The Associated Students of Madison recently appointed University of Wisconsin senior Sol Grosskopf as Campus Safety Initiatives Coordinator at its first meeting of the year last week Wednesday.

This new position will work to improve safety initiatives on campus and collaborate with other Madison safety programs to ensure student safety needs are being met efficiently and effectively, ASM chair Brittany Wiegand said.

“There was a need on campus to get a student voice on the different ways we’re going to combat safety,” Grosskopf said. “It is now my job to facilitate a relationship between students and various safety groups across the institution to help implement programs to increase safety in the community.”

According to Wiegand, safety programs on campus are currently decentralized. By electing Grosskopf, ASM intends to create a link between the various available resources as well as establishing a link with students.

Grosskopf will specifically be working with SAFEwalk and will evaluate and restructure ASM’s Neighborhood Watch Program. He will also work with the other SAFE program as well as safety committees involving the dean of students and campus police.

Grosskopf will also evaluate ASM’s previous Neighborhood Watch Program in order to evaluate its effectiveness and figure out ways the program can be improved.

Wiegand said a call for a student Campus Safety Initiatives Coordinator became a priority after she received several e-mails complaining about different safety groups on campus, one of which voiced concern regarding the two-person-only policy conducted by Madison SAFEride.

“There were three women that really needed a ride, and the cab wouldn’t get all three,” Wiegand said. “We hope Sol will be working to amend policies like that.”

According to Wiegand, Grosskopf’s realistic and practical approach on safety as well as his experience working with campus leaders made him a stand out candidate for the position.

According to Grosskopf, students make up about 80 percent of the campus community and are therefore at the greatest risk of being victimized.

Grosskopf added that having a student ambassador involved in crime fighting will allow for a more accurate representation of real student needs.

“I think too often students are overlooked, so we need someone who experiences life as a student and knows what it’s like to be among the community who’s the highest target of crime,” Grosskopf said.

Grosskopf added his chief concern is to familiarize himself with safety programs that are already implemented and confirm that future programs are based on fact. He also wants to promote policies that make the campus safer without interfering with student life.

Grosskopf intends to report to student bodies such as ASM on a regular basis to ensure student leaders are taking an active role to keep students on campus safe.