By Jeff Gilbride/Daily News staff Daily News Tribune Posted Apr 15, 2008 @ 12:43 AM WALTHAM — A year ago Wednesday, Kalynn Cook's childhood friend was killed when Seung-Hui Cho opened fire on the Virginia Tech campus. To mark the first anniversary and to remember her friend, Erin Peterson, the Brandeis freshman from Sterling, Va., planned a candlelight vigil for tomorrow night. "I'm from northern Virginia and I came up here for school. When it got to be April I knew that the one-year anniversary would be coming up. I looked at the Brandeis calendar of events and I noticed there wasn't anything scheduled," she said. "I decided to talk to some of my friends who happen to be involved in student activism. They suggested I host an event myself." Cook said she contacted the student organization Democracy for America, which helped organize the event. Starting at 7 p.m. tomorrow, students will read a biography of each person killed in the massacre, hold a prayer service and conduct an open forum to discuss the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. Cho cut down his victims in two attacks two hours apart before the university could grasp what was happening and warn students. The bloodbath ended with the gunman committing suicide. Thirty-two individual flames will be lit, one for each of the victims. "(Democracy for America) handles activism. I went to one of their meetings and they decided to sponsor me. I got some materials from them and I got some advice," she said. "I spoke to Father Walter Cuenin (a Brandeis chaplain) and he's going to be speaking at the vigil ... it doesn't just affect the Virginia Tech community, but college communities all over the nation." Since the killings, Brandeis University officials adopted a number of precautionary measures to ensure the safety of students. "Certainly Virginia Tech marked a very significant turning point for us wanting to look for as many measures to help best inform people on campus on what to do in the event of an emergency," said Brandeis spokesman Dennis Nealon "It's all a work in progress to address emergency warning issues." Nealon said Brandeis officials instituted a number of precautionary communication measures under what is now referred to as the Brandeis Emergency Notification System. One step was to place towers around campus that serve as warning sirens in case of an emergency. "The intention of the sirens is to tell people to go indoors and to proceed to get whatever information they need about what the particular emergency is," Nealon said. "Another step was that every land (line) phone on campus was equipped with a small video screen." Nealon said the video screens can display a written notice or audible message in case of an emergency. "We'll inform people that an emergency situation has developed and we'll tell them what steps to take," he said. "We also have an 80 percent voluntary response from students to our initiative to gather as many cell phone numbers as we could. The university now can send text messages directly to people's cell phones." Bentley College in Waltham also uses a similar campus alert system, through a program called "Connect-Ed." Bentley spokeswoman Michelle Walsh said the school collected cell phone numbers from almost the entire college community to send out a text message or voice mail message in case of an emergency. Walsh said Bentley College had taken most of these precautionary measures before the Virginia Tech massacre. He said the incident caused campus officials to review existing communications and security. Bentley College has a crisis planning team comprised of staff and students that meets twice a month. The team holds "tabletop drills," in which they map out scenarios of potential emergencies and discuss how to deal with them. "The crisis planning team meets twice a month and has been well before the Virginia Tech tragedy. Following the tragedy was a review of what would happen if we had an equivalent situation," Walsh said. "I think the most important thing is our crisis planning team works closely with the campus police ... you learn from every school (tragedy). If a school meets regularly, the better prepared they are, no matter what the situation." Unlike their counterparts at Bentley, Brandeis University Police officers are unarmed, a practice that is expected to change this summer. Last year, Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz announced he accepted a recommendation of an eight-member university firearms panel to equip Brandeis Police with guns. "An advisory committee (was) formed initially of faculty and students to look at the issue in light of the Virginia Tech tragedy," Nealon said. "That committee gave a yes-vote to the president (that the police should be armed)." Nealon said the tragedy reignited the topic of arming Brandeis Police, which was discussed randomly in previous years. "The Virginia Tech tragedy did spur that discussion again," Nealon said. "About 20 officers have been undergoing field and psychological training. ... They are all being certified at the state police academy in Massachusetts." Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Generic -- Original Source: http://www.dailynewstribune.com/homepage/x818433112
46% of students feel unsafe, audit finds - Administrators rethink security measures in dorms
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: News By Justin Hedani Ka Leo News Editor After what is being called the deadliest shooting in American history, the Virginia Tech shooting has many students questioning their safety - especially at the dorms. "Personally, I don't think there's enough security [at the dorms and] there's a lot of students [to oversee]," said Andrea W., a student at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. The first report of killings was at West Ambler Johnston Hall, on Virginia Tech's campus, where a man and a woman were found dead in their dorm rooms. "I don't know, it kind of widens your scope," said Leigh Hokawa, a student residing at Gateway House, "[but] it doesn't affect me directly or scare me." According to the management audit conducted by State Auditor Marion Higa and the Office of the Auditor, "Forty-six percent of the students disagree with this statement: 'I feel safe on campus.'" While in the lower housing district, 43 percent of Noelani residents felt that they were "dissatisfied" with security and the safety of their belongings. "I don't think it's the fault about security," said Elias Allen, a Gateway suite resident. "I always lock my door; I'm not really worried." Allen also said if he saw someone suspicious, he would confront them and ask then what they were doing. Student services are working on ways to improve the safety and security for residents on campus. "We are putting electronic card access on all the doors in [Hale] Aloha, Wainani, Noelani and front doors only of remaining halls," said Laurie Furutani, interim housing director. Currently, security and housing staff are coordinating their efforts and security is providing training for resident staff members to make safety a priority. Neal Sakamoto, chief of security at UHM said that new screen windows will be put into all first floor dormitories so that it will be harder for burglars to get into rooms. "We've been working with the housing staff to improve doors and windows," Sakamoto said. In the same audit, it was said that "we recommend that the University of Hawai'i introduce legislation for Campus Security to be given arrest authority and the authority to carry weapons." "I wouldn't arm the guys I have now," Sakamoto said "[but] we've been looking at adding police officers [to security]. They would be actual police officers, they would have arrest authorities and they will carry guns." The audit also stated that "there are too few security officers on duty to deter and react to crimes." Security has requested eight additional security staff members and currently has seven pending background checks. Sakamoto said that 14 to 15 more will be requested for their force next legislative session. Francisco Hernandez, Vice Chancellor for Students, said that orientations will be held for students to keep them aware of certain dangers. "I don't think we can change the time tables," Hernandez said. As for locks and other upgrades, he said, "The only thing we're going to do now is review our procedures." -- Original Source: The Voice - Ka Leo http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2007/04/18/News/46.Of.Students.Feel.Unsafe.Audit.Finds-2848717.shtml http://media.www.kaleo.org/media/storage/paper872/news/2007/04/18/News/46.Of.Students.Feel.Unsafe.Audit.Finds-2848717-page2.shtml
Vigil pays respect to Virginia Tech victims and families
