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Winthrop University meets with students protesting over campus safety concerns

On Tuesday, Winthrop University President George Hynd meet with students protesting campus safety following a reported sexual assault.

A group of Winthrop University students Tuesday met with the school president to demand improvements to campus safety and security following a reported sexual assault in November.

Students involved in Tuesday's protest told WCNC Charlotte's Lana Harris students are paying tuition for a safe campus, and right now they don’t feel like they're getting it.

"I’m really excited to see a group of people here that really want to see change," said Ben Keenan, a sophomore at Winthrop University.

“I had family members that were very concerned for me," Keenan said about his own campus security. [They were] begging me to come back home for the week."

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On Nov. 16, the Winthrop University Police Department said an unknown man sexually assaulted a female student in Phelps Hall. Investigators do not believe the student and suspect knew each other. Officials believe the alleged assailant is not a student at the school.

Keenan said security isn’t the students' only concern. He said students have found roaches, mold, and air quality issues in their dorms.

"I’ve heard some people say they’ve been coughing in their rooms, and they have to buy air purifiers to make the coughing stop," he said.

Keenan said he has also seen issues with handicap accessibility and non-functioning elevators.

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“I have fellow classmates that use wheelchairs, they need those elevators," Keenan said. "If you aren’t able to go up these stairs, as a lot of these places have a lot of stairs because they're old buildings, you're really out of luck and wont have accessibility to those areas.”

In a statement to WCNC Charlotte Tuesday, a school spokesperson acknowledged many of the concerns:

“Winthrop University continues to place the utmost importance on the safety of its campus community. University leadership appreciates the opportunity to have productive discussions with student groups who have voiced their concerns on social media. Today the president met with a group of students to discuss their concerns. We welcome further constructive conversations. Winthrop is currently in the midst of finalizing a 10-year Campus Master Plan that will address student housing needs, parking, lighting and other campus improvements. In the meantime, the university is spending millions of dollars this year and next to address deferred maintenance issues with several of the campus’ aging buildings, including residence halls. University administrators look forward to working together with students to help Winthrop maintain its reputation for safety and for an educational experience that is second to none.”

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The alleged assailant remains wanted. He is described as:

  • A white male in his early twenties
  • Muscular in stature
  • Approximately six feet tall or slightly over
  • Dark brown hair, trimmed neat and close to head
  • Blue eyes, described as being crystal blue or ice blue in appearance
  • Having light facial hair

Students also protested on campus last Friday.

Contact Lana Harris at lharris@wcnc.com and follow her on FacebookTwitter and on Instagram.

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