University of Minnesota officials announced Tuesday that they are taking multiple steps to promote safety on and near campus for the spring semester, WCCO-TV reported.

The initiative is introduced after a string of armed robberies on campus have many students worried. The multi-pronged approach aims to keep everyone on and around campus safe.

"We are implementing a wide-ranging approach that addresses immediate concerns and begins necessary, long-term security enhancements to the Twin Cities campus. Most importantly, it brings together our many internal resources and external partners in a collaborative way to make our campus as safe as possible," University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler said in a statement.

The initiative involves multiple University offices along with student government, local law enforcement agency partners, public officials and nearby neighborhoods. It focuses on for areas for improving campus security - education, environment, enforcement and engagement.

The initiatives includes a new student awareness campaign, extending hours of the Campus Connector bus service between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses to 2 a.m., seven days a week during spring semester, developing a plan to improve lighting in other high-traveled corridors, and implementing a building access program by the end of the spring semester, which will limit access without proper student, faculty or staff identification cards outside of regular University business hours.

While the number of on-campus, major criminal offenses continued its 11-year decline in 2013, robberies on and off campus increased during fall 2013.

"I'm concerned that this crime has changed people's behavior, and made it more difficult to be a student and to do the type of things that students do - study late at the library or go out with friends," Fourth-year student Matt Forstie told WCCO-TV.

Donita Brown, dean of students at the university, said students need to be vigilant in watching out for each other's safety, keep electronic devices out of sight, and utilize well-traveled areas of campus and their neighborhoods.

"We are really working hard to ensure that safety of everyone on our campus with our initiatives, including some of the lighting initiatives. We're looking at adding more enforcement of our police," she said in a statement.