By: Laura Fong | Freelance reporter | Issue date: 4/25/07 Section: News In honor of the 33 lives lost during the Virginia Tech shooting on April 16, University students and community members held a candlelight vigil in the Erb Memorial Union Amphitheater on Monday night. Tea lights dotted the photographs of the 33 victims that lined the bottom step of the amphitheater. Attendees quietly lit candles and wrote their thoughts to the victims' friends and families on white pieces of paper that would later be sent to Virginia Tech. University junior and family and human services major Jory Card organized the event through a Facebook group commemorating the victims of last week's shooting. "These people are just like us - they could be your friends, your family," Card said to the crowd of about 60 attendees. "This is a time to be quiet with your friends and honor those who were lost." --- Watch video from the vigil --- University senior and journalism major Meghan Hilliard heard out about the event from Card, who is her roommate. Hilliard said she had a "reality check" when Card brought home the stack of 33 photographs of the victims later used for the vigil. "The fact that the pictures take up the whole first row of our EMU amphitheater, I think is astounding," Hilliard said. "It's a real eye-opening visual because we hear of the 33 victims, but to see them is really impacting." Lane Community College freshman Elizabeth Ashworth said she came to the vigil to pay respect to the Virginia Tech students and faculty. "I realize how short life is and that it can be taken away, just like these people here," Ashworth said. Ashworth heard about the vigil from her friend Megan Funke, a University freshman and psychology major, who also emphasized the importance of paying her respects to those affected by the shooting. "If my friends were gone like this tomorrow, I don't know what I would do; it's such a huge tragedy." Funke said. "There are a lot of people whose lives (the victims) did affect, and I don't think that should be forgotten just because we're far away. " Hilliard agreed that the far distance from Virginia Tech is unimportant, and that unfortunate events like the Virginia Tech shooting unite students across the country. "In situations like this, campuses unite as one; campus lines are blurred since we're all going to school," Hilliard said. "This happened about 3,000 miles away, but it's still pertinent here and everywhere else." Card said he wanted to bring students together one week after the shooting to remind them that they have "the ultimate say in our campus' safety." "I want to honor the victims and spark a change on campus to bring us together," Card said. "I'd like to re-evaluate the true meaning of having a safe campus." Card said that "safety" should extend further than "physical safety." People should also be respectful of those who have different opinions and backgrounds. He asked the attendees: "How many times have you seen someone on 13th Avenue that you recognize and just ignore? I'm guilty of it too. My challenge to you is to find a way to bring us together as a campus." -- Photo by:Amber Mees Original Source: Daily Emerald http://media.www.dailyemerald.com/media/storage/paper859/news/2007/04/25/News/Vigil.Pays.Respect.To.Virginia.Tech.Victims.And.Families-2879322.shtml http://media.www.dailyemerald.com/media/storage/paper859/news/2007/04/25/News/Vigil.Pays.Respect.To.Virginia.Tech.Victims.And.Families-2879322-page2.shtml
Public Safety Takes Over as Card-Swipers
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.columbiaspectator.com/node/24884
Massacre at V.T. affects colleges across nation
As Tulane officials rethink security policies, some Tulane students express personal grief over Monday's events By: Marta Dehmlow Posted: 4/20/07 Students at Virginia Tech and all over the nation will remember April 16 as a day that shattered the security of college campuses everywhere. "How do you have openness and accessibility and make sure the campus is as safe as possible?" Tulane University president Scott Cowen asked in an April 18 interview with the Hullabaloo. "Campuses are sacred ground." This "sacred ground" was desecrated, however, when Cho Seung-Hui, a 22-year-old senior at Virginia Tech, shot and killed 32 students and injured 26 more before turning his gun on himself. The largest school shooting in history has torn apart the Virginia Tech college community in Blacksburg, Va., leaving college students nationwide doubtful about the security of their own institutions. "It can happen anywhere," senior neuroscience major Jen Velarde said. "Crazy people are out there. It can happen so easily; there's such a fine line. As much as you secure a building, if a student is going to do this, it can happen." And it has happened a number of times before, university officials said. "This is not really an isolated incident," Tulane University Police Department director Ken Dupaquier said, citing past shootings on college campuses. "People think that it hasn't happened before or in a long time, but it has." Nationwide, college students empathizing with their Virginia Tech counterparts have demonstrated their solidarity. Jonathan Horner, a senior microbiology major who has several close friends at Virginia Tech, showed support for the affected school by changing his facebook picture to one saying "Today we are all Hokies," referring to Virginia Tech's mascot. He, like many other college students, also joined a facebook group memorializing the victims. "I also called and messaged all my friends," he said. "I told them I'm praying for them and their school." Other students were more immediately affected by the massacre at Virginia Tech. Maura Bowlin, a sophomore English major, spent her freshman year at Virginia Tech before transferring to Tulane in the fall of 2006. "It's eerie to think I've walked the halls of [Ambler-Johnston Residence Hall and Norris Hall]," Bowlin said about the sites of the two shootings. Although she has many friends at the school, Bowlin said she has not quite felt the full effect of the situation. "It hasn't really sunk in. We talk about it in every single class, which I wish we didn't," Bowlin said. Bowlin explained that Cho was not a typical Virginia Tech student. As a senior, the gunman lived on campus, "which almost no one does after freshman year. So that was weird." She also had a friend who was supposed to be in one of the classrooms in Norris Hall. "She slept through the class," Bowlin said. "I knew a few people who just didn't go to class because they had a feeling." Kerry Kraft, a sophomore communication major, spent Fall 2005 at Virginia Tech, where one-quarter of her high school class attends. "I was distraught when I tuned on the TV. I spent all day on the phone or in front of [it]," Kraft said. She knows a number of students at Virginia Tech, and she was very concerned, Kraft said. "I was lucky," Kraft said. "Everyone I know was all right, but they were all affected directly or indirectly. I was lucky not to be directly affected." The events have also caused Tulane's administration and campus police force to reiterate their security measures and emergency preparedness plan. "All of our public safety officers are trained as police officers at the academy, like NOPD. Therefore they have at least been prepared," Cowen said. Prior to the Virginia Tech massacre and Hurricane Katrina, a decision was made to update the emergency response system. "We will have six different phone numbers for each student, plus e-mails will get blasted by information [in the event of an emergency]", Cowen said. The new system will also include the ability to text message students' cell phones. Dupaquier believes that with Tulane's current protocol, an event such as this one would have been avoided. "Our protocol for dealing with students with similar traits to [Cho's] is that we would have liked to intervene," Dupaquier said. "We have a mechanism in place between Public Safety, Student Affairs, the Educational Resource Center, the student health center and the deans that would catch this, hopefully." Tulane, like many other colleges, is also reassessing current systems. A task force is being created headed by Vice President Anne Banos. It will involve different arms of the university and several student leaders to help ensure that such a horrific event does not happen at Tulane. "We will see what changes, if any, need to be made in our protocol," Dupaquier said. "The president expects an answer in a timely manner. Not in a matter of months, but Cowen expects recommendations in a few weeks." While the administration and public safety department are concerned first and foremost with the well-being of Tulane students, they extend their sympathies to the Virginia Tech community. "Obviously, we are devastated for those that were killed, and their friends and family," Cowen said. "We are not strangers to tragedy, and we can identify. We will do whatever we can to help." Cowen said the school has offered counseling and Student Affairs personnel to offer help as students, staff and faculty at Virginia Tech cope with the tragedy. -- Original Source: The Hullabaloo - April 20, 2007
"Dickson, Drew D." <ddickson@tulane.edu>
By: Alaina Busch Posted: 4/30/07 Representatives from Ohio's colleges and universities will meet today as part of a statewide effort to address campus security issues and concerns. Today'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'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'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'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'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's no way to prevent this," she said. "You can do things to mitigate them, but you can't live in fear." Alaina Busch can be reached at busch.61@osu.edu. -- Original Source:The Lantern - April 30, 2007
