Executive Director for Information Technology Services Ryan Gibson and EIU police Chief Marisol Gamboa presented to student government, asking for its members opinions on campus blue phones.   

“Over the last 25-30 years we’ve had the campus blue phones,” said Gibson. “Over the last year or two, they really show their age.”  

There are 24 campus emergency phones and 17 are in operation, according to Gibson.   

“We see about one to two of those go bad a month,” Gibson said.  

Gibson, Gamboa and student senator Andy Garica were part of a working group talking with people about the future of campus phones.   

Gibson cited a conversation with EIU police officer Andrea Beals about the use of the phones.   

“We talked to officer Beals, over her 20-year career here that they’ve been used maybe twice in legit emergencies,” Gibson said.  

The group looked at what other universities have done, finding many universities have a Blue Emergency App, according to Gibson.  

“Some clear advantages [are] that you’re not stuck at any one location,” said Gibson. “You can have someone track you [and] it could be good or bad.”  

Senator Claire Weber expressed her view on the phones.  

“I know when coming to visit the school for the first time, it’s more of a comfort thing knowing that it’s there,” Weber said.  

Senator Reagan Robson talked about how the presence of phones can prevent crime.  

“They almost work as a deterrent where you can almost see one anywhere you are on campus,” said Robson.  

Senator Valerie Harmon supported the idea of an app.  

“I think the direction to move towards an app would be more functional, but then [again], calling 911 would be the most logical reasoning anybody would do,” Harmon said.  

Student Body President Taylor Cloud said the app would be cumbersome.  

“You have to be like, ‘Oh, somebody is following me.’ So, I’m paying attention to that, But I also have to figure out where my phone is, where the app on my phone,” Cloud said.  

Harmon suggested investing back into the phones  

“I think the idea of maybe just reinvesting in the phones may be semi in just in the fact if my phone’s dead what do I do now?” Harmon said.  

According to Gibson the cost of buying and upkeeping the app would cost around $10,000-$15,000 while to repair the current phones would be around $500-$1500.  

The university is looking for campus feedback on the phones.  

The senate also heard a presentation from Head of Scholarly Communication Todd Bruns about Panther Tracks.  

Panther Tracks is a way for students to document their experiences in EIU RSOs, Greek Life and other student activities by submitting documents, photos and other material to the site, according to Bruns.  

“Five years from now, 10 years from now these folks can Google themselves, [and] they’re going to find this stuff,” Bruns said.  

Bruns said that any person involved in any activity on campus can submit files to Panther Tracks with approval of a campus advisory.  

Additionally, Sophomore criminology and sociology major Emma Garner was appointed to the student senate at the meeting. 

Jason Coulombe can be reached at 581-2812 or at jmcoulombe@eiu.edu.