Local colleges reflect on Va. Tech shootings

By Peter Reuell/Daily News staff
The MetroWest Daily News
Posted Apr 16, 2008 @ 12:35 AM

ASHLAND —

A year after the shooting massacre that left 33 people dead at Virginia Tech, security remains a concern on local college campuses.

On campuses from Framingham to Franklin, officials said, the aftershocks of the shooting - and a more recent incident at Northern Illinois University, which left five others dead - are still being felt.

After the April 16, 2007, killings at Virginia Tech, many schools quickly re-evaluated their security plans, particularly their ability to communicate with faculty and staff in a crisis.

At many, including Framingham State College, the solution was to install a system that allows administrators to send emergency messages by phone and computer to the entire campus at the touch of a button.

"You learn from the incident, and it allows you to, perhaps, make changes in your own systems," said Framingham State spokesman Peter Chisholm.

The school later this month plans to finish installing a siren that will alert students, faculty and staff to campuswide emergencies.

"At every college or university campus in the country, I'm sure, the president and public safety administrators sat down and reviewed what they had in place, and what improvements they could make," Chisholm said.

The incident that sparked those meetings happened a year ago today in Blacksburg, Va.

Just after 7 a.m., disturbed Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed two students in a dormitory, then went on a shooting rampage in a classroom building, eventually killing 32 people and himself.

At Massachusetts Bay Community College in Wellesley, administrators are close to installing a campuswide notification system similar to Framingham State's. They have held numerous meetings to review the school's crisis policies.

"There's a method or protocol for just about every situation that could arise on campus," said Lisa Cascio, the school's director of communications and public affairs. "When something like this happens, every campus across the country feels vulnerable."

Along with an emergency communications system, Franklin's Dean College officials rely on an emergency alarm, which alerts everyone on campus to emergencies.

"We've trained everybody to know - students, faculty and staff - if you hear that alarm, that means check your text messages," said Pat Samson, director of public relations and communications.

"I think incidents like these, it's not that it raised the priority. I think it refocused attention," she added. "We want to make sure everything is up to date.

"I think it sharpens the focus. (Safety) is in the top three things, so it's always on the minds of the college's administrators, and the families and the students. When these events happen, things just come more sharply into focus."

(Peter Reuell can be reached at 508-626-4428 or preuell@cnc.com.)


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Original Source:
<a href="http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x489723324">http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x489723324</a>

Peter Reuell

2008-04-19

Kacey Beddoes

eng

Security alerts prompt Faculty Senate meeting

Kendra Jones
Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: News

The University of Hawai&#39;i at Mānoa Faculty Senate Committee is scheduled to discuss campus security issues today at 3 p.m. in the Architecture Auditorium. The meeting is open to UH students.

At a Faculty Senate Committee meeting on Nov. 21, the faculty senate unanimously affirmed that the campus community needs to be alerted to threats in a timelier manner while using better methods.

During that meeting, a question arose from the faculty members about the obligation to notify the campus immediately and allow room for people to decide how to react for themselves. There was also concern that an Oct. 25 e-mail alert was too brief, vague and an insufficient way to notify the campus community.

A mass e-mail notification was sent Oct. 25 by Campus Security to UH students and staff regarding a man who was overheard talking to himself about planning to shoot 30 UH students. It was not included in the e-mail that the suspect was known to the Honolulu Police Department and had a history of mental illness.

Laura Saiki-Chaves, vice president of Associated Students of the University of Hawai&#39;i said, "When it comes to alerting students of the possible dangers on campus, we believe that no measure is too small. Though e-mail alerts were sent to students, it was definitely not enough. There were many students who ... had absolutely no idea about the security alert."

"E-mail is useful for those who may be sitting in front of their computer at the time of the incident, but by large is woefully inadequate," said Jerome Comcowich, a committee member from the School of Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology.

Comcowich said he thought a more effective way to notify the campus would be to have security vehicles use their public address system to broadcast a warning throughout the entire campus.

Gregg Takayama, UH director of communications, said the response would have been more intensive had HPD considered it a serious threat. Enabling the campus-wide PA system would have resulted in major campus disruptions, Takayama added.

