Craig Stone was named associate vice president and chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services just last month. As Chief Stone begins his time with the University, we asked him a few questions to help the campus community get to know him a bit better.
There are several things that attracted me to this position. First, Syracuse University is a very prestigious and internationally known university. Next, the title of associate vice president and chief allows for me to have a voice and direct communication with the University’s leadership team but also gives me the ability to lead and manage the operations of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services.
Finally, the fact that the Department of Public Safety (DPS) was accredited by International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. and the National Weather Service as a StormReady University, I know that this department was already following the best practices in the industry.
Working in higher education allows for a unique opportunity to educate the future leaders of the world. Every year there are new students who arrive on campus, and we as staff and faculty have the fortunate opportunity to help these young people grow and develop.
My focus has been getting to know the members of the Syracuse University community. Like I mentioned in the April update from the DPS, I have already met with various groups on campus including the Graduate Student Organization, Student Association, Academic Affairs senior team, University Senate and Resident Association Advisory Board and look forward to meeting even more! I have also enjoyed meeting and getting to know many of the various leaders across campus.
Additionally, I set a goal for myself in the first 90 days to meet one-on-one with every member of the Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services team. During these meetings, I have enjoyed learning more about our department and the work each individual performs on a daily basis.
Even though I have only been here a little over a month, I have already identified several goals for the department, including:
That our team is here to help them! I have spent a lot of time riding along with our patrols since I arrived and applaud the students who have called us, they did so because they were looking out for the well-being of their friends. I want our students, and all members of our campus community, to know that we are here for them as a resource to help them and keep them safe! Our department has so much to offer, and I look forward to working with the team here to educate the campus community on how we can help.
