Mizzou parents express safety concerns about Columbia during move-in
COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)
The first round of move-in for University of Missouri students happened Saturday and parents are expressing concerns about safety in Columbia.
Day one of move-in is typically reserved for specialized groups of students moving in for sorority recruitment, student leadership positions, or athletics.
ABC 17 spoke with parents of their students who say they have concerns after a couple of recent incidents in downtown Columbia. These incidents prompted the University's system president, Mun Choi, to make a statement calling for action and calling out a downtown bar.
In the email, Mun Choi said the city needs to hire more staff to patrol downtown and called Walnut Street a "danger zone."
One parent and Mizzou alum said he was glad to see Choi speak up and wishes that city leaders will start listening.
"I'm glad that the university president, Mun Choi, has taken a leadership role in trying to get downtown Columbia straightened out," George Villhard, parent of a Mizzou sophomore, said. "I would really like for the Columbia city government to maybe pay attention to President Choi."
Villard is an alumna of Mizzou and said that he sees the difference in downtown activities from his time to now.
"I went to school here, and I can definitely see a difference between what goes on downtown now and what went on in downtown then," Villard said.
Another parent, Rhiannon Leitterman, said she feels safe sending her freshman to school in Columbia but has taken the precautions needed to inform her.
"I do feel safe, but, you know, we just have to prepare her for all of the possibilities," said Leitterman.
Leitterman said she believes the school's communication about what happens downtown and safety concerns is what gives her peace of mind.
"There's a really good communication program, I feel like with the university and sharing that information both with us and with her family," Leitterman said.
