STAFF EDITORIAL: UNLAlert a great idea, but needs some work
description: By:Editorial Staff Posted: 8/29/07 This summer, University Police, in cooperation with Information Services and University Communications, implemented a new software system called UNLAlert, most likely in response to the April shootings at Virginia Tech. The software, which students can download and install on their computers, communicates with UNL servers to provide alerts and updates in emergency situations. The thinking is that during an emergency, better communication and dissemination of information leads to a safer campus. We applaud the continuing effort of the university to keep students safe, but the software is by no means an all-inclusive safety net. Far from it, in fact. The software isn't much of an application at all. It's essentially a stand-alone Flash file - University Police are harnessing the same technology used to bring you online Su-Do-Ku puzzles and amusing "Pac-Man" imitation games. And it's big. Really big, actually. Its executable image, the program's memory footprint, is about 16 megabytes - bigger than AOL Instant Messenger and Mozilla Firefox, both of which are full-fledged desktop applications. It should come as no surprise, then, that it constantly consumed almost 10 percent of the processing resources on one of our brand new 2.2-gigahertz design computers. To put that in perspective: Adobe Photoshop, Apple iTunes, and Mozilla Firefox together use less than 3 percent while idle. UNLAlert is no little program that runs in the background. It's not a big deal, though, right? Who cares if it slows down your machine a bit - this application could save your life. Right? Assuming the two servers that are responsible for handling all the emergency alert requests for the entire campus - alert1 and alert2 - stay online, then yes, it could save your life. But, after reverse-engineering and analyzing the software, we're not only disappointed with its performance, we're disappointed with the way information is being distributed to computers. Instea…
creator: Editorial Board
publisher: Daily Nebraskan
date: 2007-09-03
contributor: Sara AA Hood
rights: Josh Swartzlander <jdwriter19@yahoo.com>
language: eng

Sympathy resounds in wake of VT tragedy
description: By:Editorial Board Posted: 4/17/07 On Monday April 16, 32 Virginia Tech students were killed in a tragic shooting incident. The Miami Student editorial board is shocked and deeply saddened by this abhorrent act, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family members of those affected. While law enforcement and rescue personnel responded quickly to the scene, the random, senseless nature of this act can leave students with a sense of helplessness. Nonetheless, while it is virtually impossible to prevent all random acts of violence, universities must continue to work with local police departments in order to ensure that contingency plans are in place and that there are effective lines of communication between the administration and students during times of emergency. Universities face a difficult challenge between maintaining safety and fostering a relaxed and open academic environment for students. This tension between security and freedom will likely be reevaluated in the months ahead as schools consider ways they can prevent catastrophes like this from happening in the future. It is important that Miami University's campus remains one that feels open, even as any potential security updates are made. Based upon preliminary reports, there have been criticisms, warranted or not, leveled at the Virginia Tech administration for failing to adequately communicate with students as events were unfolding. On a campus the size of Miami's, such communication is a difficult task, but a rapid e-mail response and the use of a special warning siren or PA system might be feasible options for signaling a campus-wide lockdown. Even so, while contingency plans can and should be implemented, no amount of preparedness can avert all disasters. Local law enforcement must be familiar with their operating procedures and able to coordinate their efforts with surrounding forces. Moreover, they must be adequately equipped to stabilize a situation until larger, more specialized l…
creator: Editorial Boards
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Duke's response to VaTech tragedy lacking
description: Editorial Posted: 4/19/07 When news of the Virginia Tech massacre broke Monday, to say that students across the country were on edge is an understatement. The horror and randomness of the event forced students to take a step back and examine their own campuses and ask, "Are we safe?" And members of the Duke community began to question what the safety and notification protocol would be if something of this magnitude occurred here. Many wondered what, if any, steps Duke was taking to tighten security Monday. Those with friends and family at Virginia Tech asked what resources were available for them here on campus. But answers to these queries were virtually impossible to discern. President Richard Brodhead released a statement to The Chronicle late Monday night, which was also published on the Duke News website. In the statement, Brodhead expressed his condolences to the Virginia Tech community and announced an interfaith vigil that would be held Tuesday at the Duke Chapel. But nowhere in the statement was there mention of Duke's own security status. Moreover, while Brodhead said Student Affairs was trying to contact "every student with Virginia Tech connections," there is no way they could identify every student with a "connection." As such, those students with friends or acquaintances at Virginia Tech who the administration did not know about-as well as those simply overwhelmed by the tragedy-were told only that Religious Life staff and the Chapel were available for support. There was no mention of other, non-religious resources, such as augmented, emergency Counseling and Psychological Services, that could benefit all concerned students regardless of religious orientation. Most troubling, however, was the fact that Brodhead's statement was not sent to the Duke community. It was published in The Chronicle, but no one could read it until Tuesday morning, nearly 24 hours after the massacre occurred. And while technically online, the statement was buried on the Duke Ne…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2007-06-24
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: David Graham <david.graham@duke.edu>
language: eng

