“It’s a great first step,” students say

The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) announced the return of the WalkSafe program as an upcoming pilot project, with hopes of the project facilitating a stronger, safer community at UW. It is set to launch in March 2026.

The WalkSafe pilot project is a support system for students to have a volunteer escort to walk them home or around campus if they feel unsafe walking alone.

WUSA director Katie Traynor. Photo Paola Condo

WUSA Board member Katie Traynor initially proposed the pilot project earlier this year at Change Engine. She wanted to bring back the program, which was previously discontinued in 2008 due to budgeting concerns, to strengthen the community and offer a safer space for students. Traynor further added that the pilot project is being done in consultation with other students, gathering feedback on how to further improve on the program.

Program details such as area limits, vetting processes, and support for those with disabilities are still in the planning and research stages according to Andrena Lockley-Brown, the current head of the project. Lockley-Brown assures these are top of mind in bringing the pilot project to fruition early next year.

Some students say they have felt a need for proper support systems to ensure their safety commuting across campus.

“[UW] has had a reputation of being a very safe campus, but I’ve noticed over my last couple years here that it has gotten increasingly unsafe,” said Kathryn Barret, a fourth-year political science student. Barret cited the Hagey Hall stabbing as well as interactions she had with students at the Women’s Center as examples.

The revival of the WalkSafe program is seen as a welcome addition to WUSA’s student support services, as first-year students like Diya Patel expressed that it would help students like her feel more comfortable walking on and off campus if they aren’t familiar with the area.

Geography and aviation student Joonha Shin expressed that although the SafeWalk program is a good foundation, other services like the Campus Police Constables are barely, if ever, seen on campus, leaving students feeling isolated and unprotected and making it clear that students believe more work should be done to keep them safe.