The Public Safety Advisory Council

To: Members of the University Community
From: Paul Alivisatos, President, and Ka Yee C. Lee, Provost
Subject: Public Safety Advisory Council
Date: May 6, 2022

The University of Chicago is committed to enhancing safety and security on campus and in the surrounding South Side community. Over the past several months, we have implemented multiple initiatives designed to address issues related to public safety. We have also committed to engaging members of the campus and South Side communities in these efforts.

Today we are announcing the launch of the Public Safety Advisory Council, which will help us obtain community input on issues impacting safety and security on campus and in the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) extended patrol area. Composed of University faculty, students, and staff, along with community members, the council will proactively seek feedback from a diverse group of stakeholders to identify public safety challenges and concerns. It will work closely with the Department of Safety and Security, including UCPD, to support community awareness and understanding of the University’s efforts to improve the safety and security of our shared community. Additionally, the group will provide counsel to the University to ensure that our public safety priorities, policies, and operations are informed by community input and feedback.

The Public Safety Advisory Council will actively engage the campus and surrounding community in its work and identify specific means and mechanisms for gaining community input and feedback. Representatives will be selected via an application process, which is now open and will run through May 27. More information about the council, including member application requirements, is available on the council website. The University will share additional updates when members are appointed and the council’s work commences.

We are thankful to the numerous members of our community who contributed valuable feedback that informed the structure of the council, particularly Sharon R. Fairley, Professor from Practice in the Law School, whose deep experience in criminal justice reform has been instrumental to the development and launch of the council. We look forward to engaging with the council on a regular basis as we continue our efforts to enhance safety and security on and around campus. Thank you for your collective commitment to these issues.