Remember the Hokies
description: Issue Date:Tuesday April 17, 2007 Section: Sports Section By Tim Tassa, Sports Editor Monday morning's events make sports seem so petty, so irrelevant. Every year there are one or two tragedies of monumental proportion that unite people and draw to mind that there is more to life than a rivalry, a goal post, a field and a coach. And, unfortunately, April 16, when at least 32 people at Virginia Tech were killed by a deranged gunman, was one of those days. It marked the beginning of a time to reach out to the Virginia Tech community, for so many at West Virginia University - through geography, friends and family - are connected to the institution. The day after the deadliest shooting on a college campus in United States history brings nothing but disbelief, outrage, curiosity and grief. As we often do during times of bewilderment and mourning, we ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" And still, there is no answer. As a University that is familiar with Virginia Tech, whether on the playing field, academically or socially, it is only human to keep southwest Virginia in our thoughts just a day after such a disaster. But the effects are much more widespread. After the images displayed on network television, Monday's violence will be remembered just as the Kent State, University of Texas and Columbine shootings - except at an even larger level. In addition, the events may be a catalyst for change in the way higher education is conducted nationwide. Or at least in security procedures. For those of us sitting in large lecture halls and residing in campus dormitories, the anxiety and horror of what happened in Blacksburg, Va., doesn't seem very far. The realization is that tragedies of this magnitude can happen on any campus, big or small. For current WVU students, sitting in class today will feel much different than it did last Tuesday. In speaking with a few VT students on Monday, the realities of the events had yet to hit them. By day's end it surely had. It was …
creator: Tim Tassa
date: 2008-02-18
contributor: Kacey Beddoes
rights: Leann Ray <Leann.Ray@mail.wvu.edu>
language: eng

The Virginia Tech Shootings: A Case for Redundant Communications
description: By Fred Burton Tuesday, April 17th, 2007 Campus police at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Va., on April 17 identified the perpetrator of the shooting rampage on campus a day earlier as South Korean English student Cho Seung Hui. Thirty-three people died as a result of the attack and several others were injured, some seriously. The shooting began about 7:15 a.m. on the fourth floor of co-ed dormitory West Ambler Johnston Hall. According to reports, Cho shot and killed his girlfriend and then a resident assistant who responded to the sound of the shots. Police were investigating those shootings when Cho stormed Norris Hall, a classroom building some half a mile away, and opened fire on faculty and students, killing another 30 people. The rampage ended when Cho killed himself. Authorities have not released many of the details of the attack, though several important points can be ascertained from the known facts. Given the history of school and university shootings in the United States, the certainty that others will occur and the warning from the FBI about a possible Beslan-style militant attack, the lessons from the Virginia Tech attack can be instructive - perhaps even lifesaving. Methodical Planning First, the shooting was planned in advance and methodically executed. This conclusion is supported by the fact that Cho carried two pistols and loads of ammunition, that he went directly to another building for the second phase of the attack and that he used chains to secure the main doors to Norris Hall before opening fire. The chains served to keep targets inside the building and to impede the entry of responding law enforcement officers. Cho had studied the building and planned accordingly. Although criticism has begun over the level of security at Norris Hall, and Virginia Tech in general, attacks of this nature cannot be prevented by security devices and programs. Educational institutions, especially sprawling universities, are sof…
creator: Fred Burton
date: 2007-09-22
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License
language: eng