Takayama told the committee that had the threat been immediate, the loudspeakers would have been utilized. Radio and TV stations would have been asked to broadcast an emergency message. He also said that many buildings on campus have fire alarm systems that can be enabled to make public announcements.

These systems, however, have not been tested and not all of the fire alarms have been retrofitted to function as PA systems, the committee members were told.

"If we as a nation learned anything about the Virginia Tech shootings (it) is that having an efficient alert system can not and must not be overlooked," Saiki-Chaves said.

UH is currently looking into including mass text messaging as a means of notifying students and faculty of emergencies, Takayama said. Takayama added that Information Technology Services will be testing a mass text-messaging system at the end of this year. If the tests are successful, ITS hopes the system will be available for students to volunteer their cell phone numbers by early next year.

"The idea of sending mass text messages is excellent," Saiki-Chaves said. "A person would not have to be connected to the Internet or checking their e-mail to be notified, as it would happen instantly via their cell phone."

Members present at the student affairs meeting agreed that security should have broadcast the information to the campus community immediately because many people had no knowledge of the threat.

Many people, including Sheri Fong, an assistant professor for anatomy, biochemistry and physiology, have said that had they known sooner, they would have opted to stay away from the campus that afternoon.

"I&#39;m disappointed with UH&#39;s general handling of the situation," said senior Caitlin Jackson, a kinesiology major. "I&#39;m stressed out enough with classes; I shouldn&#39;t have to worry about my safety being compromised."

In contrast, freshman Troy Muenzer said, "UH Campus Security did a perfect job, and I feel safe seeing that they were taking action and communicating with HPD."

Several people said while they were nervous and felt vulnerable being on campus, they went to class anyway. Stacy Little, a senior speech pathology and audiology major, said, "I did know about it, and I still attended class because I guess we live in a world where we think, &#39;It won&#39;t happen to me.&#39;"

Some other recommendations from Faculty Senate Committee members at the last meeting to improve campus security:

* Set up a campus hot line for emergency situations.

* Consider creating an automated mass telephone alert system to call all campus numbers during an emergency or a threat. An automated warning would give directions, such as directing people to check their e-mail or a designated Web site.

* Use the blue campus phone system as an emergency alert system. The blue lights would flash to cue people to check their e-mail or a campus hot line for further information.

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Original Source: The Voice - Ka Leo
<a href="http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2007/12/05/News/Security.Alerts.Prompt.Faculty.Senate.Meeting-3133290.shtml">http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2007/12/05/News/Security.Alerts.Prompt.Faculty.Senate.Meeting-3133290.shtml</a>

Kendra Jones

2008-03-12

Kacey Beddoes

Kumari Sherreitt <editor@kaleo.org>

eng

Tragedy prompts campus action

Jenkins e-mail explains University security

Ken Fowler

Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: News

Though Notre Dame created a task force in 2006 to review crisis plans, the deaths of 33 people at Virginia Tech Monday "will spur even greater review and preparedness," University President Father John Jenkins said in an e-mail to students Thursday.

Though limited in scope, Jenkins&#39; message was the most in-depth explanation of Notre Dame&#39;s security measures since Monday&#39;s shootings.

In the 700-word letter, Jenkins said Notre Dame has procedures in place to respond to natural emergencies as well as acts of violence. The University continues to search for the best ways to communicate with students in the event of a campus crisis.

Jenkins noted the Office of Information Technology&#39;s pilot program to send text messages to all students who provide their cell phone numbers.

University spokesman Don Wycliff said Thursday that Jenkins&#39; letter did not go into more detail about specific response procedures as a safety precaution, so that security details of the plan would not be compromised.

"There had been a sense all during the week that at some point it would be appropriate to address the issues," Wycliff said. "Today seemed appropriate."

Jenkins reaffirmed the University&#39;s desire to have the service fully operational by fall and said officials would encourage students to participate in "this important and innovative communications initiative."

The question of communication is only heightened by the University&#39;s decision in 2006 to de-standardize land telephone lines in dorm rooms.

