Fencing installed to WCC parking structure

By Lilly Kujawski
Editor

Installation of fencing to the top floor of the campus parking structure is complete and all levels are open.

Fencing installation was prompted by a suicide attempt that occurred from the structure on Oct. 22 by a former student, according to Linda Blakey, vice president of student and academic services.

Fencing is used as a means of “suicide deterrence”. Most of the parking structures in downtown Ann Arbor now have fencing in place, Jada Halhbrock, manager of parking facilities for the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, said in a previous interview.

Blakey and members of WCC’s Public Safety and Facilities Management teams made the decision to install the fencing after considering all options for the structure.

“We were looking at ways to just shut down the fourth floor, but we got quite a few comments that it was really impacting the parking,” Blakey said.

The fencing was the safest and most time-efficient course of action, Blakey said.

“This was the only option that we could have in place by the start of the winter term,” Blakey said. Installation began in late November and was finished in early January.

The college is examining the possibility of adding fencing to lower levels as well, said Blakey.

“We’re reviewing additional options, but right now, we’re just focused on that fourth floor,” said Blakey. “Long term, we might do some additional things. Things that are more aesthetically pleasing, but those are going to take longer and cost more.”

The cost of the fencing and installation was $25,000, which came from the Facilities Management campus-maintenance budget, according to Blakey.

Stickers containing personal counseling information and other crisis-intervention resources, including the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, are posted in the structure. These stickers were in place, both in the structure and throughout campus, prior to the October incident, according to Kari Mapes, triage specialist from the Counseling Department.

Posting signs like this is another effort from parking structure authorities to discourage suicide attempts, though there is a lack of evidence of the actual effectiveness of such signs, according to a report from the International Parking Institute.

Parking structures located on college and university campuses are at a higher risk for suicide attempts, because of the increased amount of stress that already at-risk populations tend to experience, said the IPI.

More than half of U.S. college students have considered suicide, according to data from the American Psychological Association, as cited by the IPI report.

Personal counseling is available from licensed, professional counselors on campus for students who may be dealing with issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, grief, low self-esteem and other mental health challenges, Blakey said in a previous interview.

Personal counseling services offered on campus follow a short-term, “solution-focused” model that generally includes four to eight counseling sessions, according to the personal counseling scope outlined on the WCC website. Student who desire long-term services, specialized treatment or more intensive care will be given a referral to a mental health provider, according to the site.

Students and faculty may also fill out a report of concern if they notice harmful behavior from someone else, Blakey said. The form can be found on the Counseling and Career Planning page of the WCC website.

Students can schedule an appointment with a counselor by calling 734-677-5102 or visiting the Counseling Department on the second floor of the Student Center.

The former student, then 23, was discharged from the hospital, Blakey said. Additional information is not available.

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