No bomb on CMU campus
description: By: JARED TRENT STONESIFER Assistant News Editor Posted: 4/20/07 Pittsburgh Police responded to a report of a bomb in a Carnegie Mellon University parking lot yesterday and later deemed the area safe. Forbes Avenue was closed for more than an hour yesterday afternoon after someone called 911 and allegedly saw a person putting a bomb in a white car. Police later spotted the reported car and pulled it over in a parking lot on Carnegie Mellon's campus. After inspection the device was rendered safe, according to Pittsburgh Police Zone 4 spokesman Matthew White. "Someone called in what they thought may have been a bomb," White said. "The car was inspected at CMU, which does a lot of work with the Defense Department, so it was a call we had to take seriously." Forbes Avenue reopened around 2:30 p.m. yesterday after the Allegheny County bomb squad found a cylinder in the back of the car and deemed it not to be dangerous. The driver was detained for questioning and an investigation is pending. White admitted that the recent incident at Virginia Tech has people more anxious and that more precautions than usual are now needed. "Virginia Tech has everyone on edge," he said. "This week is also the anniversary of the Columbine shootings and the bombing at Oklahoma City." -- Original Source:The Pitt News - April 20, 2007
creator: JARED TRENT STONESIFER
date: 2007-08-19
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Annie Tubbs <annietubbs@gmail.com>
language: eng

University enacts many campus security measures
description: By: ELI DILE Staff Writer Posted: 5/22/07 The Virginia Tech massacre in late April was a shocking reminder of the importance of campus safety. Pitt, which spends more than $9 million annually on security measures, has many organizations and programs that promote safety on campus. First and foremost, the Pitt police department safeguards the lives of students every day and represents the third largest police force in Allegheny County. In addition to officers on foot, bicycle or motorcycle, the department includes 74 commissioned police officers and has a minimum of four cars patrolling Oakland's streets during each shift. There are four Pitt police stations on campus. They are located at Sutherland Hall, Sennott Square and two locations on Forbes Avenue, one between the Barco Law Building and David Lawrence Hall. The other is the new Public Safety Building located at 3412 Forbes Ave. Students can report crimes by calling the Pitt police at (412) 624-2121 or by dialing 4-2121 on a campus phone, going to one of the stations or by using the anonymous tips portion of the Pitt police's website at www.pitt.edu/~police. More than 500 emergency phones, which students can use to contact Pitt police in case of an emergency, are located across campus. Exterior and garage phones are easily identifiable by their blue lights. In addition, nearly 300 surveillance cameras are spread throughout the campus and are monitored 24 hours a day. The University also maintains many other safety measures beside the University police. In the event of a campus-wide emergency, the communications center at the Public Safety Building is equipped to lock down 80 percent of Pitt's buildings. Also, the University can send emergency e-mails to students, faculty and staff and make emergency announcements over the public address systems in campus buildings. Pitt's Office of Sexual Assault Services provides counseling and medical services for anyone who has been sexually harassed or abused. Students can r…
creator: ELI DILE
date: 2007-08-19
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Annie Tubbs <annietubbs@gmail.com>
language: eng

Provost Update August 17, 2007
description: Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:25:23 -0400 From: Provost@vt.edu To: Multiple recipients <LISTSERV@LISTSERV.VT.EDU> Subject: Provost Update August 17, 2007 August 17, 2007 Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues: You are probably noticing that the students are moving back to Blacksburg this week. (It is a good time to stay away from Washington Street.) The start of the fall semester is always an exciting time and we will be welcoming over 5,000 freshmen in the great new class of 2011. We will also be welcoming approximately 100 new faculty colleagues across all eight colleges. The first day of class will be a memorable adventure. Many departments and colleges have been busy this week with pre-semester retreats, planning sessions, and orientations. I realize that you are receiving multiple forms of communication about ongoing and new activities. I am going to highlight a few key issues and events recognizing that you have heard or will hear more about each of these items in different ways. 1. The three internal reviews requested by President Steger will be presented soon. James Hyatt chaired the group looking at infrastructure and security; Erv Blythe chaired the group looking at networking; and Jerry Niles chaired the group looking at the relationships among the academic, judicial, counseling, and legal systems. Each group will provide an overview of existing structures and programs and will make recommendations for enhancements. Some of the relevant items have been or are being implemented already (such as VT Alerts), and a comprehensive summary and outline of additional security enhancements was prepared by Executive Vice President James Hyatt. A note of immediate relevance to faculty instructors: the general assignment classrooms are being fitted with hardware that will allow rooms to be locked from the inside with automatic unlocking features when exiting. 2. The dedication ceremony of the memorial on the Drillfield will be held at noon on Sunday. All members of the univers…
creator: Mark McNamee
date: 2007-08-17
contributor: Brent Jesiek
language: eng