In an interview with The Observer at the beginning of the school year, Director of Integrated Communications Services at OIT Steven Ellis said only 60 students initially paid a $161 fee to have the dorm phones in their room. Every resident assistant, however, does have a landline, provided free.

In the e-mail, Jenkins expressed confidence that Notre Dame Security/Police&#39;s (NDSP) 28 police officers and 35 additional security personnel could adequately handle major incidents on campus and work with other local emergency responders to control a crisis scene.

"These men and women receive regular training to address a wide variety of emergency situations, and the department maintains a productive and close relationship with all public safety agencies in the area," Jenkins said.

For emergency situations, Jenkins said, the University maintains 48 call boxes throughout campus and keeps telephones in the public areas of each residence hall.

Jenkins did not detail a specific plan of action for NDSP in the event of a major campus incident and did not say what University officials have the authority to declare a lock-down on potions campus or specific buildings.

"Please know that safety is of paramount importance to all of us at Notre Dame," Jenkins said. "While we believe we are ready to respond to a myriad of circumstances, the tragedy at Virginia Tech will spur even greater review and preparedness."


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Original Source:
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/20/News/Tragedy.Prompts.Campus.Action-2871131.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/20/News/Tragedy.Prompts.Campus.Action-2871131.shtml</a>

Ken Fowler

2008-02-25

Kacey Beddoes

Christopher Hine <chine@nd.edu>

eng

Security with transparency

Staff Editorial
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Viewpoint

There are still plenty of questions surrounding what happened Monday at Virginia Tech.

But one thing that isn&#39;t up for discussion is that Notre Dame should have a plan in case the unthinkable happens here.

Which is why University President Father John Jenkins&#39; e-mail Thursday discussing emergency plans was a welcome - and much needed - announcement for students, faculty and, maybe most of all, parents.

That message didn&#39;t come, however, until days after the shooting - days of wondering and worrying and wanting to know what Notre Dame would do.

Earlier this week, members of the administration and Notre Dame Security/Police were unwilling to comment on the University&#39;s preparedness for such an emergency, leaving students questioning if the plan was fully developed.

But now, Jenkins has reassured the community through an e-mail that, while somewhat vague, promises the University will work to further prepare for anything that may come along.

It&#39;s understandable that Notre Dame would need time to work out certain details before making a plan public. Still, when information of this nature isn&#39;t being released, it&#39;s important to tell people why, instead of generating anxious speculation that no plan exists.

Hopefully, Notre Dame&#39;s plan will eventually include the text-message initiative, one of the few specifics Jenkins included in his e-mail. If implemented, the procedure would go a long way to helping Notre Dame not repeat the delay in warning students that happened in Blacksburg.

While other details of the plan will likely always be kept secret, it&#39;s necessary to be open about all procedures and safety measures that do not compromise security - and open in telling students when information isn&#39;t released due to security concerns.

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Original Source:
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/20/Viewpoint/Security.With.Transparency-2870855.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/20/Viewpoint/Security.With.Transparency-2870855.shtml</a>

Editorial Staff

2008-02-25

Kacey Beddoes

Christopher Hine <chine@nd.edu>

eng

Campus reacts to Virginia Tech massacre

ND students directly affected by shootings through ties to VT

Aaron Steiner

Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: News

Virginia Tech is more than 500 miles from Notre Dame, but the effects of what reports call the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history have been felt here on campus.

A lone gunman shot and killed more than 30 people and injured dozens more on the Blacksburg, Va., campus before committing suicide Monday, according to Associated Press reports. Officials told AP that the gunman killed two people in a dormitory approximately two hours before staging a separate attack on a classroom building.

Nearly 30 people were estimated to have been injured, according to area hospital officials, CNN reported.

The Notre Dame community is saddened by the tragedy, Assistant Vice President of News and Information Dennis Brown said Monday.

"Our prayers go out to any people affected," Brown said.

Notre Dame will hold a memorial Mass for the victims tonight at 10 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Brown noted that members of the administration know people at Virginia Tech and said the University sends its support and prayers.

Students reported hearing the news through various sources throughout the day Monday, with some hearing from friends and family directly tied to Virginia Tech.

