The chief of University police, Michael Campbell, addressed Undergraduate Student Government at their general assembly meeting this past Monday, focusing on the topic of campus safety and the University Department of Public Safety.

Campbell described the University’s Department of Public Safety as an organization comprised of the Police Department, Emergency Management, Parking Services and Shuttle Services. The University Police Department works as a rollover agency within Wood County, providing campus with 24-hour protection through a staff of 25 officers.

The University Police Department will be holding various events throughout the rest of the semester for educating students on various public safety subjects, such as the violent intruder program and student-police officer relations. The Department will also be updating its 911 response software this fall in conjunction with Wood County to provide more high-tech emergency communications options.

“That’ll be a next generation system,” Campbell said. “What you’re going to see is the capability to text, send pictures and take videos and send them when you’re calling 911, so you will have more capabilities when you’re looking for emergency services.”

Though Campbell made safety a major focus of the meeting, another speaker emphasized community improvement.

The chair of the Student Affairs Committee, Hannah Cubberley, gave a report during the meeting regarding the Community Action Plan recently presented to the Bowling Green City Council. Cubberley outlined seven key elements of the plan, which was put together by an urban planning agency and focuses on improving the housing areas of Bowling Green.

The plan addresses core development of the eastern edge of downtown, reinvestment in the residential sections of the neighborhoods in the northeast and southeast sections of town, single-family reinvestment programs and transitional development to a mixed housing development between Troup Avenue and South Mercer Road. It also focuses on multi-family development immediately west of the University campus and areas south of Crim Elementary and north of Carter Park, progression of work on the creative downtown district and the installment of a hike-bike trail along the creek on the east side of town.

USG also discussed:

• The upcoming USG Presidential debate. The debate will be held Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. in the student union theater.

• The upcoming USG elections. USG elections will be held from March 19 from 8 a.m. until March 22 at 12 p.m.