Enhancement of Security Measures and Addressing Immediate Concerns on Campus-LSU

Dear Chancellor William Jenkins,

Thank you very much for your letter to us, students. The last few days, following the tragic deaths of Kiran Allam and Chandrasekhar Komma have been a time of great sadness and desolation for us all. We have found great comfort through the support from the LSU community and administration, which came in many numbers for the memorial service and the many concerned mails and phone calls from them.

The university has been extremely supportive in standing by their students at this hour of need. We appreciate not only the counseling services and the arrangements for the bodies to be sent back home but also the constant updates on the LSU website and through Public Affairs, the flag at half mast and your interactions with the family.

LSUPD has been wonderful in their steps after the incident to make this campus feel more secure with their increased patrolling and immediate response to panic calls for the few students who chose to stay here for the holidays.

It is indeed sad that these measures have come into place at the cost of lives; however, disaster always seems to precede caution. In light of LSUs decision to make residential life compulsory for all incoming freshman in Fall 2009 and objective 2, 3 and 4 of the Flagship Agenda, we, as student organizations across LSU campus come together in this letter to act as representatives of all concerned students to ask you and your administration to do all you can to enhance the security of the student body and improve the quality of campus life.

However, it has been almost six weeks since the double homicides of Allam and Komma and still the progress of the case in still unknown and the culprits are at loose. Also, two people are robbed on campus since January 2008.

Henceforth we list some of the immediate concerns affecting the student life on LSU campus:

Campus housing (Nicholson, Edward Gay and the 15 Residence Halls) need camera surveillance.
Increased LSUPD surveillance for Nicholson and Edward Gay Apartments in light of their location away from the main campus.
Setting up of security gates and fencings at the Nicholson and Edward Gay apartment complexes.
Campus transit to run throughout the night and also go into the apartment complexes instead of stopping on the road.
A forum where the students who stay in campus housing and the LSUPD can discuss security concerns routinely.
Parking lots for residents and visitors to be separated in campus housing.
Campus and Housing should be provided with proper lighting 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

In addition to these measures, we would also like to request the following:

A temporary memorial on campus where community and students can physically pay their respects to Chandrasekhar and Kiran.
A direct contribution from LSU to the Komma and Allam fund.
Awarding posthumous Ph.D degrees to Chandrasekhar Komma and Kiran Kumar Allam.

Your support and compassion far prevail over these gestures and we thank you for leading us through this difficult time.

GEAUX TIGERS!
This petition is supported by:

Indian Student Association