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 -- Original Source:The Lantern - May 2, 2007
By: Karl Spaulding Posted: 5/7/07 When Florida liberalized its restrictive and disjointed system of concealed carry laws in 1987, many states followed suit. In each case, naysayers predicted everything from "blood in the streets" to "parking lot shootouts." Just as regularly, after each state changed the law to allow more law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns, the results were peacefully anticlimactic. Within a year or so after a law changed, a law enforcement or political figure would be quoted in an article admitting they were surprised that there had been no major problems. Now after the Virginia Tech shootings, there are those wanting concealed carry to be allowed on college campuses. I've wanted this for ages, not as an "answer" to mass shootings (there is no single answer), but because it would further improve the safety of individuals who are legal to carry elsewhere in Ohio. Predictably, the naysayers are still at work. They claim the same tragic consequences as they always have, aggravated by our youthful population and the abuse of alcohol. One of the arguments that keeps popping up is that "everyone will have a gun." They expect us to believe that the most irresponsible students will start carrying guns while drunk, wreaking havoc in our residence halls and classrooms. What they don't mention is that in Ohio the minimum age for a concealed handgun license is 21. Plus, applicants have to take a 12-hour training course. At most, only around 4 to 5 percent of state populations obtain gun carry permits. Plus, schools could still be allowed to ban guns from their residence halls. I could state that these predictions are balderdash, but there is a better way to show this: real life results. "Campus carry" already exists. Utah is the only state that specifically allows licensed gun carriers on college campuses. Until just recently, the administration of the University of Utah banned legally concealed guns, but a decision from the Utah Supreme Court forced them to comply. Other colleges in Utah, including the College of Eastern Utah, have had legal concealed carry since at least 2003. If there were serious problems with these schools, wouldn't we have heard of them by now? Opponents of campus carry don't like to talk about what happens in the real world; only what happens in their pessimistic, sociologically illiterate minds. The best reason for allowing CHLs on campus is that those of us who want to go armed need to carry as much as possible to make it a habit. The safest place for a defensive handgun is on one's person, not locked in a car (currently allowed by Ohio law on campus) or at home. No one can predict when they might be attacked, so one needs to carry a defensive weapon as much as possible. Do you only wear your seatbelt when you think you will be in a crash? Proper weapons training (another thing most administrators don't have) dictates that weapons should be carried in the same place as much as possible. When faced with danger, the mind will be occupied by other things, and one's weapon presentation should be automatic. This is true for any weapon or tool that will be used under stress. Unfortunately, our society ignores the real purpose of defensive weaponry, and stigmatizes handguns as suitable only for killing people instead of admitting their real purpose: saving innocent human life from an unexpected attack. A 1995 study, which showed firearms are used more than 2 million times per year in self-defense, described how prosocial uses for weapons at the very least cancelled out the negatives. Another criminologist, the late Marvin Wolfgang, followed that article with his own, expressing surprise as well as admiration because he had long been against firearms ownership, but could find nothing wrong with their methodology. CHL holders do not become violent, "Wild West" savages when they come onto campus. Those of us who carry simply want to be able to protect ourselves to the best of our abilities at all times. Yes, campus is relatively safe, but the neighborhoods surrounding OSU and the places where visitors come from may not be. Society is not made any safer by restricting individuals' right and means to self-defense. -- Original source:The Lantern - May 7, 2007
By: Benjamin Lammers Posted: 8/7/07 More than 350 representatives from Ohio's universities met at Ohio State's Fawcett Center last week to discuss school safety and the state of security and disaster response. Following the shootings at Virginia Tech last spring, Gov. Ted Strickland created a task force to look at the disaster preparedness of Ohio's universities. The task force, composed of representatives from Ohio's schools, has been meeting regularly to review campus safety and advise the governor on campus security. The Ohio College Campus Safety and Security Summit was a result of the task force's recommendations. Security experts from a number of schools spoke at the summit, including Col. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the Virginia State Police. Strickland said in a press release campus security in Ohio is the primary responsibility of the state's schools. He asked how the state of Ohio can assist college campuses to improve security and safety in both public and private universities. Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut said universal participation, including professors and students, is needed to maintain public safety. "We have learned that there is no simple cookie-cutter solution that fits all, and that we shouldn't expect that there are any simple, one-size-fits-all, quick fixes when it comes to this issue," he said in a press release. Ohio's colleges and universities were directed to complete the "Ohio Campus Security Checklist" for the Board of Regents by Aug. 24, which will outline actions each university needs to take during the long haul to improve security. Questions in the checklist include coordination, communication, support mobilization to disasters and protocols for identifying and addressing dangerous behavior by students, faculty and staff. Todd Stewart, director of the OSU Program for International and Homeland Security, said the purpose of the summit was not to focus only on shooting scenarios and acts of violence, but to include response to natural disasters. Fingerhut did not limit the discussion to human-caused disasters like the one at Virginia Tech. "This task force may have been instituted as a reaction to the shootings at Virginia Tech, but this summer we are talking about making sure that Ohio college campuses are ready for all kinds of critical incidents," Fingerhut said. Rick Amweg, assistant chief of University Police at OSU, said the summit was a great chance to learn from other institutions by discussing common goals for campus security. Amweg said OSU's security response plan is in good shape. "We were very prepared before Virginia Tech and continue to be prepared," he said. However, Amweg said the tragedy at Virginia Tech highlighted the need for new emergency communication procedures. He said the information from the meeting will be used by the Board of Regents to identify the best practices Ohio universities can use to prepare themselves. Stewart said OSU has made a considerable effort in preparedness. "Ohio State is in better shape than most schools in the state because we have more resources available," he said. Benjamin Lammers can be reached at lammers.62@osu.edu. -- Original Source:The Lantern - August 7, 2007
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 law enforcement units arrive. The events at Virginia Tech were especially painful because of the vulnerability of the victims and the similarities between their lives and the lives of Miami students. A measure of trust in life's daily routine was lost Monday, and this tragedy should serve to remind each of us to consciously embrace and cherish the time we have and too often overlook. -- Original Source: The Miami Student - April 17, 2007
"Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
