After a 19-year-old student was murdered in an on-campus parking garage, the University of Illinois-Chicago says it will boost security around all of its parking garages.
According to university officials, the new security protocols will go into effect Dec. 1. All of the parking garages on the east side of the campus will be patrolled by security officials 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the end of the semester, according to officials.
The university hospital will also have stepped up security patrols around the building.
Previously, the east side parking garages had security on-site from 8 a.m. to noon and from 4 to 9 p.m. on weekdays only, according to a statement from the school.
The university announced the new security procedures in the days after the murder of 19-year-old Ruth George, who was sexually assaulted and strangled to death in a parking garage Saturday. Prosecutors say that a man had tried catcalling George, and when he was ignored he attacked her, strangling and killing her in the backseat of her vehicle.
Donald Thurman, 26, was arrested and charged with sexual assault and first degree murder in the case.
University officials are encouraging students and faculty to take extra precautions after the incident. The school offers students the UIC SAFE app, which provides push notifications in the event of emergencies, a one-touch emergency call button, and an option to chat with UIC Police.
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There are also approximately 1,500 emergency callboxes located through campus that students and faculty can use to call authorities.
A SafeWalk service is also available for university students and employees who want an escort to their dorm rooms or to their vehicles.
Finally, the university offers free Self-Defense for Women workshops, which focus on violence prevention, rape defense and personal safety-awareness instruction, according to the school.