Virginia Tech, our thoughts are with you
description: Editorial Posted: 4/17/07 Horrified silence saturated campuses across the country yesterday, as the death toll at Virginia Tech climbed to at least 32 fellow students. The deadliest mass shooting in United States history can be described only as a true tragedy. To begin, as members of the Duke community we express our sincerest condolences to families and friends of the deceased and wounded and to the entire Virginia Tech campus. Our hearts go out to all of those in the Virginia Tech community and all of the students here at Duke who have been touched by this shocking disaster in one way or another. A tragedy like this makes us pause to reflect upon our own mortality. Days like yesterday-filled with images of bloodied young bodies, terrified faces and drawn guns-bring violence and death close to home. As young men and women now in college, we can only hope (although likely and sadly in vain) to never see a day like this past Monday again. And during such times, there is a very human urge to point fingers-to place blame on administrators for not responding effectively or efficiently. But scenarios like those that played out yesterday are extremely hard to prepare for. Hindsight is 20/20, and we cannot judge the Virginia Tech administrators with the knowledge we now have. We trust they had students' best interests in mind and do so still as they seek to recover from the shock and horror of a day nobody can ever really anticipate. Monday's tragedy does, however, provide an opportunity for Duke's administrators to examine their own emergency response procedures. We depend on Duke administrators to keep us informed when urgent situations arise. Although mass e-mail lists serve great informative purposes, a faster mass communication system must be devised to alert students in times of emergency. Because many students come from differing parts of the country, Duke must also devise a plan to inform families quickly or to make themselves available for inquiries in situations…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2007-06-24
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: David Graham <david.graham@duke.edu>
language: eng

A Dark Day in April
description: Apr 17 2007 Editorial Yesterday marked one of the darkest days in United States history, as the campus of Virginia Tech collapsed to the tune of gunshots, cries and panic. The morning's horrific aftermath was broadcast on every major news network: students sprinting across campus; SWAT teams taking cover next to their vehicles; an exasperated and exhausted police chief and university president, trying to explain how a bastion for safety and growth — a college campus — could suddenly become the setting for a nightmare of unimaginable proportions. The event bares a shocking resemblance to the 1999 Columbine massacre and comes eight years to the week of what was once our country's worst school shooting. Facts came in bursts; the banners of CNN.com changed right before our eyes; and the death toll seemed to double without any explanation. No one was able to affirmatively answer basic questions such as, "Who was involved?" "What were the motives behind the shootings?" And if there was one killer, "Why was he able to roam free a second time and inflict even more harm?" The tragedy hits home not only for Cornell students trying to reach their friends at Virginia Tech but also because of its chilling reminder that no university is immune to violence of this magnitude. At Cornell, we picture ourselves as existing in solitude and safety, removed from the harsh realities of aggression and evil that blot the world. Nearly every person that sets foot on the University has grown up in environments where such inhumane acts have never been commonplace. But what if a lone gunman had opened fire at Kennedy Hall at 9:45 a.m. instead of Virginia Tech's Norris Hall? What if two students were dead by breakfast time at a North Campus dorm instead of at West Ambler Johnston Hall? Can the Cornell administration rationally and smoothly handle this seemingly unfathomable situation? Evidence pouring in from Virginia Tech points to some degree of miscommunication and flawed procedure. Why w…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2007-07-10
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Jonny Lieberman <jdl46@cornell.edu>, <lieberman.jonny@gmail.com>
language: eng