University reps. meet with BPD to discuss prevention By: Andrew FitzGerald Posted: 4/18/07 The day after a Virginia Tech senior shot and killed 32 people on campus and himself, representatives from 19 Boston-area colleges who met at Boston Police Department headquarters said they must improve communication in the future to prevent similar campus attacks. University administrators joined state and local police forces to discuss "protocol, procedure and planning" that goes into preventing campus attacks during a meeting requested by Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis, said BPD spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll. Representatives at the meeting said they wanted to ensure the BPD and campus security forces are able to communicate through radio, according to Driscoll, who cited the existing Boston Area Emergency Radio Network -- a link between local campus and police departments -- that received boosted support after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Virginia Tech and college campuses around the country have reacted to Monday's shootings, in which 32 people were killed by Virginia Tech senior Cho Seung-Hui. The 23-year-old English major from South Korea killed two people in a residence hall shortly after 7 a.m., and he killed 30 in a classroom building two hours later a half-mile across campus. Local university administrators also compared methods they use to communicate with students in pressing situations, Driscoll said. Virginia Tech officials have received widespread criticism for not immediately contacting university members after the first shooting. Officials first sent an email to the university about the residence hall shooting at 9:26 a.m., while the gunman was carrying out his second attack. Driscoll said another topic discussed was the importance of "recognizing the tendency of someone who may act in violence." Classmates and professors have described the shooter as someone who was not very sociable, and some professors had referred him for counseling, according to The New York Times. Representatives at yesterday's meeting will form subcommittees to develop campus-specific security plans, which will vary based on school size and relative security, Driscoll said. "The distinction would be that some universities have patrol forces and some do not," she said. "If the security force is unarmed, then what are the steps they should take in an unarmed situation? If the force is armed, then the response should be different." Attending university administrators said they could not provide details on the tools security personnel use to protect their campuses because the information could aid potential attackers. Boston University Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore, who attended the meeting, declined to elaborate on specifics, only repeating Driscoll's summary that they discussed "protocols, training amongst different agencies [and] how students can access information." Harvard University spokesman Joe Wrinn said universities and law enforcement agencies meet regularly to share information. For example, university representatives and police held a similar meeting in October 2004 to plan for potential riots after World Series games, prompted by the accidental shooting death of an Emerson College student celebrating in the streets after the Boston Red Sox won the American League Championship Series. "We occasionally get together with other campuses and campus police," Wrinn said. "We run tabletop exercises and drills." Driscoll said the police forces and university representatives will meet again to further develop prevention techniques, but she did not provide a date. -- Original Source: The Daily Free Press - April 18, 2007
BHE takes a look at campus security By: Kate Davies Posted: 4/20/07 The Board of Higher Education, during its meeting that was previously called to clarify the fine print on Massachusetts's policy toward allowing undocumented immigrants to receive in-state tuition, said it plans to review universities' security policies in wake of this Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech. Taking time to reflect on the shootings, in which 32 Virginia Tech members were killed by a gunman who then took his own life, Board officials said although universities already have adequate crisis response plans in place, it is important to review such policies and possibly seek more statewide funding for the schools. "We have strong plans in place to secure a safe learning and working environment that we can go to everyday," said Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President Mary Grant. "We always have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best." The BHE announced it will meet in June at the University of Massachusetts with public and private universities and state police to review existing response programs. In a BHE press release yesterday, Secretary of Public Safety Kevin Burke said the schools' existing plans are extensive. "The Department of State Police review of these plans is designed to ensure that the plans continue to reflect best practice standards," he said. After further work with universities, schools may adopt more high-tech communication methods, including automated voice and text-messaging systems and better counseling services for students, the BHE press release states. When the Board turned to its original agenda, it released a "fact sheet" detailing the fine print of the in-state tuition system as it applies to undocumented immigrants. BHE chairman Aaron Spencer said the fact sheet is meant to clarify two bills filed separately by the Senate and House that would each allow undocumented immigrants to attend state institutions at the same price other state residents pay. Similar bills failed in the Legislature last year. "In an effort to be totally non-partisan and only deal with the facts, we have decided to prepare a questions-and-answers document to provide key information," Spencer said. Though the Board firmly refused to take a stance on the bills, the fact sheet repeatedly stated the state college system can afford to enroll such students. According to the fact sheet, under terms of the bills, undocumented immigrants would be eligible for in-state tuition after completing three or more years of high school in Massachusetts and graduating or attaining the equivalent of a high school diploma. Addressing concerns that the plan would make it more difficult for legal residents to attend college, Spencer said the commonwealth's 29 universities would maintain the same admissions standards. Because undocumented immigrants would still not be eligible for state-funded financial aid, documented residents would not lose state funds. The BHE fact sheet also states there is sufficient space available in Massachusetts's state colleges for additional students. About 400 to 600 additional students would be eligible for in-state tuition at Massachusetts's colleges under the plan, which would generate about $2.5 million for the state, according to statistics from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. The Board's Fiscal Affairs and Administrative Policy Committee also unanimously approved a uniform policy on residency status for state and community colleges that would classify applicants as either residents or nonresidents. "This motion is merely an effort to have a concerted, evenhanded document that applies to everyone," Spencer said. "One thing I am proud of about this document is that it is one step toward operating as a system, and not separate parts." -- Original Source:The Daily Free Press - April 20, 2007
EMS director outlines city's disaster-response system By: Evelyn Ratigan Posted: 4/20/07 As the efficiency of the emergency response system at Virginia Tech faces scrutiny, with critics saying the school was slow to notify its members of the attacks in which 32 people were killed on campus Monday, Boston's expert on emergency response systems said the city is prepared for a large-scale disaster. Boston Emergency Medical Services Chief Richard Serino, detailing the city's strategy to a group of about 20 yesterday at Harvard University, said the city is focused on improving communication within departments and with the community. "Everybody has to be involved in all the various parts of this," Serino said. "Communication is a huge issue. You don't want to be exchanging business cards at the scene of the disaster." Serino cited Boston's historic landmarks, dense population and subway system as factors that make the city a top terrorist target. He said the city has been aware of this and has spent more than 25 years revising tactics in case of an emergency. "Emergency preparedness is not something new for us," he said. "It's not just something we've been looking at since 9-11." Serino said the key to emergency preparedness is encouraging partnerships among the city's departments and private businesses, as well as the public services involved in the process. This collaboration has become "institutionalized" from years spent building these relationships, he said. The BEMS constantly works with the Boston police and fire departments, the MBTA and other state and local agencies, he said. In addition, hospitals sharing staff members and enhanced radio communication systems linking state and local agencies coordinate first responders who would otherwise remain disconnected, he added. Serino said high-profile events such as the Democratic National Convention in 2004 and the Boston Marathon are used to practice for emergencies, calling them "planned disasters." Monday's marathon, for example, allowed the BEMS to test its hospital tracking system to notify the families of the more than 500 runners hospitalized for exhaustion. "In an emergency, one of the key things is communication with the injured," he said. "I think that we have to communicate whatever it is to