Graduate student Patrick LaFratta, a 2005 Virginia Tech alumnus who said one of his friends had died in the shootings, said he had been in contact with friends from the school throughout the day by phone and online.

LaFratta said he first heard the news of the shootings from his girlfriend, a Virginia Tech alumna, around 10 a.m. LaFratta confirmed that his girlfriend&#39;s sister, a current Virginia Tech student, was safe, as well as the safety of several close friends.

"When I first heard, they were reporting there was only one death," LaFratta said. "I thought, &#39;It&#39;s a really sad event and I want to know what is going on.&#39;"

Soon, the news coverage took a personal tone.

LaFratta said he eventually heard that one acquaintance had been killed in the first incident in the dorm. By Monday night, LaFratta said he had seen pictures on television of his slain friend.

He said he knew the friend from Virginia Tech&#39;s marching band, where LaFratta played trumpet.

Other students with friends at the school expressed their concern Monday afternoon.

Sophomore Amelia Gillespie heard the news from her roommate before going to class Monday morning.

"I was in shock. I have a couple of friends that go there, and I&#39;m still waiting to hear back from them," Gillespie said. "I tried to call them, but they haven&#39;t called back. I think they&#39;re okay, because I&#39;ve heard from other friends."

Freshman Tracy Jennings also has friends at Virginia Tech.

"One of my friends called me around 2 p.m.," said Jennings, who is from Richmond, Va.

The friend who initially called Jennings was not a student there, but the freshman received calls from Virginia Tech students shortly thereafter.

"As soon as one friend called, another did, and more," Jennings said.

The students couldn&#39;t give many details about the incident, she said.

"All [they] said was that there was a shooting ... and at least 20 kids had been killed and at least 20 injured," she said. "As far as I&#39;ve heard, everyone I know is OK."

Jennings said she couldn&#39;t contact some of her friends there Monday afternoon because phone lines were busy.

Monica Tarnawski, a sophomore, said she heard here from a friend who attends Virginia Tech Monday afternoon through the social networking Web site Facebook.

"She actually composed a note that said &#39;I&#39;m fine,&#39; and we all saw it," Tarnawski said.

Like Tarnawski, Jennings and Gillespie, LaFratta said that initially, all reports about his friends had been positive - until later Monday evening, when he first heard his friend had been killed.

LaFratta was watching television news coverage of the shooting when he learned there were more deaths that initially reported.

"At around 12:15 p.m. or so ... all of a sudden, one of the three [channels] reported that there were at least 20 dead," LaFratta said. "I just really hoped it was a mistake."

LaFratta said he soon realized the situation was much more complex than the initial single death, and he said he then felt a "tremendous amount of sorrow."

LaFratta took classes in the academic building where the majority of the deaths occurred.

"A few years ago, I was there," LaFratta said. "It hits home - these things really do happen."

LaFratta said it was hard to imagine a scare on Virginia Tech&#39;s campus last year while a convict was loose in the area. This tragedy, he said, is even harder to picture.

"The magnitude of the event is just so overwhelming," LaFratta said.

LaFratta said he would have never predicted anything like this at a campus he described as "exceptionally peaceful."

Students at Notre Dame said they feel safe on campus but recognize that an event like Monday&#39;s could happen at anywhere, Notre Dame included.

"Things like that, especially on television - it seems so far away ... [but] I think it could happen anywhere," said Chris Heckett, a visiting graduate student. "To think otherwise would probably be thoughtless."

Erin Smith, a senior, echoed Heckett&#39;s thoughts.

"It makes you realize that it could happen anywhere, on any college campus," she said. "It kind of makes you think about the security here at Notre Dame, or at any college campus."

Brown declined to comment on Notre Dame&#39;s policies or crisis management plans for any type of violent tragedy like the one Monday morning.

But Smith said she has never felt anxious about security at Notre Dame.

"I&#39;ve never felt unsafe at Notre Dame," Smith said.

Senior Paul Mitchell agreed.

"I still feel as safe here as anywhere," Mitchell said, stating, however, that his notions of safety do not make Notre Dame exempt from violence like Monday&#39;s tragedy.