Our Opinion: Gun Control
description: Emory's Campus No Place For Guns Issue date: 5/1/07 Section: Editorials The recent controversy concerning funding for a College Republicans' trip to a shooting range has brought the issues of gun control and campus safety to the forefront of the Emory discourse. Last Wednesday, College Council denied the College Republicans funding to help pay for a trip to a local shooting range. The College Republicans said they hoped the trip would promote safe and responsible gun handling and ownership. College Council legislators say they withheld the funds due to safety concerns, even going so far as to propose an amendment to the organization's monetary code prohibiting the use of College Council funds to purchase or rent firearms and ammunition. Generally speaking, we believe College Council should be able to fund activities like a trip to the shooting range. Shooting is a sport recognized by the NCAA, and shooting range sessions monitored by professionals are exceedingly safe. Amending the monetary code to prevent such trips is unwarranted. It's unfortunate that the shootings at Virginia Tech took place just weeks before the scheduled date for the trip, but given that the College Republicans had been planning this event for quite some time, we don't believe the shootings are an adequate reason for the trip to be cancelled. Although some could perceive the trip as insensitive, there is still an immense difference between safely firing a gun at a target and using a gun to commit mass murder. If the College Republicans want to take a trip to the shooting range, then they should receive the same support given to any other group. What we cannot condone is the College Republicans' plan to request permission from University President James W. Wagner to carry concealed weapons on campus. This idea was proposed by nationally syndicated radio host Lars Larson on whose show Tittsworth appeared to discuss the Council's decision to deny funding. Under current Georgia law, it is illegal …
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2007-07-11
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Christopher H. Megerian" <cmegeri@LearnLink.Emory.Edu>
language: eng

Va. Tech and the N.H. primary
description: By THE DARTMOUTH EDITORIAL BOARD, Published on Friday, April 20, 2007 There is no easy answer to the question, What could have prevented the Virginia Tech massacre? Perhaps nothing could have been done. However, gun violence occurs every day across America and the ready availability of guns exacerbates the problem. After Ali Abu Kamal shot and killed seven atop the Empire State Building 10 years ago, then-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani called for Congress to "do more" in monitoring the ownership of guns in this country. It is unfortunate that it takes tragedies of these magnitudes to jumpstart conversation about gun control, but gun control has been an issue long before the events in Blacksburg or Columbine or New York City. It is our hope that the heinous acts of one man on one college campus will awaken college students at Dartmouth and across the country to force this issue to the forefront of the national political arena - and that it stays there. It's easy to present statistics seemingly demonstrating that the presence of handguns either increases or decreases senseless deaths. One thing is for sure: The debate here hinges on safety and the prevention of violence - not the peripheral goals of hunters and the gun industry. Guns are an unfortunate part of the American tradition. No one can seriously suggest that arming students or classrooms would be valid measures to combat violence. The non-sporting arguments against gun control contend that citizens should have the right to have firearms in their home to protect against intruders. No reasonable individual thinks people should carry weapons around. A rational measure that could help prevent another Virginia Tech massacre would be the institution of more in-depth checks and restrictions on those who want to purchase guns. As for the Dartmouth community, we are in a unique position. Every presidential candidate who is serious about winning the White House will be visiting Dartmouth in the coming months. When the…
creator: Editorial Staff
publisher: The Dartmouth
date: 2007-07-11
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Edward D. Kalletta III" <publisher@thedartmouth.com>
language: eng

STAFF EDITORIAL: Providing Comfort
description: By PUBLISHED APRIL 17, 2007 On Monday morning, 32 students at Virginia Tech were killed and about 30 others injured by a shooting at the hands of a fellow student. This tragedy raises questions about the nature of events like this and what Columbia might do in a similar situation. Yet the administration was slow in publicly responding to the event, and when it did, it failed to address the crucial question about what the University's response plan would be. The University should have expressed its sympathy, explained the counseling options available to students, and addressed safety concerns on Monday when the shootings occurred. The tragedy hit especially close to home on campus-first, because the victims were fellow students, and second, because many students here have friends and acquaintances at Virginia Tech. The University's immediate response should have been to give some notification telling students where they could go for counseling if desired. Tonight a candlelight vigil will be held on Low Steps for the victims, and the Counseling and Psychological Services office will be open until 11 p.m. for students who need its services. This is a good step on the University's part, but it should have made those resources available more quickly and opened CPS for extended hours. Questions have also been asked about how effective Virginia Tech officials were in securing the campus after the first round of shooting. Naturally, these questions raise concerns about Columbia's own emergency management plan and the safety and security of its campus. University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann and Dartmouth College President James Wright have released statements offering condolences to the Virginia Tech community and providing information about the security of their respective campuses, as well as publicizing the counseling services that they have available. University President Lee Bollinger should follow suit and send an e-mail to the entire University explaining th…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2008-02-17
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Tom Faure (tomfaure@gmail.com)
language: eng

