The University is in the process of replacing outdoor lights with new bulbs that will provide greater visibility, a move University officials say will make dark areas of campus safer for nighttime walkers.

The Office of the Physical Plant is replacing mercury vapor bulbs with high pressure sodium lamps, which will provide more light without using more electricity, said Norm Bedell, the physical plant's assistant vice president.

The mercury vapor lights emit white or blue radiation, while the high pressure sodium lamps emit an orange radiation more visible to the human eye, said Tom Harmon, assistant director of University safety.

The new lights have already been installed around the Keller Conference Center and Kern, Bedell said.

"If you walk up there you will see it is much brighter and you can see better," Bedell said. "One-hundred and ten of the 1100 lights have already been installed."

The installation of the high pressure sodium lights started on a repair basis but eventually all lights will be replaced, said Ardath Johnson, Coordinator of Information Services at the Physical Plant.

"It is our intent to light areas not as well lit up before," Bedell said.

The sodium lights produce a more natural segment of the spectrum so people can identify hazards or dangers more easily, said Clifford Lutz, a supervisor at University Police Services.

The new lights will broaden the area where students can be seen in the case of an attack, said Janyne Althaus, co-director of the Undergraduate Student Government's Department of Women's Concerns.

Safety on campus has become an issue because of several violent incidents which have occurred here, said Althaus. Increased awareness and student concerns may have prompted the University to change the lighting, she said.

"The new lighting will make the University a safer place, but not a completely safe place," Althaus said.

Said Johnson, "We were responding to requests from the department of safety and students."