MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Employees say a University of Wisconsin-Madison program that walks students home safely at night has been understaffed when its services are in high demand after a student's murder.

Employees say the SAFEWalk program has turned away several students seeking escorts in part because the university refused to increase staffing levels after the April 2 murder of Brittany Zimmermann.

Employees say many of the callers accepted free cab rides in place of escorts but others walked home on their own.

Lance Lunsway is director of UW-Madison Transportation Services, which runs the program. He says officials didn't increase staff after the murder because they thought it wasn't necessary.

But he says they will likely do so after high-profile crimes in the future.