Public Safety Takes Over as Card-Swipers
description: PUBLISHED APRIL 17, 2007 Beginning today and lasting at least through the end of the semester, students will no longer work as card-swipers at the front desks of on-campus residences and Lerner Hall. The change, announced yesterday, came in response to Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech University and is aimed at increasing security. According to Rosemary Keane, assistant vice president for communications in the Division of Student Services, students currently working at those desks will be reassigned and will not become unemployed. Columbia University public safety officers will take their card-swiping jobs. "In response to Virginia Tech, our goal was to make sure that we have uniformed officers in each residence hall and in Lerner for the rest of the semester for added security precautions," Lisa Hogarty, executive vice president for Student and Administrative Services, said last night. One student, who was working at the front desk of Lerner Hall last night and declined to be named for fear of losing her job, said that she felt the move would have little impact on security. "I don't like the idea of turnstiles, anyways," she said, noting that two of the three turnstiles were broken and that anybody can walk through without swiping. "If people really want to get into the building, they'll find a way." In an e-mail sent to Columbia students last night, Hogarty announced that there will be a candlelight vigil at the sundial tonight at 9 p.m. in remembrance of the 33 students who died during the shooting. University Chaplain Jewelnel Davis is scheduled to speak. The University has also extended today's office hours for Counseling and Psychological Services until 11 p.m. today. "The entire Columbia University community mourns the loss of these individuals and we send our prayers and condolences to their friends and families and to all the students, staff and faculty at Virginia Tech," Hogarty wrote in the e-mail. -- Original Source: Columbia Spectator http://www.colu…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2008-02-17
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Tom Faure (tomfaure@gmail.com)
language: eng

Better safety measures needed
description: 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. -- Originial…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2008-02-18
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>
language: eng

Our hearts go out to those at VT
description: ssue Date:Tuesday April 17, 2007 Section: Editorial Section By Monday afternoon, the nation was shocked by the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech. At least 32 people were killed and more than 20 were left wounded in the nation's most violent school shooting ever. Though the campus of West Virginia University did not directly experience the tragedy, Mountaineer students found themselves anxious and alarmed as the news spread across the country. Some were distracted from their studies, while others waited with bated breath to hear word from their Hokie friends. Every student on every college campus is affected when an event like this occurs. As Virginia Tech mourns the loss of its students in the coming days, and some continue to mourn for many years to come, the staff of The Daily Athenaeum sends out our thoughts and sympathy to those who lost loved ones in Monday's shooting. When an event like this occurs, no matter what college campus you call home, you are taken out of your comfort zone. It's hard to fathom what Virginia Tech students, staff, faculty and families are going through. As a peer institution and ultimately a friend of Virginia Tech, we hope that they will be able to mend after such a horrifying occurrence. As the end of the semester draws near, it is hard enough to deal with the stress of classes, projects and final exams. Now, Virginia Tech students will be faced with even bigger obstacles. While we go through the next few weeks, take the time to remember those who were lost in this unspeakable tragedy. Enjoy every day, and take time to tell your friends and family that you care about them. It's unfortunate, but sometimes we are so wrapped up with our daily lives that it takes an event like this to bring us back to reality and remind us to be thankful. Again, our hearts and thoughts go out to those affected by the shooting. We will continue to think about you as we undergo the mourning process alongside college students across the nation. -- Origi…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2008-02-18
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>
language: eng