the general public as well." BEMS technicians also coordinate drills, including a recently staged evacuation on the MBTA's Red Line and a larger disaster simulation planned for this fall, he said. Addressing the January bomb scare spurred by suspicious packages used in a Turner Broadcasting advertising campaign gone awry, Serino defended the city's reaction, which some called excessive. "It wasn't just [circuit boards] scattered throughout the city," he said. "There were a lot of things that happened that day that a lot of people don't know." Two devices resembling pipe bombs in Boston and an explosion on a bus in Washington, D.C. the same day had put Boston authorities on high alert, Serino said, adding the city and state agencies' quick and unified reaction proved the emergency response system's effectiveness. Maj. Patti Pettis, a weapons of mass destruction specialist from Atlanta, said she approves of Boston's constant scrutiny of its emergency response plans. "The program will help find where the resources are and where the gaps are," she said. Pettis said the public must understand the city's elaborate emergency response plans to be better prepared in the event of a disaster. "It's up to the local community to be prepared," she said. "[At first], they're going to be on their own." Pettis cited the Virginia Tech shootings as an example of failed communication Boston must avoid, and she said it is vital for first responders to inform the public of emergency situations to put them at ease and avoid mass panic. "Communication makes all the difference," she said. "If everyone works together, you'll leave no gaps." -- Original Source:The Daily Free Press - April 20, 2007
Is UM prepared for a similar emergency? By: Karyn Meshbane // Assistant News Editor Posted: 4/20/07 Monday morning's shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the deadliest such incident in American history, has forced colleges and universities around the country, including the University of Miami, to reevaluate on-campus security. Once news broke of Monday's events, UM's Police Department and administrators reacted within hours. President Donna E. Shalala sent out a statement on Monday afternoon to all students concerning the Virginia Tech tragedy and spoke of a crisis plan, while David A. Rivero, director of public safety, increased police presence in order to avert a possible copycat incident. "We immediately communicated with everybody that's on our emergency response plan so that everybody knew what was happening," Rivero said. "We increased our force by doubling the amount of cops, and we hired extra security guards to give students, faculty and UM employees an extra sense of safety." Rivero traveled to Tallahassee on Monday for a meeting with all police chiefs from the ACC schools to discuss security concerns and plans at the other universities. Officers from the Coral Gables Police Department have also been hired to patrol campus. Security Response Three weeks ago, Rivero met with SG President Danny Carvajal and decided to create the University of Miami Police Advisory Board. Rivero said the advisory board would revolve around student participation to offer an alternate perspectives on possible security vulnerabilities. Carvajal appointed Matthew Shpiner, vice president of operations for the 'Canes Emergency Response (a organization comprised of students who assist the university in times of disaster preparation and recovery), as the chair of the University of Miami Police Advisory Board. Shpiner plans to have an official meeting this week to discuss the board's goals and plan a response to the Virginia Tech shootings. Alan Fish, the vice president of Business Services, said the university is adequately prepared for a similar emergency on campus, based on the Emergency Preparedness Plan. "We've had a crisis management plan since the late '80s, which is constantly evolving every year as issues like [Virginia Tech] come up or technology changes," he said. Fish also told The Miami Hurricane the crisis plan includes a small emergency response team that includes a few "key" administrators, such as Shalala and Provost Thomas LeBlanc, who can meet on a moments notice. After the emergency response team meets, decisions are relayed to the crisis decision team, which includes approximately 100 people who carry out the smaller team's desired plan. The larger crisis decision team is made up of representatives from 57 major areas of the university, such as the various colleges,, medical campus, Department of Public Safety, the Department of Residence Halls and Auxiliary Services. The decision team last met during hurricane season to decide a course of action, which included sending an e-mail notification to students that classes were cancelled as a result of Hurricane Ernesto. Fish said a similar e-mail notification system would be used to warn students in the case of other types of threats. Patricia A. Whitely, vice president for Student Affairs, and Gilbert Arias, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, said they encourage all students to update their cell phone numbers at myum.miami.edu so the university is able to send out voicemails and text messages to all students in the case of a crisis. Currently only 4,600 of roughly 15,670 students have updated their cell phone numbers. In 1996, Hurricane linebacker Marlin Barnes was beaten to death in his on-campus apartment. Whitely, who was the director of Student Life at the time, said UM increased security immediately after that incident and followed the crisis plan UM had at the time. She noted the emergency plan UM uses now has been drastically updated since then, but whether a crisis is large or small, the decision team follows the same guidelines. Shalala also noted in her statement that the Rosentiel and medical campuses also have emergency response procedures. Annie Reisewitz of Media Relations said RSMAS has security during operating hours and no unauthorized persons are allowed on campus. Whitely also noted that both the RSMAS and medical campuses have a comprehensive plan that follows the Disaster Preparation and Recovery Plan on UM's website. Comparative Perspective Because most college campuses in the United States are sprawling by design with large open areas and free access to buildings that house classrooms, the use of unconventional security devices has been utilized by universities such as John Hopkins and Princeton. Johns Hopkins uses a "smart" video camera technology that employs computer algorithms to detect suspicious actions such as a person climbing a fence or loitering around a window. The university currently has 101 "smart" cameras installed on the main campus. At Princeton, professors and university officials are trained to spot depression and are told to contact mental health services when a student may need help. Also, after Columbine, many U.S. high schools installed metal detectors, though colleges and universities did not follow suit. Fish said UM is not planning to add security measures such as metal detectors or "smart" cameras, but he noted the university's crisis team does convene annually to have an "awareness meeting" to discuss issues that may impact the crisis plan. Furthermore, Arias emphasized that during times of crisis the Department of Public Safety, located in the Flipse Building, is staffed around-the-clock by members of the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Communications, who may be reached via the Hurricane Hotline at 305-284-5151. "We constantly update the hotline and the website," Arias said. He added that in times of crisis, such as hurricanes, "We even sleep at [the Department of] Public Safety to be available for students and parents in case they have any questions." More information about UM's emergency preparedness may be found at www.miami.edu/prepare. -- Original Source: The Miami Hurricane- April 20, 2007
