful tool to help Mills students stay safe.
“Above all,” she said, “we have to be careful.”
For more information on banning, contact Public Safety at 430-5555.
