Students, parents and police groups tell committee U of M campus safety has improved; coalition asks continued action

Students, parents and police representatives told a Minnesota House committee they have seen improvements in campus safety after recent changes to policing and university operations, but they said additional work is still needed.

Silas Simpson, executive vice president of the University of Minnesota Interfraternity Council, told the committee, “Our experience with UMPD over the past few years has been nothing but positive,” citing quicker 911 response times, support for safe events and a new UMPD resource center in Dinkytown.

Erin Brum, a board member of the Campus Safety Coalition, described the group as a grassroots nonprofit formed about two and a half years ago that now counts roughly 2,000 supporters. Brum listed collaborative steps the coalition and the university have pursued: an active campus safety advisory committee that meets monthly, expanded UMPD jurisdiction on high‑traffic corridors, increased overtime patrols during periods of high crime, secure building entrances, and the recent opening of an off‑campus Safety Center the coalition helped fund.

Brum told lawmakers the coalition and police worked to increase staffing and civilian safety officers. ‘‘There are 12 CSOs with UMPD — that’s up from five — and now they’re at 63 sworn officers, and three started today,’’ she said. The committee’s nonpartisan fiscal staff also reported a 2023 higher‑education omnibus appropriation that included $10 million for campus public‑safety enhancements in the FY 2024–25 biennium and a $2 million base for the 2026–27 biennium.

Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota faculty member and Campus Safety Coalition board member, said the university and surrounding neighborhoods face higher crime rates than many peer institutions and urged continued emphasis on policing, student housing safety and practical measures to protect students. Brian Peters, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, complimented UMPD while criticizing organizations his group says promote false narratives about police; Peters also said a renewed focus on patrol presence, lighting and secure entrances was necessary.

Students and coalition members asked the legislature and the university to sustain funding for lighting, staffing and security infrastructure and to continue work with local police. Several legislators praised the coalition’s rapid development and encouraged continued collaboration among the university, Minneapolis police and UMPD.

No legislative action was taken during the hearing; witnesses and lawmakers said they plan further data requests and follow‑up conversations about course‑level partnerships, budget allocations for safety programs and how the university communicates safety resources to students and families.