By: Jason Javie Posted: 4/20/07 The Virginia Tech tragedy will continue to resonate for some time to come, and rightly so. Many questions surrounding last Monday's events are yet to be answered, and must be in order for the grieving victims and families to move on from the horror that was April 16th, 2007. To be fair, there has been no official statement concretely outlining the events of that fateful Monday morning, although what has been pieced together speaks to a rather shabbily-handled situation. Why was there a delay in the excess of two hours following the first incident before students were notified? Why had President Charles Stegler not declared a campus-wide emergency and locked the school down? Why were students in the classrooms at Norris Hall at 9:10 a.m. trying to make sense of a vague e-mail informing them of the shooting? The only precautionary measure taken by the campus security apparatus prior to 9 a.m. was to lock down the site of the first incident. Shortly after, an e-mail was sent advising the University community of the incident, recommending caution, and instructing them to contact police with any information. Less than one hour later, the gunman reemerged to massacre 30 people in a nearby classroom. One cannot help but ponder if, had more decisive initiatives been taken, many of the deaths and injuries could have been preventable. Freak tragedy, yes-unmanageable, no. As the president of Virginia Tech, Mr. Stegler is responsible for the safety of students during emergencies. In the words of Dr. Sharon Javie, former professor of Marketing at LaSalle University, "It is unconscionable that [Stegler] did not lock the campus down after the first two students were shot. You either apprehend the suspect, or you shut the campus down." I can't say I disagree. While impossible to predict the first shootings, Mr. Stegler has indicated that he thought the first killings were simply the result of a domestic dispute and that the gunman had fled campus. Even so, it's better to err on the side of safety. Mr. Stegler gambled with the safety and well-being of his students and lost miserably. Dr. William Dunkleberg, former Dean of the Fox School of Business at Temple University and professor of Economics, explained the sensitivity of the issue. "Your first response in such a situation is that it's personal and isolated. It is highly unlikely that what occurred is actually the beginning of a killing spree. You're faced with a dilemma." A dilemma, indeed, but if locking down the campus could ultimately save lives, I doubt many would complain. Also unnerving is the lack of mechanisms in place at schools to identify individuals like Cho Seung-Hui and get them help before they act out. Described as an introvert, Cho shocked his fellow students and English professor with disturbing and violent plays written for a class, now posted on aol.com. Issues of free speech and confidentiality would conflict with such systems, but shouldn't there be a point where the line is drawn? -- Original Source:The Miami Hurricane - April 20, 2007
By: WSN Staff Posted: 4/17/07 The shooting yesterday at Virginia Tech was shocking, particularly because of its enormous death toll - 33 students were killed in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. Our condolences go out to Virginia Tech and the friends and families of the victims. While it was an isolated incident that took place far away from NYU, Public Safety is nonetheless beefing up security in response, doubling and tripling up on patrols, with all officers advised to be on "high alert." This in turn prompts us to ask, "How would NYU respond to a similar event?" From the few details that have emerged from Virginia Tech, it appears that the assailant shot and killed two people in a dormitory before moving on to another part of campus, where two hours later he killed 30 others, then himself. It's important to note that the gunman was not a student. So, from that larger question comes two others: Would a shooter still be on the loose two hours later? And would current security policies limit the ability of a nonstudent to commit such a crime? Clearly, having students flash their IDs poses no deterrent for a rampaging gunman - but there's little that can be done about that. Public safety officers at NYU are equipped with a red button on their walkie-talkies that sends an emergency signal to the central station - should central station determine that an emergency is taking place, the New York Police Department would be notified. Direct intervention by campus security officers is frowned upon, and for good reason - without the proper equipment, they too could easily become victims. But the inherent lag time in this emergency system is somewhat disconcerting, given that the packed halls of the Silver Center could produce dozens of victims in just a few moments. That said, given the nature of our Washington Square "campus," it's unlikely a gunman would be able to continue on his way two hours later. Though this sort of event is seemingly random, we'd like to think that they're at least somewhat preventable, which is why we appreciate that the Wellness Exchange is making itself more visible in response. While it's not a perfect solution - especially when the perpetrator's not a student and unable to take advantage - offering these services to the students who need them is a good step toward making students happier and safer. -- Original Source:Washington Square News - April 17, 2007
Public Safety assures senate of campus' safety
By: Sergio Hernandez Posted: 4/20/07 The University Senate adjourned for the academic year yesterday after meeting to address a number of campus-wide issues including a report on NYU's emergency preparedness in the wake of Monday's Virginia Tech University shootings. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Public Safety vice president Jules Martin and emergency management director Jim Kerr delivered a report on emergency preparation and response at NYU, informing the senate of the measures in place to handle campus emergencies. Martin lauded NYU's Office of Public Safety, calling it "second to none" in terms of campus security and emphasizing the importance of strong partnerships with outside agencies such as Federal Emergency Management Agency or the city's Office of Emergency Management. Kerr's presentation, meanwhile, outlined NYU's "emergency plan," which he said would emphasize the importance of "communication, mobilization and action" when responding to campus emergencies. Following Kerr's presentation, John Lee, a student senator from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, voiced his concern about NYU's safety priorities. Specifically, Lee used the example of Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech student who killed at least 33 people - including himself - in a shooting spree at that campus on Monday. Lee, who cited what he called a lack of community at NYU, said he believed a Virginia Tech situation could also arise at NYU and that the university's plans focused too much on response rather than prevention. GREEN ACTION PLAN Lynne Brown and Alison Leary, co-chairs of NYU's Environmental Sustainability Task Force, delivered a report to the senate on the university's Green Action Plan - the series of environmental-responsibility initiatives it announced last fall. Brown said the Task Force would deliver a full report to the university community by the end of the semester, which would include an update on the university's Sustainability Fund. In February, the Task Force announced it would award funding to certain student- and faculty-proposed projects that would contribute to NYU's greening efforts. The Task Force received 46 proposals, 15 of which a Task Force subcommittee had recommended for funding awards, Brown said. She added that the awards range from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars and will be publicly announced in early May. CUOMO INVESTIGATION Cheryl Mills, NYU's senior vice president, general counsel and university secretary, briefed the senate on New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's scrutiny of student lenders and their ties to private colleges. Cuomo's investigation, announced in February, aimed to examine whether universities were receiving kickbacks for listing certain lenders as "preferred lenders." Mills said NYU picks its preferred lenders through a "request for bids" process in which it chooses lenders who offer the lowest rates and the highest coverage for students. Early this month, NYU signed an agreement with the attorney general's office that will require the university to return $1.3 million to Citibank, one of its preferred lenders. Mills said NYU had picked Citibank as a preferred lender because its loans offered the lowest rates and were available to 80 percent of students. Mills also said that Citibank had offered part of its profits to NYU, which the university agreed to take and use for financial aid. Citibank has said it will credit the returned $1.3 million to students' accounts. During the meeting, President John Sexton called Cuomo's investigation "an aggressive exercise of government power" and said NYU's signing of the agreement had nothing to do with wrongdoing, but was because the university was not interested in prolonged litigation. CALENDAR CHANGES The senate also passed a proposal that will add an extra day to the Columbus Day "fall break" beginning in the fall 2008 semester. Proponents of the measure said making Columbus Day a four-day weekend would alleviate stress commonly felt by undergraduates in mid-October. Meanwhile, opponents of the calendar change said they were concerned about its impact on graduate students and whether the extended weekend would really reduce or just postpone the "stress" problem. -- Original Source: Washington Square News - April 20, 2007
