STAFF EDITORIAL: UNLAlert a great idea, but needs some work
By:Editorial Staff Posted: 8/29/07 This summer, University Police, in cooperation with Information Services and University Communications, implemented a new software system called UNLAlert, most likely in response to the April shootings at Virginia Tech. The software, which students can download and install on their computers, communicates with UNL servers to provide alerts and updates in emergency situations. The thinking is that during an emergency, better communication and dissemination of information leads to a safer campus. We applaud the continuing effort of the university to keep students safe, but the software is by no means an all-inclusive safety net. Far from it, in fact. The software isn't much of an application at all. It's essentially a stand-alone Flash file - University Police are harnessing the same technology used to bring you online Su-Do-Ku puzzles and amusing "Pac-Man" imitation games. And it's big. Really big, actually. Its executable image, the program's memory footprint, is about 16 megabytes - bigger than AOL Instant Messenger and Mozilla Firefox, both of which are full-fledged desktop applications. It should come as no surprise, then, that it constantly consumed almost 10 percent of the processing resources on one of our brand new 2.2-gigahertz design computers. To put that in perspective: Adobe Photoshop, Apple iTunes, and Mozilla Firefox together use less than 3 percent while idle. UNLAlert is no little program that runs in the background. It's not a big deal, though, right? Who cares if it slows down your machine a bit - this application could save your life. Right? Assuming the two servers that are responsible for handling all the emergency alert requests for the entire campus - alert1 and alert2 - stay online, then yes, it could save your life. But, after reverse-engineering and analyzing the software, we're not only disappointed with its performance, we're disappointed with the way information is being distributed to computers. Instead of using industry-standard TCP/IP multicast, which allows data to be distributed to all "subscribers" simultaneously, instantly and efficiently, Information Services is using a simple Web server to distribute information. In an emergency situation, this could lead to heavy network congestion, which could then slow all of our Internet connections on campus to a stand-still. A slow, unresponsive network probably won't help emergency responders, university officials, students or staff. UNLAlert is a great idea that's been poorly executed. With a software rewrite and more robust network design, UNLAlert would prove to be a valuable tool. Until then, it might cause more problems than it solves. -- Original Source:Daily Nebraskan - August 29, 2007
Josh Swartzlander <jdwriter19@yahoo.com>
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>
Duke's response to VaTech tragedy lacking
Editorial Posted: 4/19/07 When news of the Virginia Tech massacre broke Monday, to say that students across the country were on edge is an understatement. The horror and randomness of the event forced students to take a step back and examine their own campuses and ask, "Are we safe?" And members of the Duke community began to question what the safety and notification protocol would be if something of this magnitude occurred here. Many wondered what, if any, steps Duke was taking to tighten security Monday. Those with friends and family at Virginia Tech asked what resources were available for them here on campus. But answers to these queries were virtually impossible to discern. President Richard Brodhead released a statement to The Chronicle late Monday night, which was also published on the Duke News website. In the statement, Brodhead expressed his condolences to the Virginia Tech community and announced an interfaith vigil that would be held Tuesday at the Duke Chapel. But nowhere in the statement was there mention of Duke's own security status. Moreover, while Brodhead said Student Affairs was trying to contact "every student with Virginia Tech connections," there is no way they could identify every student with a "connection." As such, those students with friends or acquaintances at Virginia Tech who the administration did not know about-as well as those simply overwhelmed by the tragedy-were told only that Religious Life staff and the Chapel were available for support. There was no mention of other, non-religious resources, such as augmented, emergency Counseling and Psychological Services, that could benefit all concerned students regardless of religious orientation. Most troubling, however, was the fact that Brodhead's statement was not sent to the Duke community. It was published in The Chronicle, but no one could read it until Tuesday morning, nearly 24 hours after the massacre occurred. And while technically online, the statement was buried on the Duke News site, which is not a major source of information for most students. Many schools posted statements on their main websites. Still others, like The George Washington University, sent mass e-mails to students and their families discussing safety protocol. The Duke administration erred in its response. On a day when colleges and