Sign up for new text alert system
description: Issue Date:Monday October 15, 2007 Section: Editorial Section Six months after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, West Virginia University and others institutions across the country have taken positive steps to reevaluate their security approaches, but there is still work to be done. On Friday, the University president, student body president and head of the campus police announced a new system to send text messages and e-mail alerts in the case of crimes, weather delays and closures, and other emergencies at WVU. Everyone is encouraged to sign up now for the service at http://emergency.wvu.edu. University President Mike Garrison has a history of emphasizing security at WVU. When he was president of the student body in the early 1990s, he worked on lighting issues around campus, as well as block captains and watch programs in Sunnyside. And now, as president, he is moving in the right direction. But the system doesn't solve everything. The University has a history of suppressing the true number of crimes it is required by federal law to report. Three years ago, Security on Campus, Inc., a watchdog group, filed a federal complaint against WVU for crime misreporting and said the University's behavior represented "the worst case of corruption we have encountered to date." Hopefully all the problems have been worked out. But it's hard to be sure if the University is doing better or worse on campus safety issues if we can't rely on figures from the past. Nor has the administration made good choices about weather cancellations and delays. In March, the University canceled classes for a snowstorm only after power had been lost and restored on the Evansdale Campus, the PRT had been unreliable or shut down, buses ran behind schedule and professors and students endured a dangerous day of trying to make it to class or sitting in nearly empty classrooms. These are not things that a new text system will solve - this is decision-making and the decision about what to do in a situation …
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2008-02-18
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>
language: eng

Practical emergency ideas needed
description: Issue Date:Friday August 31, 2007 Section: Editorial Section West Virginia University, like many colleges around the country, has been dealing with a ripple effect of concern from faculty, students and parents alike in regards to the shooting at Virginia Tech earlier this year. A report, commissioned by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine yesterday, revealed the failings of the Virginia Tech response to the situation. Earlier this week, The Daily Athenaeum ran a story about our college considering a variety of crisis options, including one widely thrown around by the media: text messaging. According to the Aug. 24 article, "Chief Bob Roberts of WVU's Department of Public Safety, the University may try mass text messaging, siren alerts, video displays and safety awareness programs." "We are currently trying to evaluate how we would put this all together," Roberts said in the article. The communication and notification committee are going to meet together to discuss final issues regarding these plans." While it is important that the University and its law enforcement officials corroborate on ideas to better alert and inform the WVU community about possible dangers, it is also necessary that we take a step back and encourage truly practical ideas, designed not for flashiness but for mass utilization and for the clearest, most direct announcement of danger. While text messaging is a great idea, some cell phones and carriers have reputations for messages arriving days late. Additionally, not everybody has them. Plastering LCD screens everywhere on campus that will regularly need replacing, the visibility of such screens may be too low to properly alert everyone. The University could most benefit from a University-wide speaker system, an idea highlighted in the DA article. A centralized speaker system that could be piped into classrooms, much like those in K-12 schoolrooms, could easily be channeled into the PRT and its stations (which are both already equipped with its own radio sys…
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2008-02-18
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>
language: eng

Security with transparency
description: 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'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' 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'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'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'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't being released, it's important to tell people why, instead of generating anxious speculation that no plan exists. Hopefully, Notre Dame'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's necessary to be open about all procedures and safety measures that do not compromise security - and open in telling students when information isn't released due to security concerns. -- Original Source: http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/20/Viewpoint/Security.With.Transparency-2870855.shtml
creator: Editorial Staff
date: 2008-02-25
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Christopher Hine <chine@nd.edu>
language: eng

Scare response scrutinized
description: Community members criticize level of communication during Wednesday's incident By Edward Truong Friday, May 18, 2007 Some students and staff expressed concern that the university did not communicate quickly enough with the community following Wednesday's weapon scare in Westwood. But officials said the community was not in danger and so they focused on controlling rumors. L.A. police shut down several blocks in the North Village in response to reports of an armed individual in the area Wednesday afternoon. In the investigation, police found a crossbow rather than a gun, and university officials did not take any formal action on campus. Nancy Greenstein, director of police community services for UCPD, said it was a "self-contained potential incident. ... The police (had) it under control." "There appeared to be no risk to campus or population," she said. But some believe the university should have informed students and staff about the incident sooner. Ruth Tesfamichael, a second-year English student, said she had no real information about what was going on, except she heard rumors from another student that there was a gunman in the area. "Word of mouth spread really quickly," she said. "Everyone was misinformed." She said she hoped the university would have found a way to reach students. "I expected an e-mail (from the university), but didn't get anything," she said. Nancy Chakravarty, director of admissions for Corinne A. Seeds University Elementary School, said she was especially concerned about the lack of communication because parents were calling in to the school with questions and she was able to offer no response. "We had no idea that anything was going on," Chakravarty said. "One of our teachers came up and asked what ... the helicopters (flying around the area) were for." She said her staff was entirely unaware of the situation until concerned parents started contacting the office. "Parents had called and said there had been a shooting on campus." Lawrence L…
creator: Edward Truong
date: 2007-07-13
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Saba Riazati <editor@media.ucla.edu>
language: eng

