The student, who asked not to be identified, spoke exclusively with ABC13 about the incident, which she said happened Monday at about 4 p.m. According to UH police, officers arrested 25-year-old Marcus Love, who is charged with indecent assault.
The student said she was preparing to leave her job when she noticed a man sitting on a couch in a hallway. At first, she believed he was on a phone call, but she said she became concerned when she realized he appeared to be talking to himself.
"So I'm like 'OK, I have to be careful,'" she said.
As she walked past him, the student said the man approached her and appeared to reach toward her chest. She moved away, she said, and his hand struck her shoulder instead.
"He immediately just came up and approached me, and it looked like he was trying to reach for my left chest, but I moved, and he got my left shoulder instead," she said. "I immediately got uncomfortable, and my fight or flight kicked in."
The student said the man began speaking to her, but she could not understand what he was saying. She returned to her co-workers and told them about the encounter, and they decided to walk her to her car, which the student says was a good distance away.
As they were walking to the car, she said the same man ran past them and grabbed her chest.
"I see a hand come up on me, on my left chest," she said. "And I realized that it's the same guy."
Her co-workers alerted nearby campus police officers, who took the suspect into custody, according to the student. Court records show Love has three prior convictions this year for theft of less than $2,500. Documents connected to those cases refer to him as homeless. The student said Love appeared well-groomed and did not immediately stand out as someone who did not belong on campus.
"He did look like a student," she said. "Like I wouldn't think twice if I saw him walking around."
She said she believes campus security is good, but urged students and staff to report any suspicious behavior.
"If there's something suspicious that you see, just report it," she said. "Play it safe. It's a campus; anything bad can happen."
On Wednesday night, UH sent the following statement to Eyewitness News:
"The University of Houston is committed to the safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff. As a public, state-supported institution of higher education, our campus is open to the community we serve. However, being a public campus does not mean we tolerate individuals who violate the law. UH Police Department officers intervened in this instance, arrested the suspect, and issued a criminal trespass warning prohibiting him from lawfully returning to campus property.
We continuously evaluate and adjust our security measures - including physical security infrastructure, technology, and active officer patrols - to maintain a safe environment for everyone while fulfilling our mission as a public university."