Fence Installation at Empire Commons Prompts Student Safety, Access Concerns

By Lucienne Burns | February 2, 2026

A sign posted near the former wooded pathway entrance behind Empire Commons. Photo Credit: Lucienne Burns | The ASP

Last semester, students living in one of the University at Albany’s apartment complexes, Empire Commons, received an email notifying them of a fence installation around the complex’s perimeter. When students returned from winter break, some voiced frustration and concern, as the fence cut off a wooded shortcut that provided quicker access to bus stops on Fuller Road. 

The email sent to students on behalf of the Office of Facilities Management, as well as UAlbany’s Director of Public Information Amy Geduldig, cited safety as the reasoning for the fence’s construction, noting a lack of lighting, steep terrain and emergency access limitations on the pathway that students utilized.

“The fence was installed to address safety concerns associated with informal footpaths connecting the complex to Fuller Road,” said Geduldig in an email to the ASP. 

The black chain-link fence, measuring eight feet high, stretches from the back parking lot of Empire Commons, behind buildings in the D and E clusters, to the roundabout connecting Tricentennial Drive to Fuller Road. 

The fence’s construction prompted strong student responses upon their return to campus. 

“The installation during the winter break seemed like a way to hide from student complaints, as well as the miscellaneous email and lack of student consultation,” said Jabari Paul, a public policy senior who lives in the complex. 

Paul, like other students, utilizes the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) bus stops on Fuller Road. He mentioned that without access to the pathway, more time has been added to his route to his internship in the mornings. While he tries to amend the new route to decrease his commute time, new obstacles present themselves.

“The fence shows the lack of thought about student foot traffic as students need to cut through the parking lot and walk around a route with limited sidewalks until reaching the street,” Paul said. “Running the risk of being hit by cars passing by, it only adds to stress and longer time outside for students during the winter.”

Similar to Paul, other students previously found convenience in the proximity of Empire Commons to the bus stops, evidenced by the worn footpath behind buildings leading down to Fuller Road.

The CDTA’s 910 or BusPlus Purple Line stops on Fuller Road at the Albany Nanotech Complex Station, and can take students uptown to Crossgates Mall or downtown to the New York State Capitol, stops frequented by apartment residents who might rely on public transportation. 

Leah McKenna, a senior majoring in homeland security and minoring in criminal justice and psychology, takes the bus to get to her classes, which are located both in the ETEC building and UAlbany’s Downtown Campus on Western Avenue. 

“It used to be so easy to get to my classes,” McKenna said. “It’s so inconvenient, and with the extreme low temperatures, it’s been unbearable having to walk everywhere now.” 

For students like McKenna with majors or minors in different schools, the commute between classes on different campuses has become longer without the shortcut. 

“My junior and senior year, I have downtown classes and internships,” said Allison Quaranto, a senior majoring in criminal justice with minors in forensic science and sociology. “I would take the path to the Nanotech bus stop so I didn’t have to walk far in the cold. It was extremely convenient.” 

Following the completion of the fence, both McKenna and Quaranto now opt to walk to the UAlbany Uptown Station near Dutch Quad instead, saying that it would take them around the same time as getting to the Nanotech stop with the new fence.

In the winter weather, commuting to and from the bus stops has been an unpleasant experience for some students, particularly those who rely on public transportation.

“Not having a car truly makes this inconvenient, especially if I wanted to go to Walmart and bring groceries home,” Quaranto said. “Walking from Dutch to Empire carrying all of that in this cold weather is dangerous. I do understand trying to keep the students safe, but I'm sure there’s another way to fix the issue.” 

Safety concerns along wooded paths near Empire Commons have been raised previously. 

In a campus-wide email sent last January, University Police Department (UPD) reported receiving a report of a possible stabbing involving a student walking on a wooded trail between Empire Commons and Fuller Road. 

The university acknowledges the convenience that the path might have provided students, but defends their reasoning, stating how the fence will protect students amid safety concerns. 

“While we understand members of the community were using these paths as a shortcut – as evidenced by the worn trails – they posed significant risks, including steep terrain, unlit areas and limited emergency access. These concerns are more pronounced during winter months, when icy conditions increase the risk of slips, falls and delayed emergency response,” Geduldig said. “Such conditions required prompt attention, and restricting access was the most direct way to reduce potential harm.” 

The Office of Facilities Management did not respond to a request for comment by press deadline; however, Geduldig acknowledged that a future path in this area would not be out of the question, depending on the circumstances, and conditional on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

“The construction of a formal, safe and accessible path would require substantial funding and time for design and construction,” Geduldig said. “We are currently evaluating options for long-term solutions that would meet ADA and all relevant safety standards. Student safety remains our priority, and we will continue looking for ways to improve accessibility while managing risks responsibly.”