The campus community is experiencing a heightened sense of caution after a recent series of sexual assaults involving female students.

Last Tuesday’s assault involving a female student being threatened with a knife while walking on campus grounds was a tragic reminder of the times in which we live. Terrible things done by even more terrible people can happen to students — even when they think they are in one of the safest places imaginable.

All students, faculty and staff – male population included – need to take a more active role in protecting the well-being of everyone on campus. Paying attention to surroundings, reporting suspicious people or behavior and using all of the available campus resources are just a few simple ways everyone can make the university more safe.

These resources include Froggie Five-0, the campus escort service, which has seen a recent jump in ride requests. Female students should do everything in their power to avoid walking long distances across campus alone at night, and Froggie Five-0 is an easy way to do it.

Student safety is undoubtedly a top priority for university officials and those whose job it is to keep the campus safe, but they can’t do it alone.

News editor Michael Carroll for the editorial board.