Virginia Tech, with an enrollment of more than 25,000, is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, 160 miles west of Richmond, Va. Jennings said Virginia Tech&#39;s location as a college town - not part of a large urban area - makes her think about Notre Dame&#39;s similar setting.


"Honestly, Tech ... is in the middle of nowhere - and it seems kind of like South Bend, which is a scary thought, being here. It&#39;s a pretty enclosed campus, like here," she said.

Gillespie said the incident "kind of just puts things into perspective."

"It makes me look outside the [Notre Dame] bubble a little bit," she said. "It&#39;s a small world."

Sophomore Katie Bergerow said the tragedy caused her and her roommates to consider their safety in the residence halls.

"We were talking about how we leave our door unlocked," Bergerow said. They probably wouldn&#39;t change that behavior, she said, but the tragedy "really shows that something like this could happen."

Students are also lucky to have a variety of support resources available, said Gaotam Shewakramani, a Notre Dame alumnus visiting campus. He said such resources could help avert a violent crisis, especially those available to students who are struggling emotionally.

"I think there are a lot of resources for those who are having difficulties," Shewakramani said. "I would be surprised if someone [who is struggling] wouldn&#39;t be reached out to."

Still, Tarnawski said, it&#39;s important to remember that you can&#39;t know what people are feeling.

"You never know what people are going through inside," Tarnawski said. "Someone after my English class was like, &#39;You know, I just wonder what was going on in that person&#39;s life that caused them to snap.&#39;"

That same thought crossed Mitchell&#39;s mind as well.

"My first question was why - why would someone do that, just asking questions to the psychology of that and what enables that sort of violence," Mitchell said.

Monday&#39;s massacre will go down as the deadliest campus shooting in national history. Previously, the largest was a rampage that took place in 1966 at the University of Texas at Austin, where 16 people were killed before police shot the gunman to death.

As the facts of yesterday&#39;s tragedy are investigated, some students say while there is little they can do, they can send their prayers and support.

"Right now, I&#39;m here to offer any type of support I can, get involved, bring any type of awareness," Gillespie said.

LaFratta said he has done "a lot of praying" and will continue to do so.

"My first reaction is to pray a lot - my thoughts go out to all those families," LaFratta said.

LaFratta said he plans to attend tonight&#39;s memorial Mass.

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Original Source:
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947.shtml</a>
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947-page2.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947-page2.shtml</a>
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947-page3.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947-page3.shtml</a>
<a href="http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947-page4.shtml">http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/17/News/Campus.Reacts.To.Virginia.Tech.Massacre-2845947-page4.shtml</a>

Aaron Steiner

2008-02-25

Kacey Beddoes

Christopher Hine <chine@nd.edu>

eng

EDITORIAL - Va. shooting cause for reflection

By: STAFF EDITORIAL
Posted: 4/17/07

Many news outlets are calling it "the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history." For us, yesterday&#39;s shootings at Virginia Tech were a horrible tragedy, and they&#39;re also a reminder for all of us to examine our own campuses.

We join college students across the nation in extending our condolences to the families and friends of the Virginia Tech students who died yesterday. Certainly those students were in the forefront of our thoughts and in the background of our actions today.

Shock will diminish and the bleak reality of this heinous event will become clearer in the days to come. It&#39;s too early to know many of the important details of the shooting, but we do know that this will have an effect on college campuses across the country for years to come.

Many students watch or read the news and wonder if their own campuses would be able to handle a similar situation. We also wonder if the communication methods in place now are capable of keeping us abreast of developing situations on campus - not all of us have PDAs and BlackBerrys. Certainly, entire university communities are going to be looking for answers from their own administrators about safety measures that are in place and how they&#39;ll be augmented to better handle potential future emergency situations.

In the hours after the shootings, it seems as if many are quick to blame Virginia Tech for the shootings. After a thorough investigation into Monday&#39;s events is completed, Tech might receive criticism for its handling of the shootings - it might not. But as is the case at most campus, you do the best you can - universities and colleges aren&#39;t necessarily responsible for the actions of disturbed people. They certainly can&#39;t check every single person at every single door in every single building on their sprawling campus. They have to maintain security on campus while striking a careful balance with civil liberties.

Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg, in a statement to The Pitt News, said "We offer our heartfelt condolences to the friends and families of the victims and stand ready to be of assistance to members of the Virginia Tech community in any way they would find helpful."

And we hope that the college community in Blacksburg will be able to find solace in the offers of condolences from people across the world and be able to recover from an event that has already affected so many, from the victims to their families and to all of us who watch the television and read the stories online and ask: Why?

There has never been an act as violent in college history, and we hope that the future does not hold anything more tragic, but instead a chance to work with members of the community to make sure that we minimize the chances of this ever happening again.

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Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.pittnews.com/media/storage/paper879/news/2007/04/17/Opinion/Editorial.Va.Shooting.Cause.For.Reflection-2845011.shtml>The Pitt News - April 17, 2007</a>

STAFF EDITORIAL

The Pitt News

2007-08-19

Sara Hood

Annie Tubbs <annietubbs@gmail.com>

eng

No bomb on CMU campus

By: JARED TRENT STONESIFER
Assistant News Editor
Posted: 4/20/07

Pittsburgh Police responded to a report of a bomb in a Carnegie Mellon University parking lot yesterday and later deemed the area safe.

Forbes Avenue was closed for more than an hour yesterday afternoon after someone called 911 and allegedly saw a person putting a bomb in a white car.

Police later spotted the reported car and pulled it over in a parking lot on Carnegie Mellon&#39;s campus. After inspection the device was rendered safe, according to Pittsburgh Police Zone 4 spokesman Matthew White.

"Someone called in what they thought may have been a bomb," White said. "The car was inspected at CMU, which does a lot of work with the Defense Department, so it was a call we had to take seriously."

Forbes Avenue reopened around 2:30 p.m. yesterday after the Allegheny County bomb squad found a cylinder in the back of the car and deemed it not to be dangerous.

The driver was detained for questioning and an investigation is pending.

White admitted that the recent incident at Virginia Tech has people more anxious and that more precautions than usual are now needed.

"Virginia Tech has everyone on edge," he said. "This week is also the anniversary of the Columbine shootings and the bombing at Oklahoma City."

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Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.pittnews.com/media/storage/paper879/news/2007/04/20/News/No.Bomb.On.Cmu.Campus-2870154.shtml>The Pitt News - April 20, 2007</a>

JARED TRENT STONESIFER

2007-08-19

Sara Hood

Annie Tubbs <annietubbs@gmail.com>

eng

University enacts many campus security measures

By: ELI DILE
Staff Writer
Posted: 5/22/07

The Virginia Tech massacre in late April was a shocking reminder of the importance of campus safety.

Pitt, which spends more than $9 million annually on security measures, has many organizations and programs that promote safety on campus.

First and foremost, the Pitt police department safeguards the lives of students every day and represents the third largest police force in Allegheny County. In addition to officers on foot, bicycle or motorcycle, the department includes 74 commissioned police officers and has a minimum of four cars patrolling Oakland&#39;s streets during each shift.

There are four Pitt police stations on campus. They are located at Sutherland Hall, Sennott Square and two locations on Forbes Avenue, one between the Barco Law Building and David Lawrence Hall. The other is the new Public Safety Building located at 3412 Forbes Ave.

Students can report crimes by calling the Pitt police at (412) 624-2121 or by dialing 4-2121 on a campus phone, going to one of the stations or by using the anonymous tips portion of the Pitt police&#39;s website at www.pitt.edu/~police. More than 500 emergency phones, which students can use to contact Pitt police in case of an emergency, are located across campus. Exterior and garage phones are easily identifiable by their blue lights.

In addition, nearly 300 surveillance cameras are spread throughout the campus and are monitored 24 hours a day.

The University also maintains many other safety measures beside the University police. In the event of a campus-wide emergency, the communications center at the Public Safety Building is equipped to lock down 80 percent of Pitt&#39;s buildings. Also, the University can send emergency e-mails to students, faculty and staff and make emergency announcements over the public address systems in campus buildings.

Pitt&#39;s Office of Sexual Assault Services provides counseling and medical services for anyone who has been sexually harassed or abused. Students can reach OSAS at (412) 648-7930.

