With summer coming to an end, school is starting. Eagle Mountain is considered a Bedroom Community. Most Eagle Mountain residents go to school and work outside the Cedar Valley area. With the advent of COVID, that has changed some as employers are moving to a more mobile, work-from-home type of workforce. One example is Ancestry.com, prior to COVID was a non-remote employer. They required the majority of their workforce to work from in the office. But since COVID they have changed to a work where you are type of mindset. They allow you to continue to work from home, work in the office, or a hybrid approach.
But one thing that Eagle Mountain and the Cedar Valley do not offer its residents would be the services of a University or College. But there are a number of fairly close options for those that do want to stay in the bedroom community of Eagle Mountain and enjoy working on a higher education degree. The same is true as well with higher education after COVID. There are a lot of online universities and several local universities that allow you to get your degrees without walking into a brick-and-mortar building.
But if you still want to experience the on-campus experience while getting your degree, and live in the Cedar Valley, you will need to commute to a school. But, which schools are the safest, and have the lowest crime rates?
Local Universities
If you look at the comparisons per 1000 students of Brigham Young University (BYU), Utah Valley University (UVU), and the University of Utah (UofU), you will notice that UVU has the lowest number of criminal offenses. The Chart below was taken from the US Department of Education Crime and Safety database.
Local Colleges
The list of local colleges is pretty significant for the area. I have only included ones that have a 2020 enrollment of 3,000+ and that are close to the Cedar Valley. The three that I selected are Mountainland Technical College, Snow College, and Salt Lake Community College.
College/University Safety
Colleges and Universities in Utah are safe places to gain an education. But there are always things you can do to help make your higher education safer.
UVU has the following safety tips posted on its website.
Yes, even in Utah crimes do occur, and more often than you would think. Most crimes tend to be crimes of opportunity which can be reduced with some simple steps.
- Apartment and homes- Most residential burglaries occur when its unattended and doors are left unlocked. Event short trips away from your residence give criminals ample opportunity to enter your residence and take your valuables. Get into the habit of keeping your doors locked even when you are home.
- Vehicles- Lock your vehicles and remove valuables. Most vehicle burglaries in this area are also crimes of opportunity. Criminals are known to target vehicles even with a small amount of loose change left in cup holders and center consoles. If you must leave your valuables in the car place them in the trunk.
- Parties, dances, and events- Stay with people you know and trust. Don’t leave drinks unattended and always know what source your drink is coming from.
- On Campus- DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES including BOOKS UNATTENDED. Thefts frequently occur at the university when bags, books, laptops, and other valuables are left unattended even for short periods of time. When using restrooms do not leave valuables on the shelves.
- Report all crimes and suspicious activity immediately. Do not be one of those that consult their friends, family, clergy, therapist, facebook, etc. before reporting it to the police. Time is critical.
BYU adds the following advice on keeping yourself safe on campus.
The following tips may reduce your risk for many different types of crimes, particularly sexual violence.
- Know your resources. Who should you contact if you or a friend needs help? Where should you go? Locate resources such as the campus health center, campus police station, and a local sexual assault service provider. Notice where emergency phones are located on campus, and program the campus security number into your cell phone for easy access.
- Stay alert. When you’re moving around on campus or in the surrounding neighborhoods, be aware of your surroundings. Consider inviting a friend to join you or asking campus security for an escort. University Police offer a “Safe Walk” program and can send an officer to escort you on campus if you are feeling unsafe. If you’re alone, only use headphones in one ear to stay aware of your surroundings.
- Be careful about posting your location. Many social media sites, like Facebook and Foursquare, use geolocation to publicly share your location. Consider disabling this function and reviewing other social media settings. Click here for tips on how to stay safe using social media.
- Make others earn your trust. A college environment can foster a false sense of security. You may feel like fast friends, but give people time to earn your trust before relying on them or meeting with them in private.
- Think about Plan B. Spend some time thinking about back-up plans for potentially sticky situations. If your phone dies, do you have a few numbers memorized to get help? Do you have emergency cash in case you can’t use a credit card? Do you have the address to your dorm or college memorized? If you drive, is there a spare key hidden, gas in your car, and a set of jumper cables?
- Be secure. Lock your door and windows when you’re asleep and when you leave the room. If people constantly prop open the main door to the dorm or apartment, tell your RA, hall advisor, or a trusted authority figure.
Historical Crime Statistics
It should be noted that these numbers are not normalized. They are total and not per 1000 students. The larger universities will have higher numbers than the smaller ones.
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.