Security Update
description: Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:00:00 -0400 From: Unirel@vt.edu To: Multiple recipients <LISTSERV@LISTSERV.VT.EDU> Subject: Security Update August 16, 2007 Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff, With the return to school and the beginning of the new academic year, I know that you may be wondering what will be different on the Virginia Tech campus. Our university experienced violence and sorrow of unimaginable proportions this past spring. Many members of our community are still struggling physically and emotionally from direct or indirect involvement in that April tragedy. I trust that our mutual support and respect for each other will help the entire university community emerge stronger and full of Hokie Spirit. Soon, we will be announcing the results of the three Presidential working groups on security infrastructure, telecommunications, and inter-departmental protocols related to the events of April 16. However, I have received many questions about the status of classrooms and I am pleased to share with you now changes that are already underway. Classroom locks General assignment classrooms have had locks installed on the doors. These locks are designed so occupants can lock the door from inside the room in times of emergency. These locks are also designed so that the door does not remain locked after someone leaves the room. This feature will prevent people from locking the door as a prank or accidentally locking the door as they exit. Police, EMS, and some departmental personnel will have a key that will unlock these doors from the outside. Building door hardware In an effort to prevent unauthorized securing of interior and exterior pairs of doors in major academic and administrative buildings, the hardware on door pairs deemed susceptible to chaining, cabling, or being tied together are being removed and replaced. This work is currently ongoing and will be completed in accordance with the building priorities established by the Virginia Tech Police Department. Emergency …
creator: James A. Hyatt
date: 2007-08-15
contributor: Brent Jesiek
language: eng

MUPD, OPD evaluate emergency response plans
description: By: Caroline Briggs Posted: 4/20/07 In the wake of the shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute Monday, Miami University's police and administration, along with Oxford Police, are checking Oxford's own ability to respond to such an emergency. Miami President David Hodge sent an e-mail to Miami students, staff and faculty Tuesday stating that Miami's police force is highly trained and able to deal with a live shooter situation. Hodge's e-mail also outlined specific guidelines for students in a lockdown situation. According to Miami University Police Department (MUPD) Chief John McCandless, changes have not been made to the current lockdown policy; however, he and his fellow officers have been preparing for such a situation on Miami's campus for quite some time. "We've been training for an active shooter for a couple of years," McCandless said. "We can tweak the police based on what worked and what didn't (for Virginia Tech police). There is a lot of misinformation streaming to the media for the first 24 to 48 hours in a situation like that. We will learn from the more solid information that the media reports in the following four or five days." Though MUPD only has 29 full-time police officers, McCandless said he is not concerned about quantitative manpower in an emergency. He said the Oxford Police Department (OPD) has 25 full-time officers and the Oxford Township Police has 10 full and part-time officers. McCandless said these departments would fully support Miami police if necessary. "We have a wonderful professional relationship with the local police agencies," McCandless said. "(This will) add up to be a substantial police contingency in the case of an emergency." According to both McCandless and OPD's Chief Steve Schwein, the first force to respond to the most critical police situation; similar to the one in Blacksburg, Va.; would be Oxford's Special Response Team (SRT) Team, comprised of seven OPD officers, one Oxford Township officers and five MUPD officers…
creator: Caroline Briggs
publisher: The Miami Student
date: 2007-08-14
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: "Skotzko, Stacey Nicole" <skotzksn@muohio.edu>
language: eng

Shooting raises questions of safety
description: 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 Serv…
creator: Karyn Meshbane
publisher: The Miami Hurricane
date: 2007-08-09
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Greg Linch <greglinch@gmail.com>
language: eng

