Help protect Eastern through social media

Staff Editorial

Eastern is currently competing in the STANLEY Security Together for Safer Schools Grant Program—a program that would help update Eastern’s already threatened security system.

Due to the recent break ins at Buzzard Hall and at our very own Old Main castle in the past several weeks, our news staff would like to offer a list of reasons as to why we should encourage the student body to participate and vote and how it would be beneficial to our school.

Number one: we will be, essentially, saving money and receiving a generous amount of money to secure our university.

Here is how it works. Universities will be placed into three different tiers.

The first tier is for schools with 8,000 students or fewer; the second tier is for schools with 8,000 to 19,000 students; and the third tier is for larger schools with 20,000 students or more.

Eastern is currently in rank number two; therefore, we would be eligible to win at least $50,000 as runner up or $150,000 should we become the top-ranking school within the second tier.

The school could use this grant money to repair damages and install more sophisticated security equipment, rather than having to pay for damages we can hardly afford on our own.

Number two: This is a social media campaign. It is especially easy for most of us to participate. If you happen to have access to the Internet through a phone, tablet, or laptop, then you should have no excuse to not vote.

There are three simple ways you can do so and you can chose your preferred one. You can either log on to the program’s web page and vote, text eiuedu to 334455, or use Twitter to tweet either #stanleysecurity or #eiuedu.

Take advantage of this opportunity.

This was a very clever move on the grant program’s part to allow the voting process become more easily accessible for you. We are always doing something on our phones or computers, and it would not take much of your time to do so.

Number three: gathering votes means a safer collegiate environment for us all.

Most of us live in close proximity to one another—our space is an intimate one. Because our school is significantly smaller than most universities that surround us, we appear as a more vulnerable target for attackers to strike.

Number four: we would not want word to get out that Eastern is an unsafe place to be. It would severely shatter our warm and homely image and further hinder enrollment numbers.

Every single vote counts and we want to promote a comfortable and secure place for future students. We should not have to feel threatened at a place we call home for nearly four years or more. Help restore and protect our Eastern—home of the mighty Panthers.

The daily editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial board of The Daily Eastern News.