Last month’s increase in crime in neighborhoods where a significant number of Washington University students live has attracted plenty of attention. In response, off-campus neighborhood patrols have been visibly increased, to the relief of students and parents alike.

Four new blue emergency lights have been installed along Melville Avenue. Previously, there was one light between the Overpass and Delmar Boulevard. That light was replaced, and three more were installed between Kingsbury and Delmar. The new lights are encased in a sturdier material than the old one. They are also brighter and easier to spot from a distance.

Legislators in several states are considering are considering legislation that would allow students to carry licensed firearms on campus. Officials in Texas, Arizona, Tennessee, Michigan, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Florida, Nebraska and Mississippi have proposed the loosening of gun control on college campuses.

Across Skinker Boulevard and Forest Park Parkway, orange cones and construction tape can be found all over the sidewalks, obstructing the way for joggers, bikers and pedestrians alike. Much of the response about the construction has been negative, as the construction not only poses an inconvenience for pedestrians, but it is also dangerous when they have to walk along the car lanes.

The methodology with which The Daily Beast approached its rankings of the most dangerous colleges is inherently flawed, and thus we feel that our position in these rankings is invalid, and not an accurate representation of campus safety or of the opinions of our student body.

Last week’s robbery and the related University-wide e-mails have heightened student awareness of safety on and off campus. While some students say they continue to feel as safe as ever, others say they are more fearful.

Washington University can set in place practically whatever policies it wants. That much is not up for debate. They banned guns, so for now let’s get over it. The question comes down to whether the school has taken measures that are effective in protecting students and whether its policies are illogical if not harmfully vague.

Following the rape and robbery of a female undergraduate leaving campus, the University has expanded its door-to-door shuttle service for students living in off-campus housing.

Although the decision to expand Campus2Home was made at the same time that the University chose to send out a campus-wide alert, that e-mail did not include a reference to the expanded service.

At 9:15 a.m. this Saturday, I heard a loud drilling at my back door. I rolled into the kitchen in my underwear, where I saw an array of carpentry tools spread out on a tarp covering my countertop. What was going on?

Off-campus safety has been at the forefront of students’ minds this year. With a jump in crime last spring and the recent violent attack on a graduate student, students have appropriately questioned the safety surrounding their off-campus living quarters.