universities across the country stood still, shocked by how suddenly and violently an academic haven much like their own had been violated, Duke was silent. On a day when students and parents, faculty and staff wanted reassurance of their own safety and an assertion that the University stood in support of its ACC counterpart, Duke was largely absent. This is not to say there was no campus response. Religious organizations did an excellent job coordinating Tuesday's interfaith vigil and several religious groups sent out e-mails to their members offering support. Such organizations, however, only touch a certain percentage of students; the Duke community as a whole was still left mostly in the dark about the University's security and support responses. As Duke students, we wanted a prompter, more informative, more widely disseminated statement from the administration. In such situations, when our community is questioning its own well-being and mourning the damage done to another school's sense of security and self, we want to hear Duke's leadership loud and clear. We urge the administration to consider new and better ways to inform the community if it is threatened. And we appreciate Tuesday's interfaith vigil and its visible community power. But we still missed and were puzzled by the lack of a simple, widely available statement of assurance and support. While we hope that such a statement will not be needed in the future, if it is needed, we look to the administration to stand as a stronger pillar of information, of comfort, and of guidance. -- Original Source: Duke Chronicle - April 19, 2007
Virginia Tech, our thoughts are with you
Editorial Posted: 4/17/07 Horrified silence saturated campuses across the country yesterday, as the death toll at Virginia Tech climbed to at least 32 fellow students. The deadliest mass shooting in United States history can be described only as a true tragedy. To begin, as members of the Duke community we express our sincerest condolences to families and friends of the deceased and wounded and to the entire Virginia Tech campus. Our hearts go out to all of those in the Virginia Tech community and all of the students here at Duke who have been touched by this shocking disaster in one way or another. A tragedy like this makes us pause to reflect upon our own mortality. Days like yesterday-filled with images of bloodied young bodies, terrified faces and drawn guns-bring violence and death close to home. As young men and women now in college, we can only hope (although likely and sadly in vain) to never see a day like this past Monday again. And during such times, there is a very human urge to point fingers-to place blame on administrators for not responding effectively or efficiently. But scenarios like those that played out yesterday are extremely hard to prepare for. Hindsight is 20/20, and we cannot judge the Virginia Tech administrators with the knowledge we now have. We trust they had students' best interests in mind and do so still as they seek to recover from the shock and horror of a day nobody can ever really anticipate. Monday's tragedy does, however, provide an opportunity for Duke's administrators to examine their own emergency response procedures. We depend on Duke administrators to keep us informed when urgent situations arise. Although mass e-mail lists serve great informative purposes, a faster mass communication system must be devised to alert students in times of emergency. Because many students come from differing parts of the country, Duke must also devise a plan to inform families quickly or to make themselves available for inquiries in situations of mass chaos. As members of a media publication, in the face of this tragedy we were dismayed to find that some media outlets displayed an almost-salacious interest in this story. The Washington Post ran an article titled "Virginia Tech's Reputation Had Recently Been Soaring," which inappropriately dehumanized the catastrophe as something that could have an effect on image and ranking rather than something that did have a profound effect on human lives. Similarly, a reporter at a press conference asked what sort of effect this event will have on the school's admissions. Such questions were both inappropriate and unanswerable. Subjects like Virginia Tech's reputation can be addressed during another, more appropriate period. Although yesterday's tragedy is in no way comparable to the Duke lacrosse case, the response of some reporters to the Virginia Tech shooting is yet another example of a fact we as Duke students know all too well-how shallow the media can be. The media must remember there is a human element to every event, particularly this tragic event, and they should not rush superficial sensationalism nor dehumanize questions of status. Even though the media has immense power in portraying events and situations, we must remember that a period of coverage does not characterize or define a school in its entirety. No matter how the media portrays a singular event, our schools are not defined by one moment. They are defined by their people, their resolve and their ability to overcome. Virginia Tech, Duke's thoughts are with you. -- Original Source: Duke Chronicle - April 17, 2007