US churches call for gun control following university shootings
description: News Brief By staff writers 17 Apr 2007 Expressing the sorrow of many Christians in the US at yesterday's killings in Virginia, the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA (NCC USA) has also renewed the NCC's call for 'meaningful' legislation to prevent gun violence. "My pastor's heart breaks for the families of those who died today," said the Rev Dr Bob Edgar following the fatal shooting at Virginia Tech University. "Faith leaders have spoken up continually about the epidemic of gun violence in our country," Dr Edgar said in a statement. "Despite repeated calls from faith and community leaders to Congress and presidents nothing ever seems to get done to stem the tide." Dr Edgar, himself a former Member of Congress, lamented that the issue of gun violence seems to get such little attention from those who have the power to do something about it. "How many more will have to die before we say enough is enough? How many more senseless deaths will have to be counted before we enact meaningful firearms control in this country? How many more of our pastors, rabbis and imams will have to preside over caskets of innocent victims of gun violence because a nation refused to stop the proliferation of these small weapons of mass destruction?," said Dr Edgar. Edgar pointed to the NCC USA's 1967 policy calling for firearms control and a March 2000 interfaith campaign calling for an end to the epidemic of gun violence in the nation. "The escalation of gun violence compels us to call for an end to the manufacture and easy distribution of such instruments of destruction," Edgar said in 2000 and reiterated that statement today. Edgar invited people of faith and goodwill to send messages of support to a weblog set up by the Virginia Interfaith Center. The NCC USA is an ecumenical voice of America's Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches. These 35 communions have 45 million members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 sta…
creator: Ekklesia Staff Writers
date: 2007-06-10
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License
language: eng

WCC leader backs calls for effective US firearms regulations
description: News Brief By staff writers 18 Apr 2007 World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia has expressed "deep sorrow" over "this new horror of random violence" that took place at Virginia Tech University on Monday 16 April 2007. To his prayers for the families and the wounded, he added international church concern for more effective regulation of firearms. "Churches around the world join churches and councils of churches in the US in sending sympathies to those who are suffering, and in upholding parishes in Virginia in their ministry during these difficult days", said Dr Kobia in a statement published yesterday. Dr Kobia affirmed that "In deference to those who have died and with concern for the future, we all must ask why such killings happen so easily. Why are these incidents repeated as if there are no remedies? "We are all Virginians in our sympathy, but many people around the world are also Virginians in their vulnerability to the misuse of unregulated guns", Kobia declared. "Wanton killings", "indiscriminate use of armed force" and "widespread availability of deadly weapons" are features of the Virginia tragedy but are also present daily in Darfur and in Iraq, he said. Dr Kobia called for "firm and appropriate controls" on the globalized trade in small arms. He notes, among other factors, that the "pro-gun position adopted by the US administration" has been "one of the major obstacles" to progress toward that goal. The World Council of Churches, which brings together Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and indigenous churches across the globe, has a longstanding concern for combating violence. The Decade to Overcome Violence and build a culture of peace has brought together church and civic groups. It has included a 'peace to the city' initiative which included action on gun crime and domestic attacks. -- Original Source: Ekklesia http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/5069 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No…
creator: Ekklesia Staff Writers
date: 2007-06-17
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License
language: eng