Each term the University offers a one-credit personal-defense course, which teaches students to defend themselves and escape from an attacker.

Security guards control access to all residence halls. Students must present their student IDs, which are then swiped through an electronic system by the guards, to gain access to their residence halls. Guests wishing to enter a residence hall must first have a student who lives there sign them in. Guests must also be signed out or the resident may face a fine.

Each residence hall has a resident assistant on every floor. Their duties include supervising fire evacuations, resolving roommate disputes, and handling vandalism, disorderly conduct, medical and psychological emergencies. RAs are on duty every evening, including weekends and holidays. Each residence hall has a resident director to supervise the RAs.

In all residence halls, dorm-room doors can only be opened with either a key or the occupant&#39;s student ID followed by a four-digit code.

The University also urges students to practice common sense when traversing the campus. Students should stay in well-lit and highly-traveled areas. When running or walking, students should travel with someone and carry a whistle. Students should also familiarize themselves with emergency phone locations.

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Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.pittnews.com/media/storage/paper879/news/2007/05/22/NewStudentGuide/University.Enacts.Many.Campus.Security.Measures-2906644.shtml>The Pitt News - May 22, 2007</a>

ELI DILE

2007-08-19

Sara Hood

Annie Tubbs <annietubbs@gmail.com>

eng

Task Force to better secure OSU campus

By: Alaina Busch
Posted: 4/30/07
Representatives from Ohio&#39;s colleges and universities will meet today as part of a statewide effort to address campus security issues and concerns.

Today&#39;s meeting is the first for the Campus Security Task Force, formed at the request of Gov. Ted Strickland after the Virginia Tech shootings.

"The effort is to ensure the communication and response efforts are better than adequate,"said Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey.

The Ohio Board of Regents organized the discussion-based group composed of more than 70 representatives from Ohio&#39;s public and private colleges and universities. The representatives will meet by videoconference at eight sites throughout the state, including the Ohio Supercomputer Center in Columbus.

The Board of Regents is a nine-member panel that coordinates higher education policy in Ohio and makes recommendations to the governor and General Assembly. Chancellor of Higher Education Eric Fingerhut said each university&#39;s president and board of trustees are legally responsible for their campus safety. He said the task force will first identify the best practices available and then decide what the state can do to be more helpful.

"There is value in sharing plans," Fingerhut said. The task force will compare safety practices and recommend future actions to the governor based on their findings. Depending on how the group&#39;s ideas evolve, the outcome could include a statewide coordination of safety practices or a legislation proposal, said Fingerhut.

Rick Amweg, assistant chief of University Police, and Todd Stewart, director of OSU&#39;s program for International and Homeland Security, represent OSU along with students Sean McKinniss and Jamie Levine.

"Students are on the front line in the efforts to prevent," Fingerhut said. "Students bring a very important perspective to this."

Levine, a first-year MBA student, said it is important to compare resources and share ideas.

"The causes are bigger than one university," she said, citing gun control policies and mental health issues as areas of consideration.

Levine worked in downtown Washington D.C. during the Sept. 11 attacks as an undergraduate student at American University. She said she experienced first-hand campus safety issues when her campus was evacuated because of bomb threats.

"In reality, there&#39;s no way to prevent this," she said. "You can do things to mitigate them, but you can&#39;t live in fear."

Alaina Busch can be reached at busch.61@osu.edu.

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Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/04/30/Campus/Task-Force.To.Better.Secure.Osu.Campus-2888077.shtml>The Lantern - April 30, 2007</a>

Alaina Busch

The Lantern

2007-08-16

Sara Hood

GERRICK LEWIS <lewis.1030@osu.edu>

eng

MUPD, OPD evaluate emergency response plans

By: Caroline Briggs
Posted: 4/20/07

In the wake of the shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute Monday, Miami University&#39;s police and administration, along with Oxford Police, are checking Oxford&#39;s own ability to respond to such an emergency.

Miami President David Hodge sent an e-mail to Miami students, staff and faculty Tuesday stating that Miami&#39;s police force is highly trained and able to deal with a live shooter situation. Hodge&#39;s e-mail also outlined specific guidelines for students in a lockdown situation.

