Better safety measures needed

Issue Date:Wednesday April 18, 2007
Section: Editorial Section

There are still many questions left for the Blacksburg, Va., community as police and federal agents continue to investigate the gunman's trail.

But there is one startling fact we are all aware of: Students and the rest of the university's community were not notified of the first shooting until nearly two hours later. And when they were notified, many did not take the message seriously until, in many cases, they saw bloodshed for themselves.

It's hard not to think about how West Virginia University and others across the country would respond if a similar situation took place on their campuses.

As explained in a news story in today's Daily Athenaeum, WVU officials say they do have an emergency plan in place.

But does it need to be modified to be made more efficient?

In a much less dire situation, WVU administrators took several hours to cancel classes when roads were too icy to drive on during a snowstorm last March.

When Virginia Tech officials did notify the campus of the shootings, the message was mass delivered through an e-mail. Many VT students wondered aloud to the media if the tragedy could have only been an incident if they were notified earlier.

And what if e-mails simply can't be read when the power shuts off or students and faculty don't check their accounts?

We're glad to hear University officials are looking into campus-wide text messaging and messaging centers that are visible to traffic. Innovative measures such as these are some of the best ways to reach everybody at once nowadays. Still, in an emergency, cell phone network lines could become loaded, making messages hard to send. That's why universities, including WVU, need to work with local companies and networks to make plans for mass communication during security threats.

Of course, nothing can change Monday's monstrosity. But if communities and administrators work together now, they may be able to prevent another tragedy.

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Originial Source: The Daily Athenaeum
<a href="http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27573">http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27573</a>

Editorial Staff

2008-02-18

Kacey Beddoes

Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>

eng

Remember the Hokies

Issue Date:Tuesday April 17, 2007
Section: Sports Section
By Tim Tassa, Sports Editor

Monday morning&#39;s events make sports seem so petty, so irrelevant.

Every year there are one or two tragedies of monumental proportion that unite people and draw to mind that there is more to life than a rivalry, a goal post, a field and a coach.

And, unfortunately, April 16, when at least 32 people at Virginia Tech were killed by a deranged gunman, was one of those days. It marked the beginning of a time to reach out to the Virginia Tech community, for so many at West Virginia University - through geography, friends and family - are connected to the institution.

The day after the deadliest shooting on a college campus in United States history brings nothing but disbelief, outrage, curiosity and grief.

As we often do during times of bewilderment and mourning, we ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"

And still, there is no answer.

As a University that is familiar with Virginia Tech, whether on the playing field, academically or socially, it is only human to keep southwest Virginia in our thoughts just a day after such a disaster.

But the effects are much more widespread.

After the images displayed on network television, Monday&#39;s violence will be remembered just as the Kent State, University of Texas and Columbine shootings - except at an even larger level.

In addition, the events may be a catalyst for change in the way higher education is conducted nationwide. Or at least in security procedures.

For those of us sitting in large lecture halls and residing in campus dormitories, the anxiety and horror of what happened in Blacksburg, Va., doesn&#39;t seem very far.

The realization is that tragedies of this magnitude can happen on any campus, big or small. For current WVU students, sitting in class today will feel much different than it did last Tuesday.

In speaking with a few VT students on Monday, the realities of the events had yet to hit them.

By day&#39;s end it surely had.

It was certainly felt by VT&#39;s most familiar face.

"How could one person cause so many senseless deaths? I&#39;m in shock," said head football coach Frank Beamer, according to espn.com. "This is such a caring, friendly place. This is a college town. And now one person has an impact like this?"

But on a day, and by a person whose words are normally revered, his thoughts were no more telling than the voices and words of the students who called in on CNN to tell their stories.

In watching the cable network, a Virginia Tech student, Matt Waldron, was interviewed and spoke of his interactions with well-wishers and friends.

Among them: a U.S. Soldier in Iraq who ironically faces similar dangers daily.

And in watching Monday&#39;s death toll grow from 22 to 25 to 30 to 32, I wondered why the deaths in Iraq do not collect the same disbelief, outrage, curiosity and grief.