Apr 17 2007 Editorial Yesterday marked one of the darkest days in United States history, as the campus of Virginia Tech collapsed to the tune of gunshots, cries and panic. The morning's horrific aftermath was broadcast on every major news network: students sprinting across campus; SWAT teams taking cover next to their vehicles; an exasperated and exhausted police chief and university president, trying to explain how a bastion for safety and growth — a college campus — could suddenly become the setting for a nightmare of unimaginable proportions. The event bares a shocking resemblance to the 1999 Columbine massacre and comes eight years to the week of what was once our country's worst school shooting. Facts came in bursts; the banners of CNN.com changed right before our eyes; and the death toll seemed to double without any explanation. No one was able to affirmatively answer basic questions such as, "Who was involved?" "What were the motives behind the shootings?" And if there was one killer, "Why was he able to roam free a second time and inflict even more harm?" The tragedy hits home not only for Cornell students trying to reach their friends at Virginia Tech but also because of its chilling reminder that no university is immune to violence of this magnitude. At Cornell, we picture ourselves as existing in solitude and safety, removed from the harsh realities of aggression and evil that blot the world. Nearly every person that sets foot on the University has grown up in environments where such inhumane acts have never been commonplace. But what if a lone gunman had opened fire at Kennedy Hall at 9:45 a.m. instead of Virginia Tech's Norris Hall? What if two students were dead by breakfast time at a North Campus dorm instead of at West Ambler Johnston Hall? Can the Cornell administration rationally and smoothly handle this seemingly unfathomable situation? Evidence pouring in from Virginia Tech points to some degree of miscommunication and flawed procedure. Why were students huddled in dorm rooms and classrooms forced to scour the Internet for information about their own precarious situations? Why didn't the Virginia Tech administration lock the entire campus down until the violence was under control? What led the administration to believe beyond a reasonable doubt that the killer had not only left campus, but also the state? In the past, Cornell has had to grapple with acts of violence that seemed to spawn out of nowhere. In 1983, a 26-year old New York City man shot and killed two students and tried to take his own life in Low Rise 7. And last year's stabbing of Union student Charles Holiday is still fresh in the minds of many at C.U. As the case of Virginia Tech has shown, a more appropriate administrative response may have prevented a cataclysmic loss of life. Cornell has proven incapable of preparing for a simple snow day — even with ample warning and preparation. We hope that Virginia Tech can self-examine its reaction to yesterday's crisis and determine if it could have improved its response. Hopefully, other universities will, in return, re-evaluate their own emergency response systems. Our deepest thoughts, condolences and prayers go out to those affected by yesterday's events. Comments There But For The Grace... This editorial asks the right questions. Most, however, are not aware of how close we came in 1983 to a tragedy nearly of yesterday's proportions. Before killing his two victims, the 1983 murderer held nearly a dozen students captive in that Low Rise 7 suite (I lived on the floor below). It was only because the man's primary target, a quiet, shy freshman girl, persuaded him to let most of the others go. Her bravery saved the lives of all but herself and her room-mate. What if she hadn't found the courage to do so? How would the University have responded? And as you've asked, what would be the response today? Beyond the prayers and the tears, we have an obligation to those who died yesterday to make sure that this kind of horror doesn't happen again. By Joel Melby ('84 at April 17, 2007 - 9:36am 1983 killings Thank you, Joel, for remembering the bravery on Yong Hee Suh '87. She and her roommate, Erin Neiswand '87, were the only victims that night. Many more could have died. It has been rough to watch the news today and think back to that Saturday night in 1983. Fred Barber '87 Historian and Webmaster, Class of 1987 By Fred Barber '87 at April 17, 2007 - 9:07pm -- Original Source: Cornell Daily Sun - April 17, 2007
Jonny Lieberman <jdl46@cornell.edu>, <lieberman.jonny@gmail.com>