According to Miami University Police Department (MUPD) Chief John McCandless, changes have not been made to the current lockdown policy; however, he and his fellow officers have been preparing for such a situation on Miami&#39;s campus for quite
some time.

"We&#39;ve been training for an active shooter for a couple of years," McCandless said. "We can tweak the police based on what worked and what didn&#39;t (for Virginia Tech police). There is a lot of misinformation streaming to the media for the first 24 to 48 hours in a situation like that. We will learn from the more solid information that the media reports in the following four or five days."

Though MUPD only has 29 full-time police officers, McCandless said he is not concerned about quantitative manpower in an emergency. He said the Oxford Police Department (OPD) has 25
full-time officers and the Oxford Township Police has 10 full and part-time officers. McCandless said these departments would fully support Miami police if necessary.

"We have a wonderful professional relationship with the local police agencies," McCandless said. "(This will) add up to be a substantial police contingency in the case of an emergency."

According to both McCandless and OPD&#39;s Chief Steve Schwein, the first force to respond to the most critical police situation; similar to the one in Blacksburg, Va.; would be Oxford&#39;s Special Response Team (SRT) Team, comprised of seven OPD officers, one Oxford Township officers and five MUPD officers.

In addition, both chiefs said further action would be determined during the events.

The squad holds monthly training sessions to prepare for hypothetical situations that need a police presence. McCandless said the SRT Team held a mock live shooter exercise in the summer of 2006 in Reid Hall on Miami&#39;s campus. The squad also traveled to New Mexico for further training funded by the Department of Homeland Security in December 2006, according to McCandless.

"Any time you can plan a tactical situation in advance, the results are almost always positive," Schwein said. "The key is being properly prepared by planning and rehearsing the situation."

Miami University Police Department Lt. Andrew Powers said he has referred students to the police Web site, which outlines procedure in the event of an emergency. It states that if the shooter is outside or in the same building, students should find a safe, lockable room and barricade themselves inside and situate themselves on the ground, away from the door.

Subjects hiding from the active shooter should not respond or move from their safe space until verifiable police arrive. Whether or not the shooter is in the room, the policy urges one person in the situation to call 911, so police may be dispatched to the area and properly deal with the situation.

McCandless also reiterated the point of calling 911. He said that though the phone may ring several times if there are a lot of calls to the station at once, the dispatch phone lines can handle it and extra officers will be standing by, if necessary, to answer emergency calls.

The Office of News and Public Information at Miami has set up a hotline to inform students of a campus-wide emergency. It was originally put in place this spring to centralize school information in regards to weather, according to Carole Johnson, the office&#39;s internal communications spokeswoman.

According to the Office of News and Public Information, that number is (513) 529-9000.

After the snowstorms and necessary cancellations that followed, Johnson said the school thought it necessary to have an outlet for information besides e-mail and Miami&#39;s Web site. Besides the hotline, she said Miami&#39;s administration is constantly looking for possible improvements so the school can better handle an emergency situation.

"We constantly look at our crisis plan, almost on a daily basis," Johnson said. "Looking at it, updating it, and continuous training are critical in continuing a solid crisis plan, year round."

Johnson also said because technology is always changing, new ways to contact students in the event of an emergency could potentially develop.

Miami University&#39;s branch campuses at Hamilton and Middletown do not have their own police force like the Oxford campus, but are instead protected by the city departments of Hamilton and Middletown.

According to Officer John Crawford of the Hamilton Police Department, policy has not changed since Monday for the department, nor does he think that it appears they will.

"Most police agencies across the country changed policy (regarding schools and active shooter situations) after the Columbine shooting in 1999," Crawford said. "Rapid deployment where officers have their equipment in their vehicle along with SWAT team presence are key in any situation like that."

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Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.miamistudent.net/media/storage/paper776/news/2007/04/20/FrontPage/Mupd-Opd.Evaluate.Emergency.Response.Plans-2870665.shtml>The Miami Student - April 27, 2007</a>

Caroline Briggs

The Miami Student

2007-08-14

Sara Hood

"Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>

eng