UA News

Campus offices and organizations will inform UA students during two events in March on ways to have a safe spring break.

The University of Arizona Dean of Students Office is urging students who intend to travel to Mexico, particularly during spring break, to be extra careful and to take note of the rising instances of violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Every student should be aware that Mexico in general has seen a marked increase in violence recently," Dean of Students Carol Thompson noted in a memo to students via e-mail.

Thompson, who also is assistant vice president for student affairs, that the U.S. Department of State also has issued a travel alert to those traveling to and from Mexico. Travel alerts are issued by the federal government to warn U.S. citizens during times of heightened crime and unrest in other countries.

This is expecially important because UA's spring break will be held March 14 through March 22 and it is typically a time when large numbers of students choose to vacation in Mexico – very commonly to Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point).

The alert, which came in October, explained that "increased levels of violence make it imperative that travelers understand the risks of travel to Mexico, how best to avoid dangerous situations, and whom to contact if one is a victim of crime."

The travel advisory explains that drug cartels operating along the U.S.-Mexico violence are engaged in "an increasingly violent fight for control of narcotics trafficing routes" between both countries.

"In order to combat violence, the government of Mexico has deployed military troops in various parts of the country. U.S. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways," the advisory continued.

The situation has resulted in "firefights" between drug cartel members and both Mexican army and police, the advisory noted. Such fights have occured in numerous cities and towns in Mexico, including Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez.

Crimes in the northern region of Mexico that have been reportedly on the incline include stolen vehicles, bank robberies, petty thefts, kidnappings, public shootouts and homicides.

"The situation in northern Mexico remains fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements cannot be predicted," the advisory noted.

The alert, which is directed at U.S. citizens living in Mexico or traveling to and from the country, is effective through April 14.

The federal government urges travelers to visit "only legitimate business and tourist areas" and to be extra careful during evening and nighttime hours.

UA's Fraternity and Sorority Programs is holding its second annual Hunter White Safe Spring Break Program. The March 1 event will be held at the Student Union Memorial Center Ballroom at 1 p.m.

The event honors the memory of Hunter White, a UA freshman who died in 2001 after a spring break car wreck while vacationing in Mexico with friends. The driver of the car, Mark Sterner travels across the nation to share his story and will speak during the event.

In 1994, Sterner was a university student at Rhode Island's Johnson & Wales University spending spring break with four friends in Florida. The group spent one night drinking alcohol and, instead of deginating a sober driver, Sterner opted to drive. He wrecked the vehicle and three of his friends died as a result and Sterner was later charged on three counts of manslauter and served a prison term.

On March 6, the Associated Students of The University of Arizona along with the Dean of Students and University of Arizona Police Deparmtent will host a safety awareness program on the UA Mall. The event will be held 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For those who do chose to travel, Thompson said she and others at the UA "highly encourage" students to take particular note of safety tips and other resources to increase personal safety.

Precautions include registering travel plans with the U.S. State Department, keeping passport and emergency information at all times during travel, becoming familiar with international law and not traveling with expensive items or excessive amounts of cash.

But, still, because of the reports coming out of Mexico, Thompson said the UA Dean of Students Office "strongly advises students to avoid travel to Mexico at this time and during spring break."