But as violence in war is unfortunately expected, bloodshed in the classroom is unimaginable.

timothy.tassa@mail.wvu.edu

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Original Source: The Daily Athenaeum

<a href="http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27545">http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27545</a>

Tim Tassa

2008-02-18

Kacey Beddoes

Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>

eng

WVU Reaction

Issue Date:Tuesday April 17, 2007
Section: HeadLine News Section

In response to the shootings at Virginia Tech, West Virginia University President David Hardesty said Monday afternoon in a statement that the "campus police are alert to the incident and are monitoring the situation as it unfolds. If deemed necessary, increased coverage by our campus police will be initiated."

Students in need of counseling are encouraged to visit the Carruth Center in the Student Services Center next to the Mountainlair. The center, open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., offers walk-in counseling services and an after-hour emergency phone consultation service (293-4431). On Monday, the center extended its walk-in services to 8 p.m.

A candlelight vigil to remember the victims of the shootings will be held Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Woodburn Circle on the Downtown Campus. The University community and the general public are invited to attend.

The WVU United Methodist Student Movement will sponsor an interfaith vigil today at 9 p.m. in the Mountainlair Ballrooms.

— cls

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Original Source: The Daily Athenaeum
<a href="http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27564">http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27564</a>

cls

2008-02-18

Kacey Beddoes

Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>

eng

Shootings don’t call for unreasonable security

Tuesday April 17, 2007
Section: Editorial Section
Christian Alexandersen, Senior Staff Writer

As I write this column, I, like most people in the world, am in disbelief of the terrible shootings that occurred on the Virginia Tech campus that claimed the lives of at least 33 people.

First and foremost, I want to say that the thoughts and prayers of everyone at West Virginia University go out to everyone affected by the shootings at Virginia Tech. Words cannot begin to describe the pain and sorrow all college students are feeling on the worst day in our college careers.

While this is now the worst public shooting ever to occur in the nation&#39;s history, it is the responsibility of college students, faculty and staff everywhere to act responsibly following these tragic events.

Directly after the shooting at Columbine High School in April 1999, schools all over the country began instituting extremely strict policies to deter future acts of violence in American schools. Growing up in the post-Columbine school system, students today remember the heightened security measures that were taken.

Superintendents everywhere were no longer allowing students to carry backpacks around schools or go out for lunch.

While it is impossible to know if those new precautions actually deterred anyone from shooting people in school, one of the most important lessons to take from both the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings is that no matter the security precautions you take, nothing can stop a killer.

It is crucial for WVU as well as all other colleges and universities around the country to act accordingly following the Virginia Tech massacre. However, higher learning institutions should not make unnecessary and costly security upgrades because of an isolated incident at Virginia Tech.

During a press conference, Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said, "(We) can&#39;t have an armed guard in front of every classroom." When asked if the campus had enough security to protect their students, Steger said, "It&#39;s very difficult because we are an open society and an open campus."

Other than the shooting that occurred at the University of Texas at Austin in 1966, there has not been an event that can compare to the one that occurred on Monday.

Hopefully, school presidents will comprehend that placing metal detectors, instituting increased security or having people rummaging through our belongings is not the answer.

Unfortunately, there are no remedies for tragic events like this.

The only thing universities and colleges can do is take minor precautions to protect their students, faculty and staff. If Sept. 11 has taught us anything, it is that people who want to cause violence will find a way to do it. Wasting thousands or even millions of dollars on security upgrades is not going to solve anything.

I am not saying, however, that precautions should not be taken at all; I am simply saying that adding SWAT teams to patrol campuses is unnecessary. ID scans and similar campus precautions are good ideas and should be considered by all institutions.

Though the shootings at Virginia Tech are tragic and terrible, we have to remember to act sensibly and not rashly. Being prepared for situations like this is important, but we have to remember that this isolated incident is not an excuse to allow college presidents to overreact and start spending money on frivolous security measures.

Once again, I want to say that the thoughts and prayers of every West Virginia University student, faculty and staff member are with the people at Virginia Tech.

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Original Source: The Daily Athenaeum
<a href="http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27552">http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27552</a>

Christian Alexandersen

2008-02-18

Kacey Beddoes

Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>

eng