The violence on the campus at Virginia Tech draws attention to the emergency procedures and prevention tactics at the University Matt Dickey and Catherine Conkle, Cavalier Daily Associate Editors Days after students at Virginia Tech struggled to defend themselves in the face of the deadliest shooting spree in U.S. history, students at the University can't help but ask a simple, unanswerable question: what if it happened here? According to University officials, who say they are admittedly shaken by Monday's shootings, procedures are in place to deal with similar situations on Grounds. Yet administrators now take on the difficult task of reevaluating safety measures and finding ways to prevent an event like this from happening at the University. U.Va. responds in the aftermath In addition to helping Virginia Tech by offering security and psychological services to Virginia Tech, the University has also steps taken to ensure security on Grounds. "We have done several things in response to the Tech incident," said Susan Harris, assistant to the executive vice president and chief operating officer. "We yesterday increased the number of police officers patrolling ... Grounds and put police and security on high alert for anything suspicious." Although University administrators did consider canceling classes Monday, the administration decided that security concerns did not call for cancellation. "We did not see any increased security risk at U.Va. that would warrant [cancellation of classes] for security reasons," Harris said. Harris also said administrators felt that classes could provide and outlet for students to deal with emotional reactions to the shootings. "Being in class and discussing this with faculty members was a very effective way of dealing with and processing this kind of incident," she said. University spokesperson Carol Wood echoed this sentiment. "Class offers a safe environment where students could come together to talk if they needed," Wood said, adding that if they had canceled class, "students who needed to talk might be isolated." Vice President for Student Affairs Pat Lampkin said while classes will continue, the University will make accommodations for students affected by the tragedy. "We considered how to respond for our students' and community's well-being," Lampkin said. "We did decide to go on with class but to be liberal with those who have a direct connection or are tied closely with Virginia Tech." Emergency response plans As many students struggled to cope with the tragedy, many wondered how University administrators would have dealt with a similar incident on Grounds. Although he would not comment on specific emergency response preparations for possible emergency incidents, University Police Capt. Michael Coleman said the department is ready to respond to a variety of emergency incidents including everything from hurricanes to plane crashes. Coleman also said the University police's emergency response system is integrated with those of the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County through the Incident Command System to provide for a coordinated response. "The Incident Command System is a management system that is being formulated by the U.S. government," Coleman said. "Those systems allow us to integrate with local departments ... to proceed with better coordination of activities." He added that the officers of the three departments have been trained in using the system and are familiar with it through its use at events at John Paul Jones Arena and football games. According to Coleman, the University police department will consider the events at Tech when reviewing the safety plans of the University. "We have a very good relationship with Virginia Tech and we also work with other colleges in the state," Coleman said. "When Virginia Tech has the time to provide the information then we will sit down and try to incorporate the lessons into our own plan. We will take all information and see if any of it is beneficial for the University of Virginia's safety plans." Harris said the event also will be carefully considered as administrators review emergency plans at the University. "There is no question that [with] this incident, just as with any other incident, we will try to learn from it and adjust our policies and procedures to try to improve them," Harris said. Coleman added that his department continuously reviews safety plans independent of the incident at Tech. "We evaluate and reevaluate all of our plans based on the experience of the University of Virginia, based on technological advances, and based on changes in the facilities ... and we do it based on the experiences of other locations," Coleman said. "Even without this particular incident at Tech, we are constantly involved in reviewing safety plans. Certainly we will continue to make those reviews. But it is a constant." Wood said the University is now considering a crisis management director whose job would be to work with the city and county to oversee the University's coordinated response procedure for emergency situations. Emergency warning systems In his speech to the University community at last night's vigil, Casteen stressed the importance of effective "instantaneous" warning systems in case of emergency. Wood echoed Casteen's message. "We want to use everything at your finger tips — anything you can to get in touch with students and faculty," she said. Current emergency warning systems at the University include e-mail, postings on the University homepage, telephone communication and radio and television announcements. "Over the past number of years, we've used the homepage as a place to alert students in a crisis," Wood said. "We're trying to train people that that's the place to go." Wood added that the top bar of the University home page would turn red in the event of a crisis. In case of a Web site crash, they have plans for an "alternative server for basic information." Although the University was already in the process of updating its warning system, the shooting at Virginia Tech has given the matter a renewed sense of urgency. Planned updates scheduled to be implemented by next fall include the ability to send emergency text messages to cell phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) registered with the University. The desktops of University computers would also display emergency information. Harris said because of the incident at Virginia Tech, the University hopes to implement some improvements, such as text message alerts, before the fall. Wood said additional plans include a new pilot program to place large flat-screen monitors around the University in areas such as Newcomb Hall and recreational facilities. "We would get the message out on the flat-screens placed in high usage areas," Wood said. "The flat screens would normally be used for advertising or whatever that building or department wants, but the University would be able to override with an emergency message." Wood also cited a system recently acquired in collaboration with local government titled "reverse 911." "It gives us the ability to target and mass phone-mail people with information," Wood said. "We could tell students with voicemail 'Don't come to class — something has happened.'" Psychological support services In the event of a crisis, Counseling and Psychological Services at the University would play a major role in providing psychological assistance to students. CAPS Director Dr. Russ Federman described how the office would respond. -- Original Source:The Cavalier Daily - April 18, 2007
Virginia Tech panel discusses prevention strategies
Experts in fields of security, law and mental health comprise panel; victims' families voice reactions Daniel Colbert, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer Thursday, April 19, while the nation was still coming to grips with the tragedy that had unfolded in Blacksburg three days earlier, Gov. Tim Kaine created an eight-member panel of experts in the fields of security, law and mental health to investigate fully what had gone wrong and what could be done to help prevent a similar incident in the future. Last Wednesday, the panel held what was to be its last public meeting -- it has since been announced that another will follow -- at the University. While the panel heard testimony on topics as wide-ranging as community mental health services and gun control laws, much of the discussion centered on the unique challenges faced in servicing and protecting a college population. Beyond "lockdown" As schools consider the most efficient and safe methods for responding to threats such as an active shooter on campus, lockdowns are a common solution. In fact, much of the panel's discussion of security procedures focused on the appropriateness and plausibility of a campus-wide lockdown; however, all of the law enforcement experts who testified at the meeting in Charlottesville suggested that responding to such an event is not so simple. "I think we have this impression that we hit a switch and everything is locked and everything is secure, and that is not the case," said Don Challis, chief of police at the College of William & Mary. Challis testified that a lockdown creates a "target-rich environment" in the academic buildings where students congregate. He instead recommended that colleges advise students to take refuge in their own rooms or other safe places. Challis emphasized that colleges need to make it clear in advance what would be expected of students in a crisis situation. "Hope is not a plan," Challis said. "We can't hope that when something happens these people hang on our words and do what we say." Avoiding a tragedy Perhaps the most