This editorial represents the opinion of The Bona Venture staff.
Over the past few weeks, students walking on the trail from Bonaventure’s main campus to the East Side of campus have noticed some four-legged, seemingly ferocious animals venturing into the Bona Bubble. And while bears on campus are not an uncommon occurrence in the spring, the number of sightings in the last few weeks has certainly spooked students. Whether or not these animals pose a threat to the campus community, Safety and Security should alert people anytime there is a large animal spotted on campus.
Vito Czyz, director of Safety and Security, said wildlife typically begins to infiltrate campus in search of food when the weather gets warmer. He said Safety and Security has been proactive about reaching out to East Side residents to inform them about wildlife in the area.
“Under the Federal Jeanne Cleary Act, we are obligated to warn the campus community when we feel there is imminent danger to residents and the campus population,” Czyz said. “In the case of wildlife, we do not feel that this danger is present unless we get reports of animal unusual behavior or aggressiveness.”
Although Czyz stressed that there have not been any recent reports of aggressive animal behavior, animals are often unpredictable, and it is risky to wait until abnormal behavior is observed before the animal is designated as a threat. What if a student’s life becomes the indicator that a dangerous animal has wandered onto campus? Therefore, anytime a large animal, like bears or coyotes, are spotted on campus, Safety and Security should send out a text message alert via the E2 campus notification system or email notification to the campus community.
We recognize that Safety and Security doesn’t want to alarm anyone or cause undue anxiety when it isn’t necessary. However, when it comes to potentially dangerous wildlife, we’re sure most people will be grateful for the heads-up.
