News

Irshad Altheimer has made a significant impact on both the RIT and greater Rochester communities during his 12 years teaching at the university.

Thanks to new technologies and training, the 43-member Public Safety department is now able to better manage the expansive campus and respond to the thousands of calls or safety checks they handle each year.

WXXI talks to Irshad Altheimer, professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and director of the Center for Public Safety Initiatives, about the three-year decline in shootings in the city of Rochester.

RIT honored the service and dedication of its employees with the Presidential Awards for Outstanding Staff ceremony March 22. The annual awards are presented to staff members who exemplify outstanding service and dedication to the university and who exhibit a high degree of personal ethics and integrity while consistently demonstrating a strong commitment to student success.

RIT will hold a remembrance vigil Monday morning for those who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The event begins at 8:10 a.m. outside RIT’s Student Alumni Union, next to The Sentinel sculpture, where 2,977 flags will be planted on the grass, honoring each life lost in the attacks.

A pair of RIT Public Safety officers received a Public Safety Lifesaving Award after their quick actions saved a student from choking.

A Black Lives Matter rally, complete with speakers, music, poetry, and dancing groups, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 3, on campus by RIT students. Performances are expected by RIT Velocity, a student-run urban dance team, and Sunshine 2.0 performance group from RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf.

Members of RIT Esports and Public Safety are answering the “Call of Duty” to raise money for mental health awareness Nov. 23. The RIT Esports Call of Duty team will compete against members of RIT Public Safety in a two vs. two tournament of the video game. Ticket proceeds will support the office of Counseling and Psychological Services.