Editorial: The necessary right of self-defense
description: From the May 2007 Print Edition Respectfully observing tragedy is never easy. Tempering a respect for the deceased and their families with a desire to draw upon lessons from the tragedy to prevent future occurrences is touchy. Indeed, allegations have already been levied that some have exploited the Virginia Tech shootings for political gain. Within hours of the attack, gun-control advocates began a full-fledged campaign against gun-rights politicians, as many in the media were quick to call for increased regulation of guns, ostensibly to prevent future tragedies. We at the Patriot give our condolences to the families of the deceased, and pray for a quick recovery of those affected by the attack. At the same time, we take a firm stand against gun-control advocates who attempt to offensively use the recent tragedy to silence other voices. The aftermath of Columbine was no different. Second Amendment advocates were branded "insensitive" and politicians seized the opportunity to put gun-control measures on the table. However, Virginia Tech bears little resemblance to Columbine. Though the first two student deaths in the dormitory were unexpected, the subsequent slayings in Norris Hall could have been prevented with adequate campus security and warnings. The issue at question should be the shoddy campus security and an administration's apparent complacency in the face of red flags; campus officials issued only an e-mail warning to students after the first two victims were found murdered. Virginia Tech's administration is not unique. UC Berkeley's own stance on security is laughable, in the face of a locus of crime around People's Park. Vagrancy exists as a catalyst for crime, yet is permitted to continue. Admittedly, muggings and university shootings are on separate planes, but the complacency about student safety is the same. Unfortunately, it takes a tragedy before bureaucratic and disconnected administrations get serious about student safety. Despite the fact that th…
creator: California Patriot
date: 2007-08-05
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License
language: eng

What if it happened here?
description: 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 t…
creator: Matt Dickey and Catherine Conkle
publisher: The Cavalier Daily
date: 2007-07-31
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Meggie Bonner <meggiebonner@gmail.com>
language: eng

Security 101: Salem State and other campuses step up safety
description: By Dinah Cardin/salem@cnc.com GateHouse News Service Fri Jul 13, 2007, 12:29 PM EDT Salem - Paducah. Jonesboro. Columbine. They may sound like destinations toured by a small garage band, but if we reach back in memory, they are actually cities that have suffered at the hands of teenage angst combined with dangerous weapons. The Virginia Tech massacre this past spring was a wake-up call to institutions of higher education all over the world. High schools may have their metal detectors and movies starring Michelle Pfeiffer about tough street kids and their violent behavior, but colleges have so far been wide open to strangers and incident. As Shane Rodriguez, deputy director of the Salem State College Police Department, says, when Seung Hui Cho fatally shot 32 students and faculty at Virginia Tech, he created "our 9-11." Last July, campus police placed an officer on the task of emergency preparedness. But Virginia Tech put the wheels into rapid motion. "When people send their sons and daughters to college, the last thing they expect is that they will be gunned down in a classroom or residence hall," says Rodriguez. That's why on June 29, Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett convened the first annual Essex County College Summit, linking campus security departments with the state police and the FBI. Officers from Salem State, Northern Essex Community, Endicott, Marion Court and Gordon colleges discussed their various security measures and listened to Col. Mark Delaney from the state police outline a training program for dealing specifically with school shooters. One of the most unique questions posed to Delaney was whether students should be locked in or out during a hostile shooter situation. His answer? Less moving parts means less confusion for law enforcement. Lock the doors, get away from the windows and wait for the "cavalry." The cavalry could be any number of local, state and federal law enforcement officers. But getting them on campus can take a while. Tha…
creator: Dinah Cardin
date: 2007-07-17
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0
language: eng