Emory's Campus No Place For Guns Issue date: 5/1/07 Section: Editorials The recent controversy concerning funding for a College Republicans' trip to a shooting range has brought the issues of gun control and campus safety to the forefront of the Emory discourse. Last Wednesday, College Council denied the College Republicans funding to help pay for a trip to a local shooting range. The College Republicans said they hoped the trip would promote safe and responsible gun handling and ownership. College Council legislators say they withheld the funds due to safety concerns, even going so far as to propose an amendment to the organization's monetary code prohibiting the use of College Council funds to purchase or rent firearms and ammunition. Generally speaking, we believe College Council should be able to fund activities like a trip to the shooting range. Shooting is a sport recognized by the NCAA, and shooting range sessions monitored by professionals are exceedingly safe. Amending the monetary code to prevent such trips is unwarranted. It's unfortunate that the shootings at Virginia Tech took place just weeks before the scheduled date for the trip, but given that the College Republicans had been planning this event for quite some time, we don't believe the shootings are an adequate reason for the trip to be cancelled. Although some could perceive the trip as insensitive, there is still an immense difference between safely firing a gun at a target and using a gun to commit mass murder. If the College Republicans want to take a trip to the shooting range, then they should receive the same support given to any other group. What we cannot condone is the College Republicans' plan to request permission from University President James W. Wagner to carry concealed weapons on campus. This idea was proposed by nationally syndicated radio host Lars Larson on whose show Tittsworth appeared to discuss the Council's decision to deny funding. Under current Georgia law, it is illegal for a civilian to carry any sort of weapon or explosive compound while on school property. There's a reason such a law was passed. We understand the need for protection and the value of feeling safe at school, but we do not believe that allowing more guns on campus will help foster the open learning environment we want at the University. Allowing guns on campus would propagate an atmosphere tinged with the spectre of possible violence. This would make us less safe, rather than moreso. The only people who should be allowed guns on campus are those who have gone through rigorous training to become certified in their use and have taken an oath to protect the citizenry - in this case, the Emory Police Department. The College Republicans should realize that by tying the issue of funding from College Council to the ludicrous question of concealed weapons on campus, they are only hurting their prospects of getting that money in the future. Who would want to give money for a shooting range trip to a group that has expressed its desire to carry concealed weapons on campus? As the Second Amendment states, there is a place for guns in our society. The shooting range is one of those places - Emory's campus is not. -- Original Source: Emory Wheel - May 1, 2007
"Christopher H. Megerian" <cmegeri@LearnLink.Emory.Edu>
By THE DARTMOUTH EDITORIAL BOARD, Published on Friday, April 20, 2007 There is no easy answer to the question, What could have prevented the Virginia Tech massacre? Perhaps nothing could have been done. However, gun violence occurs every day across America and the ready availability of guns exacerbates the problem. After Ali Abu Kamal shot and killed seven atop the Empire State Building 10 years ago, then-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani called for Congress to "do more" in monitoring the ownership of guns in this country. It is unfortunate that it takes tragedies of these magnitudes to jumpstart conversation about gun control, but gun control has been an issue long before the events in Blacksburg or Columbine or New York City. It is our hope that the heinous acts of one man on one college campus will awaken college students at Dartmouth and across the country to force this issue to the forefront of the national political arena - and that it stays there. It's easy to present statistics seemingly demonstrating that the presence of handguns either increases or decreases senseless deaths. One thing is for sure: The debate here hinges on safety and the prevention of violence - not the peripheral goals of hunters and the gun industry. Guns are an unfortunate part of the American tradition. No one can seriously suggest that arming students or classrooms would be valid measures to combat violence. The non-sporting arguments against gun control contend that citizens should have the right to have firearms in their home to protect against intruders. No reasonable individual thinks people should carry weapons around. A rational measure that could help prevent another Virginia Tech massacre would be the institution of more in-depth checks and restrictions on those who want to purchase guns. As for the Dartmouth community, we are in a unique position. Every presidential candidate who is serious about winning the White House will be visiting Dartmouth in the coming months. When they come, we must force them to address gun control. Research candidates' positions. Ask pointed questions. In the wake of the Virginia Tech attack, Giuliani, like many of the candidates, is now hiding behind the Second Amendment, declining to talk about ways to make this country safer. Regardless of where each of us stands, we should make it our duty to put the spotlight on gun control and force the candidates to do so as well. -- Original Source: The Dartmouth - April 20, 2007 Reprinted with the permission of The Dartmouth
"Edward D. Kalletta III" <publisher@thedartmouth.com>
