Lee University was awarded a Higher Education Safety Grant of $402,907 through the Tennessee Department of Finance & Administration Office of Criminal Justice Programs.
“Being awarded this grant is a very exciting thing for our Lee community,” said Tyler Allen, director of Campus Security. “This grant will provide funding to propel the mission of Lee’s campus security forward, which is to provide a safe learning environment both inside and outside the classroom for the Lee community – students, faculty, staff, and community guests that visit the campus.”
The grant’s main goal is to support Tennessee public and private institutions of higher education who invest in the purchasing of non-recurring equipment, technology, and/or training with a focus on strengthening physical security and enhancing accountability in their respective safety protocols.
According to Mr. Allen, Lee University plans to use the grant funding to enhance its dispatching communications system, enhance its camera system by adding additional analytics, and access control for large venue areas and some academic buildings.
“Lee University is extremely grateful to the Office of Criminal Justice Programs for providing us with these funds that will inevitably enhance our campus safety and security,” said Dr. Suzanne Holt, vice president for Student Life and Success.
The Office of Criminal Justice Programs is committed to a safer Tennessee for all its citizens. It functions as a strategic planning agency that secures, distributes, and manages federal and state grant funds for Tennessee. While collaborating with other public and non-profit agencies, it utilizes these grant monies to support innovative projects statewide in efforts to reduce criminal activity, provide services for victims of crime, and promote overall enhancement of the criminal justice system in Tennessee.
This project is funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee.
For more information about the Office of Criminal Justice Programs, click here.
For more information about Campus Security, visit https://www.leeuniversity.edu/security/.