Business as usual at high school after Virginia Tech shootings
description: By Ryan Bray GateHouse Media Thu May 03, 2007, 02:22 PM EDT Scituate - In the two weeks since the Virginia Tech shootings swept through the college town of Blacksburg, Va., people nationwide are still struggling to grasp and adjust to the tragic events that left 33 students and faculty members at the school dead. But miles an miles away from all the mourning and controversy, it's business as usual at Scituate High School, as students and faculty members go about their daily routines. Students rush about the halls while seniors, many of whom are in the process of hearing back from colleges and making their plans for the fall, count down the remaining days of their high school careers. "It hasn't impacted them at all," said Sherri Lewis, director of guidance at the high school, regarding the impact of the shooting on outgoing students. "They all seem very excited." But while students have carried on with things as they otherwise would, that's not to say that the Virginia Tech shootings haven't had some effect on the school, however slight. Principal Donna Nuzzo-Mueller said the shootings are of greater concern to teachers than to students, whom have come to learn of the tragedies from a distance through television and the news. "I think our educators dwell on this more than the young people do," Nuzzo-Mueller said. "Developmentally at their age, I think it's difficult to grasp the severity of it all at that stage of their lives." However, students are reacting in their own ways. Nuzzo-Mueller said several school groups and clubs have rallied to raise money for a fund established for the families of the shooting victims. Others, she said, have likely dealt with the tragedy outside the school with friends and family. "We certainly have kids who want to reach out and help, and that's natural," she said. The shootings almost immediately brought attention to the issue of how to better prepare and respond in the event of a similar emergency in the future. Administrators and…
creator: Ryan Bray
date: 2007-07-17
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0
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

C.U. Officials Discuss Response to Va. Tech
description: By Ben Eisen Sun Staff Writer Apr 25 2007 "Half of college students report having felt extremely depressed," said Ray Kim, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, to a crowd of students in Goldwin Smith's Hollis E. Cornell auditorium yesterday afternoon. "60 percent of students report feeling absolutely hopeless at times. 10 percent of students reported seriously considering suicide. How many people knew it was this bad?" No one raised their hands. Kim was one of four speakers on a panel yesterday afternoon to speak about the Virginia Tech tragedy and Cornell's level of preparedness for such emergencies. Hosted by Omega Phi Beta Sorority and Lambda Phi Epsilon, the goal of the discussion was to bring the past week's events home to our campus. Other speakers included George Sutfin, head of crime prevention at Cornell Police, Chief Curtis Ostrander who has worked for CUPD since before the 1983 shooting at Cornell, and Dr. Ya-Shu Liang, who works for Counseling and Psychological Services. "Every time something happens [response and prevention] plans are reevaluated," Sutfin said. "Columbine got everyone reevaluating response," added Ostrander. "New training was developed. I was one of the first officers who received training." Sutfin told the audience that Cornell is now in the process of making a contract with a company that alerts everyone on campus of emergencies by text message. "If something happens at an elementary school, it's easy to shut down, but Cornell is a small city, and it's very hard to shut down the entire campus. Studies show that 90 percent of students have cell phones, so [the new plan will] send texts to everyone in a circumference." Though the officers were unable not comment on their current response plans to the specific type of emergency that happened at Virginia Tech, Sutfin said that CUPD senior staff sat in on meetings to discuss changes to the plans while the panel was going on. He added that a lot of prevention rests in the han…
creator: Ben Eisen
date: 2007-07-10
contributor: Sara Hood
rights: Jonny Lieberman <jdl46@cornell.edu>, <lieberman.jonny@gmail.com>
language: eng

Officers waiting for the President
description: Several police officers (both local and state) are visible and present during the convocation. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndicken/464088526/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 2.0
creator: Nathan Dicken
date: 2007-05-30
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Permission Nathan Dicken http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndicken/464088526/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 2.0
language: eng