By PUBLISHED APRIL 17, 2007 On Monday morning, 32 students at Virginia Tech were killed and about 30 others injured by a shooting at the hands of a fellow student. This tragedy raises questions about the nature of events like this and what Columbia might do in a similar situation. Yet the administration was slow in publicly responding to the event, and when it did, it failed to address the crucial question about what the University's response plan would be. The University should have expressed its sympathy, explained the counseling options available to students, and addressed safety concerns on Monday when the shootings occurred. The tragedy hit especially close to home on campus-first, because the victims were fellow students, and second, because many students here have friends and acquaintances at Virginia Tech. The University's immediate response should have been to give some notification telling students where they could go for counseling if desired. Tonight a candlelight vigil will be held on Low Steps for the victims, and the Counseling and Psychological Services office will be open until 11 p.m. for students who need its services. This is a good step on the University's part, but it should have made those resources available more quickly and opened CPS for extended hours. Questions have also been asked about how effective Virginia Tech officials were in securing the campus after the first round of shooting. Naturally, these questions raise concerns about Columbia's own emergency management plan and the safety and security of its campus. University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann and Dartmouth College President James Wright have released statements offering condolences to the Virginia Tech community and providing information about the security of their respective campuses, as well as publicizing the counseling services that they have available. University President Lee Bollinger should follow suit and send an e-mail to the entire University explaining the details of its response plan. Obviously, students do not need the University to hold their hands. But the University does have the responsibility to help them get through tragedies such as this and to encourage them to seek help if needed. Merely informing students more quickly of what counseling options were available would have been of significant help to students, as would have information about what the University would do if a similar crisis occurred here. Tonight at the candle light vigil, Columbia students will come together in solidarity. The University must do the same, providing students help and support. -- Originial Source: Columbia Spectator http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/24900
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
Issue Date:Wednesday April 18, 2007 Section: Editorial Section There are still many questions left for the Blacksburg, Va., community as police and federal agents continue to investigate the gunman's trail. But there is one startling fact we are all aware of: Students and the rest of the university's community were not notified of the first shooting until nearly two hours later. And when they were notified, many did not take the message seriously until, in many cases, they saw bloodshed for themselves. It's hard not to think about how West Virginia University and others across the country would respond if a similar situation took place on their campuses. As explained in a news story in today's Daily Athenaeum, WVU officials say they do have an emergency plan in place. But does it need to be modified to be made more efficient? In a much less dire situation, WVU administrators took several hours to cancel classes when roads were too icy to drive on during a snowstorm last March. When Virginia Tech officials did notify the campus of the shootings, the message was mass delivered through an e-mail. Many VT students wondered aloud to the media if the tragedy could have only been an incident if they were notified earlier. And what if e-mails simply can't be read when the power shuts off or students and faculty don't check their accounts? We're glad to hear University officials are looking into campus-wide text messaging and messaging centers that are visible to traffic. Innovative measures such as these are some of the best ways to reach everybody at once nowadays. Still, in an emergency, cell phone network lines could become loaded, making messages hard to send. That's why universities, including WVU, need to work with local companies and networks to make plans for mass communication during security threats. Of course, nothing can change Monday's monstrosity. But if communities and administrators work together now, they may be able to prevent another tragedy. -- Originial Source: The Daily Athenaeum http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27573
