Webinar Review: Combatting Security Challenges of an Urban University
In the January 30 webinar, “Combatting Security Challenges of an Urban University,” Maureen Rush, University of Pennsylvania vice president for public safety and superintendent of Penn Police, discussed how the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) used security to overcome negative perception.
In the mid-1990s, Penn’s application numbers were down, thanks in part to parents’ concerns about its location in West Philadelphia, an urban area known for violent crime. Wanting to avoid the stigma that plagues many higher education institutions while continuing to foster its unique urban open-campus environment, the university had to figure out how to combat the image of a great school in a bad location.