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'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'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'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'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'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

Shooting proves need for gun control laws

By: Joe Bialek
Posted: 5/2/07

The shooting crisis at Virginia Tech has once again sparked the debate about gun control. The second amendment of the United States Constitution states: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Obviously the need for a state militia has been replaced by the National Guard and Coast Guard whereby trained military personnel are entrusted with the defense of this country against domestic enemies. Their weapons are tightly controlled and safeguarded.

The only two reasons for a citizen to own a firearm are for hunting or defense of the household from intruders. In either case, ownership of a handgun, shotgun or shoulder rifle is more than adequate to satisfy these purposes. There is absolutely no need for any U.S. civilian to own any weapon more powerful or sophisticated than these. Accordingly, all handguns, shotguns and shoulder rifles must be licensed and registered to the degree necessary to match weapon to owner at the click of a computer key. Furthermore, if we had prohibited the purchase of more sophisticated weapons, several innocent victims would not have died at the hands of Cho Seung-Hui.

Joe Bialek
Cleveland, Ohio

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Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.thelantern.com/media/storage/paper333/news/2007/05/02/Letters/Shooting.Proves.Need.For.Gun.Control.Laws-2891670.shtml>The Lantern - May 2, 2007</a>

Joe Bialek

2007-08-16

Sara Hood

GERRICK LEWIS <lewis.1030@osu.edu>

eng

Letters to the editor - April 17, 2007

VT tragedy requires look at gun control

For too long this country has refused to take a realistic approach to gun control legislation, often pointing to the debatable phrasing of the Second Amendment. This negligence has led to the horrifying events that unfolded at Virginia Tech Monday, capping a disturbing trend that the American public has largely chosen to ignore.

Demonstrating this, an article covering the shootings in the London Times contained a "Timeline in U.S. School Shootings," something that would be impossible for an American paper commenting on a similar story in Europe to include. Although the timeline detailed only the last 10 years, it contained 15 massacres at the cost of 72 lives and many more injuries. Lawmakers have to date been content to be bullied by the gun lobby into an inculpable submission, but they remain blameless no longer. If Columbine and Enoch Brown weren&#39;t enough to catalyze change, then Virginia Tech must, for the sake of schoolchildren across the country.


Daniel Witt
wittdd@muohio.edu

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Original Source:<a href=http://media.www.miamistudent.net/media/storage/paper776/news/2007/04/17/Editorials/Letters.To.The.Editor-2845823.shtml> The Miami Students - April 17, 2007</a>

Daniel Witt

The Miami Student

2007-08-14

Sara Hood

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

eng