Pests shut down SAFE Team
When students called for student escorts Tuesday night, many received a recording on the other end of the line saying, “Thank you for calling SAFE Team. We are currently not operating.”
Scott Nee, the assistant director of employee relations for SAFE Team, said he was notified earlier in the day that the service would not be operating that night.
“We were advised by Gary Manka to not be in operation tonight because of maintenance issues,” he said.
Manka, the Student Government adviser, said the director of SAFE Team, Nelson Ling, reported that there were pests in the office.
“Some of the persons were getting bit, so we called an exterminator,” Manka said.
The exterminator is expected to inspect the SAFE Team office, located in the Marshall Student Center, this morning.
“I was alerted Sunday or Monday and, at that point, I advised to close it down for the holiday,” Manka said.
Manka said he couldn’t comment on whether students were notified that SAFE Team would not be in operation, but he acknowledged that the closing presents a safety issue.
“It’s sort of a double-sided coin,” he said. “You know the safety issue is there, and we realized we have to get it up and running again. Anywhere you go on campus, even during the day, travel in groups, be safe, that kind of stuff.”
If there are pests found, Manka said he doesn’t think they would infest the rest of the center.
He said the student escort service should be in operation tonight.
Ling could not be reached for comment.
More Stories
USF admin’s response to suicides unclear. What we know so far.
USF’s administration will not say who or how it will prevent future suicides on campus a month after a student leapt from an upper floor balcony of the Interdisciplinary Science Building – the third suicide since fall 2022. The Oracle has asked repeatedly about which USF administrators are overseeing suicide prevention initiatives and how the […]
USF SG leaders look back on campaign accomplishments while on non-speaking terms
Student body president Cesar Esmeraldi and vice president Elizabeth Volmy reached nearly every campaign goal during their term. The one thing that didn’t persevere was their unity. The pair ended their tenure reflecting on it from separate rooms. “We’ve had a great year,” Esmeraldi said. “I’m very happy with everything we’ve built. But because of […]
USF’s ‘Take Back the Night’ allows sexual survivors to share pain, resilience: ‘Recovery isn’t easy.’
A sexual assault survivor, who was the first speaker at Wednesday evening’s “Take Back the Night,” said the hardest day of their life was not when they were assaulted – it was the day after. “When I had to call my mom and tell her how her [child lost their] virginity and tell my therapist […]
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]
McKinley Drive closed down for death investigation, Tampa police say
The intersection between Fowler Avenue and McKinley Drive was closed due to a death investigation late Wednesday afternoon, according to the Tampa Police Department (TPD). A man shot himself after making a bomb threat in the parking lot of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), located at 11201 McKinley Drive, according to TPD. Police said […]
USF 2024-25 A&S budget to increase student organization funding in Tampa and St. Pete
The Student Government (SG) Senate approved the 2024-25 Student Activities & Services (A&S) budget for all three campuses this Tuesday, seeing an overall increase in allocated money to student organizations. The vote was 26-0, approving the budget. Related: 2023-24 A&S budget down $5 million from last fiscal year Students pay fees in their tuition – […]