vexing question surrounding the Virginia Tech tragedy regards the various warning signs of the danger that shooter Seung-Hui Cho posed to others. The panel spent much of the morning hearing ways for universities to more readily identify a troubled student. Central to the goal of pre-emptive action are Threat Assessment Teams. These teams, present at many schools though not formally at the University, are made of up administrators, deans and law enforcement officers that meet to identify and evaluate potential threats posed by students, according to Challis's testimony. Both Challis and Dr. James Madero, a professor at Alliant International University, testified that teams like these can be helpful in preventing school violence. "It needs to be a campus-wide group that includes ... people who have the most contact with students," Challis said. "If they see a flag, they can run that by others." The panel also heard testimony on the effectiveness of campus psychological services, primarily from Russell Federman, University director of counseling and psychological services. Federman pointed to the low suicide rate at the University-- three suicides in the last seven years, which is less than a third of the national average -- as evidence that CAPS is effective in dealing with high-risk individuals. Among the factors contributing to this success, he said, are frequent communication between the administration, faculty and CAPS to determine individuals who may pose threats and follow-up procedures for high-risk individuals who do not appear for counseling. "My hunch is that if Mr. Cho had been involuntarily hospitalized at U.Va. [as he was at Virginia Tech before the shootings occurred], CAPS staff would have become involved with him much earlier," Federman said. Not everyone was satisfied with Federman's reasoning, however. Holly Sherman, whose daughter Leslie was a victim of the shootings, told reporters she thought the procedures Federman described were "very similar" to those in place at Virginia Tech before the shootings. Although he said he was confident that academic deans would have contacted CAPS about a student exhibiting the strange behaviors attributed to Cho, Federman said in a later interview he also could not say with certainty that CAPS would have prevented the shooting. "We can't buy into the illusion that we can control the uncontrollable," Federman said. "The bottom line is if someone chooses to be violent, he or she can be without us being able to stop that." Issues of confidentiality One of the hotly debated issues of the day was the importance of students' rights, as adults, to privacy regarding their mental health records. Panelist Diane Strickland, Law School alumna and former dean of Student Legal Services, asked if CAPS had access to the mental health records of incoming first-year students while another panelist, Dr. Roger Depue, said he wondered if such information would prove to be helpful. Privacy concerns dictate that the University does not have such access, Federman answered, but that is not necessarily a problem for CAPS. Mandatory on-Grounds housing for first-year students ensures that mental health problems are observed quickly by Resident Staff or fellow students, Federman said. He added that even if mental health professionals had access to background information on a student, it would not always be necessary in deciding how to proceed with treatment. Several victims' parents expressed concern that privacy issues may hinder communication between administrators about students who present potential threats and may prevent mental health professionals from informing parents if their children seek psychological help. The experts testifying were divided over whether privacy laws make it difficult to share information among administrators. While Challis testified that privacy laws sometimes make it difficult to determine what information can be shared legally, other experts did not believe this to be the case. "I have been very alarmed by the perception that the law somehow impedes colleges and universities from doing what they think to be the right thing," University law Prof. Richard Bonnie said. Parental involvement does not always help mental health professionals treat students, Federman said, and it is rarely absolutely necessary. College represents a time of transition between dependency and autonomy for many students, and he said he believed, in most cases, automatically involving parents would undermine that transition. "That's quite different from a very acute situation where we're looking at issues of violence and danger to self and where we absolutely need the family involved to help us prevent a tragic outcome," Federman said. During the panel's meeting, Federman resisted a call from Tom Ridge, former secretary of homeland security, to develop standardized guidelines for informing parents when their children seek psychological help, but assured the panel that mental health professionals would breach privacy laws if a situation demanded it. Several of the victims' parents present were unsatisfied with the explanations. "I worry about a society that places individual rights in such a high regard that it jeopardizes public safety," said Catherine Read, step-mother of victim Mary Read. -- Original Source:http://www.cavalierdaily.com/CVArticle.asp?ID=30458&pid=1596>The Cavalier Daily - July 26, 2007
University safety procedures leave students in the dark
Forum | Claire Morgenstern The day following the Virginia Tech shootings, a message from President Cohon was sent out via e-mail outlining procedures for seeking psychological counseling and reassuring us that we had security on campus. The university wished to provide reassurance that "it couldn't happen here." Two days later, on April 19, Carnegie Mellon endured its own potential nightmare. A graduate student was apprehended by police with a three-foot-tall, torpedo-shaped metal cylinder in the backseat of his car behind Smith Hall. Police determined that the object was benign — though they would not, or could not, reveal what it was used for. Not exactly a reassuring scenario. The entire incident lasted less than two hours, and most students were blissfully unaware of it. Officials sent out no e-mail warning, issued no official evacuation or lockdown order. Even now, after 10 days, Official Communications has yet to explain the incident or reassure the campus. No press release has been posted on our own university website, though Media Relations spent hours in the wake of the incident talking to local TV and newspaper reporters, presumably to ensure they had the latest information. University Police literally hung up the phone when asked for information. Despite the horrific events at Virginia Tech and all that we had supposedly "learned" there, Carnegie Mellon made precisely the same potential mistake — cutting off communication to the campus community. President Cohon's post-Virginia Tech e-mail was similarly ambiguous. Serving more as a liability waiver than an instructional tool, it put the burden on students to seek help in an effort to return to normalcy. Cohon and the administration should first hold up their end of the deal by ensuring campus saftey through effective communication instead of arbitrarily offering counseling. That e-mail also linked to an obscure university website that — who knew? — outlined campus safety procedures. This site, ehs.cmu.edu, previously firewalled, was only made accessible in the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre. Still, its utility is limited. A student who visits the site can learn how to prepare for heat rash, SARS, or West Nile virus — but not what to do when he sees someone wielding a handgun. Environmental Health and Safety's (EH&S) emergency communication consists of AlertNow, a system that enables the department to make 5000 phone calls a minute to alert floor marshals of a campus emergency. This system was not implemented on April 19 — an unforgivable decision in the age of text and instant messaging, PDAs, and podcasts. Furthermore, the system only alerts floor marshals and RAs, enabling those who are already in a building to stay there and offering no instructions to those already outside — exactly what happened at Virginia Tech. Carnegie Mellon can do better. Days before the Virginia Tech massacre, Princeton University instituted the Connect-ED alert system. It enables campus leaders to send simultaneous alerts to individuals through landline and cellular phones, text messaging, and e-mail in a matter of minutes using contact information provided by each member of the campus community. While no one could expect such a system to be implemented tomorrow, we have the right to expect basic, essential information to be disseminated promptly through the systems we already have, specifically e-mail and the university website. The university's actions, or lack thereof, are completely insufficient. Clearly, "it could never happen here" is not a valid excuse; hopefully, no student, let alone 33, will have to die before the university improves its safety measures. -- Original Source: The Tartan - April 30, 2007