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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Texas chapter.

Wednesday, September 8th Aliayae Haynes, a Black woman attending The University of Texas at Austin went missing. There was no university-wide alert and UTPD didn’t put out anything after her family contacted the university and got no response.

This is absolutely absurd and unacceptable!

There was no news coverage in the city of Austin and the ONLY reason the word was spread was because of her sister’s tweet and the Black students at the university sharing posts on social media and in group chats. The city of Houston, Aliayae’s hometown, did news coverage before the university even acknowledged it which is sad. The university can send out school-wide texts and emails for every robbery, assault, and warning to avoid the area on West Campus but nothing for her; something doesn’t add up.

To the institution where I pay my tuition dollars, I feel unsafe here as a Black woman. Other women feel unsafe as well and UT has done nothing about it.  The University of Texas at Austin failed Aliayae and the rest of the Black students here at UT. Fortunately, she was found, but she could’ve been found sooner if the university put forth the effort to locate her. This was majorly mishandled by the university, specifically the UTPD. The student body and I want answers about their lack of response!

Make it make sense UT!

Hi! I'm Dajaiya Pegue, a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a pre-law psychology major with minors in sociology and Black studies. I'm passionate about writing on topics that resonate with the Black community and aim to create spaces that uplift Black writers and Black women.