Korean church leaders caution against backlash after US shootings
description: News Brief By staff writers 21 Apr 2007 Korean and American Korean church leaders are calling for "healing, reconciliation and peace" amid concerns that the Virginia Tech shootings by a South Korean native could lead to a backlash against Koreans. "I was really shocked to hear that this senseless crime was committed by a Korean-immigrated student," said Bishop Kyung-Ha Shin, president of the Council of Bishops of the Korean Methodist Church. In a letter from Seoul sent on 18 April 2007, Bishop Shin offered condolences to the bereaved families and the American people while hoping "there will be no undesirable negative feeling and attitude toward Koreans." Meanwhile, in the United States, more than 250 leaders of the National Association of Korean American United Methodist Churches were holding their annual meeting 16-19 April in Chicago when the shooting occurred. As word of the shooter's identity spread, the mostly clergy participants began receiving calls from their home churches asking for guidance. "The whole community was in shock and did not know how to respond, but we prayed for the victims and their family members and the school and the community," said the Rev Keihwan Ryoo, editor of United Methodists in Service, who was reporting on the gathering on behalf of the Korean-language magazine published by United Methodist Communications. Several pastors received reports that Korean American students had been bullied in their mostly white schools as the week progressed, Ryoo said. The caucus held a memorial service for the shooting victims and released a pastoral letter. "We pray that the violence that has needlessly taken innocent lives does not escalate nor happen again," said the Rev Hoon Kyoung Lee, chairman of the association. "Furthermore, we are especially concerned that the immigrant community and the children of minorities may become targeted by anti-racial backlash because of this incident. "We pray that all of our friends and neighbors will support the…
creator: Ekklesia Staff Writers
date: 2007-06-17
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License
language: eng

Forum looks at current issues
description: Media's responses to Virginia Tech shootings spur discussion about ethnicity, mental health, violence By Eli Rosenberg Tuesday, May 1, 2007 The issues of ethnicity, mental health, and violence in American society were some of the key topics addressed yesterday at a forum organized in response to the shootings at Virginia Tech. The talk, titled "Media, Ethnicity and Public Response," was sponsored by both Student Psychological Services and the Dashew International Center, and was moderated by Elizabeth Gong-Guy and Bob Erickson, the directors of each organization, respectively. "International students and scholars have great concern about issues of violence in American society, and this event gives them opportunity to participate in the discussion of this issue at UCLA," Erickson said. He said Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus on April 16 before taking his own life, was originally reported erroneously to be an international student. A few people expressed surprise that the issue of Cho's Korean ethnicity was such a focal point of debates that took place after the issue. Gong-Guy described how she was brought to tears after listening to the apology of Cho's sister on the radio. "(It was) the idea that she was apologizing not for herself or her brother, but for all Koreans and Asians on the whole," Gong-Guy said. The discussion, which covered questions of violence, mental health and racial relations in American culture, highlighted some of the issues brought up in the media after the shootings. Most of the seven participants seemed critical of the media's handling of the shootings, particularly in the early stages of the crisis. "Media seeks to take the most sensationalized portrayal of issues in this era of 24-hour news," Erickson said. The talk also touched on the changes and debates that UCLA has experienced in the aftermath of the attack. "One of my first reactions is that it could have happened here," Erickson said. The issue of menta…
creator: Eli Rosenberg
date: 2007-07-15
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Saba Riazati <editor@media.ucla.edu>
language: eng

Health service lacking funds, staff
description: By Elise Ma Tuesday, April 24, 2007 Since last week's shootings at Virginia Tech, officials at UCLA's Student Psychological Services have received many more calls than usual from people reporting concerns about other students. While SPS has set up specific services to address the incident, it is also working to expand its general services in response to research suggesting college students require more mental health assistance than is currently offered. And though SPS offers various services both in person and online, funding remains problematic, and some students said they are unsatisfied with both the quality of the staff and the availability of appointments. "Short-staffed, we try to do what we can and are usually pretty successful in addressing the needs of most students who come in, but it would be easier for the staff here to manage if there were more of us," said Elizabeth Gong-Guy, SPS clinical director. Christina, a first-year English student who asked to be identified by her middle name, said she was dissatisfied with her visit to SPS, specifically noting concerns about the conduct of the psychologist she met with. She said at her appointment she was surprised to be met by a graduate student trainee, who immediately asked, "Do you mind if I record this? I want to study this later." "It really turned me off because it seemed very unprofessional to me," Christina said. "I didn't want someone who is just 5 years older than me to use my therapy session for practice." The environment made her feel uncomfortable, so she did not return to SPS. Instead, she decided to return to the therapist she went to at home, she said. Gong-Guy said some students prefer one-on-one counseling with graduate student trainees, who are supervised by the professional clinicians on the SPS staff, and that students have the option of requesting a different counselor. "A lot of psychotherapy is about the match between the clinician and client, and sometimes it takes one or two tries to …
creator: Elise Ma
publisher: The Daily Bruin
date: 2007-07-15
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Saba Riazati <editor@media.ucla.edu>
language: eng