A source of funding is currently not available to add security cameras in parking lots on campus, but the university is considering the matter.

Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs, said the university has been aggressive at adding security cameras within the Student Recreation Center, the University Police Department building, the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, and public areas of many of the residence halls.

“At some point as funds become available we hope that we would be able to, then also be aggressive in installing security cameras in and around parking lots,” he said.

On Nov. 2, the University Police Department reported that multiple cars were damaged while parked in the E parking lot just south of Stevenson Hall on Fourth Street.

University Police Chief Adam Due said there were five vehicles that each had a tire slashed.

While not commonly reported within the UPD blotter releases, Due said it is not too uncommon for such incidents.

“It is not uncommon at least every other year if not each year to have at least one or two times when there are a series of such incidents,” he said.

Due added there were no leads on the slashing incidents.

Brandon Hagan’s car was the recipient of a tire slashing. He discovered his tire slashed a week after it happened.

Hagan, a communications major, said when he was about to leave for Wal-Mart, he discovered his tire was slashed.

When he went to make a report to the University Police Department, he found the department already had a report on file, but he was never contacted.

Hagan sent an e-mail to President Bill Perry with suggestions on improving security in parking lots.

The first suggestion was to add brighter lighting to the lots.

“I never realized how dark it is,” Hagan said.

He also suggested adding security cameras at the north and south ends to the E parking lot and having UPD make more frequent runs through the parking lots.

Nadler said Hagan’s tire-slashing incident was one of the more extreme incidents.

“I think there is always concern around parking lots,” he said. “You have vehicles that very easily and inadvertently can run into another vehicle.

“You have pedestrians walking who increasingly are paying more attention to text messaging then necessarily where they’re walking.”

Nadler said he believes lighting is good, but there are areas it needs to be enhanced.

Additional lighting was added on the back of the scoreboard at O’Brien Stadium to light the pathway, he added.

Adding emergency phones in some parking lots is also being considered.

Nadler said in 2005 a security camera pilot project was started and has expanded to add 400 security cameras on campus.

Adding cameras, additional lighting and emergency phones all have their own costs.

Nadler said each camera the university installs costs about $1,500, while emergency phones vary in price. Some new model emergency phones are equipped with security cameras.

Nadler said the university would consider models equipped with cameras provided the necessary infrastructure was available.

Gary Reed, director of facilities, planning and management, said once the needs of a project are identified, a cost estimate could then be developed.

“The cost is dependent on where the upgrades are needed and the number needed,” he said.

A lighting project is currently in the works for the new H-3 parking lot located on the north side of Ninth Street and Hayes Avenue.

“As soon as the poles and fixture(s) are received, new lights will be installed for the new H-3 lot and also on the pedestals south across the street from H-3 where poles were never mounted,” Reed said.