Two volunteers at Foot Patrol—one of the Carleton University Students’ Association’s (CUSA) 11 service centres—say that while the organization receives tens of thousands of dollars in funding each year, the service isn’t being used enough.
According to Foot Patrol co-ordinator Liam Callaghan, the organization offers a variety of services.
Students can ask the centre for a walk home, or a “safe walk” when they feel unsafe. There’s also an option known as a “Walk and Talk” for students who feel uncomfortable walking with the volunteers. This option allows students to speak to a volunteer over the phone until they arrive safely at their destination.
Each volunteer must commit to at least one three-hour shift per week, including one half-hour patrol around campus, said Callaghan. He said he thinks most students are aware of the services’ Foot Patrol offers to some extent.
However, James, whose name has been changed to protect his identity as he is currently a Foot Patrol volunteer, said he’s only done two “safe walks” since he began volunteering in 2016. The first was to help an elderly lady carry her groceries to her car, and the second was to keep a woman company as she walked across campus.
Another current volunteer, Scott, whose name has also been changed, said he hasn’t conducted a single “safe walk” or “Walk and Talk” since he began volunteering in November. Scott said he doesn’t see a need for the service on a day-to-day basis.
“Ultimately I don’t think students see a need for it,” he said in an email. “Most don’t even know it exists, and when they are informed the typical response is that they would never need such a service.”
The Charlatan has independently verified the identities of both James and Scott.
Callaghan said volunteers are not allowed to conduct interviews with media, including the Charlatan, because the centre wants to ensure that “the messaging comes from the same standardized place.” He said this policy is similar to that of most other organizations.
“This isn’t exactly a unique policy . . . messaging usually goes through the top,” Callaghan said.
James said he thought more students would ask for walks with the ongoing strike, as the bus stop is further removed from campus, but that hasn’t happened.
“No one’s called, and no one’s called for walk and talks either,” he said.
Callaghan said he’s not allowed to reveal the number of walk home services Foot Patrol has conducted in 2017-18 or in previous years.
Both Scott and James also voiced concerns for the funding given to the program.
CUSA’s budget allocated $41,000 to Foot Patrol this year. According to Gavin Resch, CUSA vice-president (finance), each undergraduate student pays $1.75 for the service, which comes out of their CUSA levy fee.
He said the total amount of funding the centre received hasn’t been determined yet, as not all students have paid their accounts. Callaghan said the costs of the centre reach about $40,000 or higher each year.
Resch said this funding is comparable to other service centres of equal size.
In addition to the approximately $15,000 salary the co-ordinator receives, Callaghan said the centre has to pay for promotional material, rent, and equipment, such as vests and walkie-talkies.
He also said the Guardian Program—a sector within Foot Patrol that offers assistance at events like the Panda Game and Capital Hoops—sometimes has to pay for taxis or Ubers for intoxicated students to get home.
Last year, he said the cost of this service reached about $1,000 and this year the cost has doubled at about $2,000. Callaghan said Foot Patrol, like other service centres on campus, could always used additional funding.
“We could definitely use more funding, there’s always the need for more,” he said.
But, James and Scott said they don’t know what the money the centre currently receives is being used for.
“[The] fact that it costs $41,000 seems insane, because noting [sic] happens on a daily basis that requires an allocation of funds,” Scott said. “The only monetary requirement it seems to me are the uniforms and radios, which I cannot imagine exceed $5k.”
Resch said that while it’s hard to gauge how much Foot Patrol is used, the service is available on almost every university campus.
“It’s an important service for any student union to have especially when there’s like times that people could be in danger and it could really save someone,” Resch said.
Callaghan said that he’s been working to promote Foot Patrol and “get the message out there” since the beginning of the year.
“Generally, I would say that the majority of the students do know what Foot Patrol is on campus,” he said.
James said he thinks people aren’t using it because services like Uber are easier and quicker to access. Both he and Scott said unless students begin using the service—which they don’t anticipate—students’ money would be better spent elsewhere.
“I don’t think there’s a call for it,” James said. “I’m not entirely sure that people would miss Foot Patrol, other than volunteers.”
