Based on recent statistics, Nicholls remains the safest campus in Louisiana.According to the OPE Campus Security Statistics Web site, Nicholls had 15 on-campus criminal offenses and one residence hall related criminal offense in 2004. Burglary ranked the highest among Nicholls statistics with nine reported incidents and the only residence hall related criminal offense was a forcible sex offense.

At similar universities such as McNeese University, there were 24 on-campus criminal offenses and 17 residence hall related criminal offenses. The University of Louisiana at Monroe had 14 on-campus criminal offenses and eight residence hall related criminal offenses all in 2004. Burglary held the highest reported incidents at both campuses. McNeese had 19, and UL Monroe had six.

According to Eugene Dial, vice president for student affairs and enrollment services, the 2004 statistics are the most recent statistics available for any university.

Dial said that Nicholls has one of the lowest crime rates statewide and nationally. He stated that the University not being near interstate highways plays a role in its security.

“We have some good practices in place on campus, too,” Dial said. “There’s good police work on-campus and in the community.”

Interstate highways, campus safety practices and police work are not the only reasons why the University holds such security. Dial said that the community has a big effect on campus security as well.

“The small town atmosphere helps contribute to people not being here who don’t belong,” Dial said. “The community is also concerned about each and every individual. It’s the standard the community sets.”

Dial believes that if Nicholls were located in a larger city, the degree of security on campus would differ from the current rural area’s security.

“There would be a different set of challenges,” Dial said.

In comparison, larger campuses such as LSU and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette had a considerably larger criminal offense rate than the aforementioned smaller campuses.

LSU had 79 on-campus criminal offenses and 24 residence hall related criminal offenses. ULL had 38 on-campus criminal offenses and 19-residence hall related ones. Burglary also ranked the highest for both universities’ statistics. LSU reported 31 and ULL reported 28.

Regarding hate offenses on the OPE Campus Security Statistics Web site, neither Nicholls, McNeese, UL Monroe, LSU nor ULL have had any hate offenses reported.

Nicholls had 17 on-campus, 14-residence hall and 24 disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests. Drug law violations ranked highest on both on-campus and residence hall arrests both with 14 arrests made. Liquor law violations ranked highest under disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests with 20 arrests made.

McNeese has a lower rate than Nicholls has as far as arrests are concerned and UL Monroe has more than both. McNeese had 10 on-campus, eight-residence hall and 19 disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests. Drug law violations ranked the highest in all three sub-categories.

UL Monroe had 42 on-campus, 13 residence hall and 21 disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests. Drug law violations ranked highest in on-campus and residence hall arrests, while liquor law violations ranked highest in disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests.

As far as the larger universities are concerned, LSU had 646 on-campus, 16-residence hall and 318 disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests. Liquor law violations ranked highest for both on-campus arrests and disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests. Five hundred and sixty-eight arrests were made on-campus and 314 were disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests. Drug law violations ranked the highest with residence hall arrests.

ULL had 45 on-campus, 31- residence hall and 49 disciplinary actions/judicial referrals arrests. Drug law violations ranked highest for all three sub-categories.

Mary Beth Siracusa, dietetics sophomore from Morgan City, said that since Nicholls is in a small town, nothing “terrible” really ever happens.

“I feel safe at Nicholls,” Siracusa said. “There’s nothing that has ever made me feel unsafe here.”

David Gravois, mass communication junior from Thibodaux, said that he has never encountered any threats of danger while attending Nicholls.

“The fact that Nicholls is a small college means that I know or see a majority of the people on campus daily, which makes me feel safer than being around total strangers,” Gravois said.