Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. has teamed up with University Police to conduct weekly security walks around campus.

The fraternity has pledged to send out two of its members every Sunday until the end of the semester to make sure all of the campus call boxes are functional.

Call boxes are the tall black towers with the blue light shining at their peaks. They are located in various areas around campus, and they provide emergency links to NIU’s police department.

Phi Beta Sigma intends to ensure that all of the call boxes are operating properly so they can be utilized when dangerous situations occur.

“Basically, what they are doing is becoming familiar with the call boxes and making sure they’re operating adequately so that people will have a voice link to the police department,” University Police Sgt. Albert Eksterom said.

Nicholas Williams, president of Phi Beta Sigma, had personal influences for getting his organization involved in campus safety.

“I used to stay in the residence halls, and I still have friends there. It’s dark in the parking lot areas, and we want to promote call box awareness to give residents some comfort,”

Williams said.

Phi Beta Sigma’s initiatives have motivated other organizations to take part in campus safety.

“I think they’re doing a commendable deed considering that there have been rapes and other deplorable crimes committed on campus,” Walter Morris, co-founder and executive board member of Campus Outreach Group, said. “Our organization will also be looking into how we can be of service to our campus’ security; exploring dissimilar avenues than the Sigmas of course.”

Ed Quinn, director of cultural affairs for the SA and vice president of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, agreed.

“What they’re doing is a great idea because safety is always a key issue. I fully support their efforts,” he said.

The Phi Beta Sigma fraternity insists that they are not conducting the safety walks for trivial acclaim. Their ambitions also transcend the issue of campus safety.

“We are also trying to bridge the gap between students and the NIU police,” Williams said. “The only time we tend to get together is under negative circumstances, and we are trying to nip that in the bud.”

Phi Beta Sigma presented “Campus Safety Awareness” Tuesday in Stevenson North’s Multipurpose Room. The forum covered important issues including potentially hazardous places on campus and how to bring the students and the police closer, with NIU police chief Don Grady as the guest speaker.

“Chief Grady has made a stance to bring together students and police. Having forums like these to introduce students to chief Grady is a step toward bridging the gap between students and officers,” Williams added.