America’s universities used to be considered safe utopian havens. Not anymore. As microcosms of the larger society outside its walls, they are vulnerable to the social issues circulating in the community.

Once again, fear has gripped students on campuses, in the wake of several recent campus shootings and the murders of two college students in the first week of March.

Despite tighter security measures implemented in campuses since the Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007, reported crimes on college campuses are on the uptrend.

In the past few weeks, students (and parents) have felt they don’t have control over keeping themselves safe. There have headlines in the past month about schools locking down their campuses because of real or perceived threats. While it is difficult to say whether there is increasing crime on campuses, it is certainly true that there is an increase in crimes being reported.

And then, last, two female students were killed near their schools.

• On Tuesday, March 4, an 18-year-old freshman at Auburn University in Alabama was found at 9 p.m. near the campus, with a gunshot wound. Friends last saw her two hours before. Police found her can engulfed in flames in the parking lot of a school dormitory nearby. The student died soon after police took her to the hospital.

• On Wednesday, March 5, North Carolina police found a 22-year-old coed dead near the University of North Carolina campus. She had been shot several times, including in the head. Her car was found abandoned several miles away the following day.

In mid- February, six people died, including the gunman, when a former student at Northern Illinois University walked up to the stage of a lecture hall filled with students and started shooting. Since then, several schools across the country have locked down campuses.

• On Friday, March 7, officials told students to keep their doors locked as police searched for a robbery suspect at the University of Tennessee.

• On Monday, March 3, the campus was locked down as a man was taken into custody at Middle Georgia College on suspicion of carrying a gun.

There have been other incidents. In some cases, there have been false alarms.

It began to appear that schools were getting too jittery about lockdowns. Yet, in many cases, students feel still feel the schools are not doing enough.

The executive director of a campus security watchdog group feels that students should also learn to take responsibility themselves. School officials should make sure students are trained and practiced to do everything to keep themselves safe.

Safety Tip:

• Never rely on the help of a stranger for a ride back home or back to school.

• Always be aware of your surroundings on and off campus.

• Travel in groups when going out late at night.

• Use a booster seat, preferably until your child exceeds 60 pounds.

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