Message on Safety and Security
description: (This message was distributed to all faculty, staff and students April 27, 2007.) In the days following the Virginia Tech tragedy, our solidarity with and sympathy for the faculty, staff, students and families affected by the loss of lives on April 16, 2007 remains front and centre in our minds. Openness and access are features that define us as a university, and we cherish those attributes greatly. At the same time we are conscious that these features make us vulnerable to the behaviour of troubled or violent people. Our overall approach to providing a safe environment is therefore guided by the desire to maintain and nurture openness while doing all we can to prepare for, prevent, and respond to crisis situations. The events of Friday April 20 were a good test of our overall philosophy and systems with respect to both safety and security. Shortly before 5 pm, a report was received of a male with a rifle in the vicinity of the bowl. Saskatoon Police Services (SPS) and Campus Safety responded, conducted a sweep of buildings in the vicinity, and declared the incident over at 7 pm. The next day SPS concluded, based on the report of another eyewitness, that the rifle was actually a bike seat and post and declared the incident a false alarm. This incident demonstrated strengths in our systems, including effective coordination with SPS. It also highlighted some areas for improvement, including our ability to communicate with the entire campus when necessary. There are many dimensions to our approach to safety. Our department of Campus Safety maintains a 24-hour watch over the campus, with a team of security staff on duty and a video-surveillance system. The U of S works closely and cooperatively with Saskatoon's emergency service organizations, engaging in joint training initiatives. There are a number of additional safety measures in place including safety alert notices, the Safewalk program, campus emergency phones, and counseling and health services for staff and stud…
creator: Peter MacKinnon and Richard Florizone
date: 2007-06-09
contributor: Brent Jesiek
rights: Creative Commons Attribution 2.5
language: eng

Presidential Protection
description: Police presence surrounds the campus for both security purposes and the visit of President Bush. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndicken/464086824/in/set-72157600089911912/ Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 2.0
creator: Nathan Dicken
date: 2007-05-30
contributor: Chad Newswander
rights: Permission: Nathan Dicken http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndicken/464086824/in/set-72157600089911912/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 2.0
language: eng

Officials examine ways to make school safer
description: By Joe Cressman Elmhurst Press Tue Apr 24, 2007, 04:35 PM CDT ELMHURST, IL - The April 16 tragedy at Virginia Tech has Elmhurst College officials looking at ways they can make their own campus more secure. One of those ways is to teach the community how to respond to danger signs among students, said Tony Leggett, director of campus security. "We've done a number of things," he said. "We sent out a letter to give students some of the warning signs, how to report if someone on campus they know (is) emotionally distressed." He also has been in contact with the Elmhurst Police Department. Sometime this summer, police will rehearse practice responses to an on-campus shooter, Leggett said. Charley Henderson, director of public relations, said the Virginia Tech massacre has everyone thinking about how safety measures can be improved. "This campus is essentially safe, but you never say never," he said. Original Source: http://www.chicagosuburbannews.com/elmhurst/news/x1910945457 Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5.
creator: Brent Jesiek
date: 2007-05-19
contributor: Brent Jesiek
language: eng

https://www.april16archive.org/items/show/90
description: There are times when the three hour time difference between the East and West coasts is significant in ways one could never imagine. On April 16, this time difference meant that when I arrived at work at 8:00 am the events at Virginia Tech had already occurred, although it would be some hours until a more complete picture about the magnitude of the tragedy became clear. In the days since I have again felt myself to be part of that unique family that is Hokie nation. I have been in contact with roommates, friends, and teachers that I had not spoken with in years. And I have thought a great deal about the meaning and implications of the shootings. In many ways, this is just part of my normal activities. I work for a research center that examines how forces of global change are transforming security threats that confront states and their citizens. I often spend much of my day thinking about threats and vulnerabilities from terrorism, crime, and infectious disease. But the events of April 16 have presented me with a challenge as I consider the events not only from a security studies perspective, but also as someone who lived in Blacksburg for five years and earned two degrees from Virginia Tech. A few years ago, the center I work for conducted a project on school safety and emergency preparedness. One of the lessons I came away from the project with was an understanding that school shootings occur in places that seem unlikely, most often suburban and rural areas. In this way, Virginia Tech is like many of the other campuses - California State University at Fullerton, the University of Iowa, San Diego State University, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Virginia Appalachian School of Law, the University of Arizona Nursing College, and West Virginia Shepherd Universityâï¿½ï¿½that have been victims of shooting incidents. None of these schools are located in areas that spring to mind as particularly dangerous or crime ridden. Another lesson I came away from our pr…
creator: Bryan McDonald
date: 2007-05-02
contributor: Bryan McDonald
language: eng