We need your support

Ask the Board and the President to urge the administration to come to the table to find creative and transformative approaches to campus safety.

“Dialogue that transforms conflict within communities where there are differences in opinion and understanding.” and “Creative approaches to living harmoniously within a constantly changing world.” From the Bethel College Values, adopted by the Board in 2019.

“There might be alternative ways to accomplish the goal of a more secure campus environment. We agree! But to develop those ways in a meaningful fashion takes time and engagement.” Email from the BC Board of Directors on October 15, 2024.

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Last fall, the board shared their support for searching for alternatives to campus safety that aren’t police patrols. Unfortunately, to the best of our knowledge, no progress has been made towards that end since the fall Community Conversation About Campus Safety. It is time we follow the board's request and put “time and engagement” towards finding alternatives to police patrols.

This week, Bethel students are making themselves heard through 5 Days of Action leading into the spring board meetings the first weekend of April. Our message: “Our Safety. Our Voice”. The status quo, when it comes to campus safety, does not work for us . We want a say in our safety. We want a conversation about what creative approaches to campus safety can look like, and a plan and commitment to invest time and energy into finding alternatives to campus police patrols.

Many of us have had concerns around campus safety for some time. However, the recent significant change of allowing police to freely patrol our campus is counterproductive to our collective safety. Not only does it alienate some students and make others feel less safe, it also serves as an excuse for the administration not to enact other, more effective safety policies.

Included in our efforts to make our voice heard is the “BC Coalition Against Campus Patrols,” which currently includes the following organizations:

• Volleyball team

• BC Chamber Orchestra

• Open Road

• Table Top Games

• Community for Justice and Peace

• Pride Alliance Council

• Femcore

• English Department

• Bible and Religion Department

• Social Work Department

And, this community also includes alumni. You have a voice, and right now we need your support. BC CJP is organizing an alumni email writing campaign overlapping with our 5 Days of Action events, from today to Saturday. Even if you wrote in the fall, please write to the Board and the President and ask them to urge the administration to come to the table to find creative and transformative approaches to campus safety in line with Bethel’s values and historic practice.

Structured dialogue that includes the administration and other concerned parties is an important piece of honoring the Board's request to put “ time and engagement” towards finding alternatives to police patrols in line with the College's value of “creative approaches to living harmoniously within a constantly changing world.”

BC CJP