ssue Date:Tuesday April 17, 2007 Section: Editorial Section By Monday afternoon, the nation was shocked by the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech. At least 32 people were killed and more than 20 were left wounded in the nation's most violent school shooting ever. Though the campus of West Virginia University did not directly experience the tragedy, Mountaineer students found themselves anxious and alarmed as the news spread across the country. Some were distracted from their studies, while others waited with bated breath to hear word from their Hokie friends. Every student on every college campus is affected when an event like this occurs. As Virginia Tech mourns the loss of its students in the coming days, and some continue to mourn for many years to come, the staff of The Daily Athenaeum sends out our thoughts and sympathy to those who lost loved ones in Monday's shooting. When an event like this occurs, no matter what college campus you call home, you are taken out of your comfort zone. It's hard to fathom what Virginia Tech students, staff, faculty and families are going through. As a peer institution and ultimately a friend of Virginia Tech, we hope that they will be able to mend after such a horrifying occurrence. As the end of the semester draws near, it is hard enough to deal with the stress of classes, projects and final exams. Now, Virginia Tech students will be faced with even bigger obstacles. While we go through the next few weeks, take the time to remember those who were lost in this unspeakable tragedy. Enjoy every day, and take time to tell your friends and family that you care about them. It's unfortunate, but sometimes we are so wrapped up with our daily lives that it takes an event like this to bring us back to reality and remind us to be thankful. Again, our hearts and thoughts go out to those affected by the shooting. We will continue to think about you as we undergo the mourning process alongside college students across the nation. -- Original Source: The Daily Athenaeum http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=27549
Issue Date:Monday October 15, 2007 Section: Editorial Section Six months after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, West Virginia University and others institutions across the country have taken positive steps to reevaluate their security approaches, but there is still work to be done. On Friday, the University president, student body president and head of the campus police announced a new system to send text messages and e-mail alerts in the case of crimes, weather delays and closures, and other emergencies at WVU. Everyone is encouraged to sign up now for the service at http://emergency.wvu.edu. University President Mike Garrison has a history of emphasizing security at WVU. When he was president of the student body in the early 1990s, he worked on lighting issues around campus, as well as block captains and watch programs in Sunnyside. And now, as president, he is moving in the right direction. But the system doesn't solve everything. The University has a history of suppressing the true number of crimes it is required by federal law to report. Three years ago, Security on Campus, Inc., a watchdog group, filed a federal complaint against WVU for crime misreporting and said the University's behavior represented "the worst case of corruption we have encountered to date." Hopefully all the problems have been worked out. But it's hard to be sure if the University is doing better or worse on campus safety issues if we can't rely on figures from the past. Nor has the administration made good choices about weather cancellations and delays. In March, the University canceled classes for a snowstorm only after power had been lost and restored on the Evansdale Campus, the PRT had been unreliable or shut down, buses ran behind schedule and professors and students endured a dangerous day of trying to make it to class or sitting in nearly empty classrooms. These are not things that a new text system will solve - this is decision-making and the decision about what to do in a situation has nothing to do with the ability to announce it. Hopefully no one ever gets a message that there is a fire or shooting. But, if the unfortunate should happen, the language of the text should be as clear and concise as possible. Casual text message language, replacing numbers for letters and abbreviations that don't make sense should be avoided. Remember that officials at Virginia Tech said their campus was safe after the first death in the morning. Then there were 31 more. It's good that the University has entered a new era and is getting in touch with students via the medium of our time. We just hope they also change their approach and utilize this new message system properly. -- Original Source: The Daily Athenaeum http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=30553
Issue Date:Friday August 31, 2007 Section: Editorial Section West Virginia University, like many colleges around the country, has been dealing with a ripple effect of concern from faculty, students and parents alike in regards to the shooting at Virginia Tech earlier this year. A report, commissioned by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine yesterday, revealed the failings of the Virginia Tech response to the situation. Earlier this week, The Daily Athenaeum ran a story about our college considering a variety of crisis options, including one widely thrown around by the media: text messaging. According to the Aug. 24 article, "Chief Bob Roberts of WVU's Department of Public Safety, the University may try mass text messaging, siren alerts, video displays and safety awareness programs." "We are currently trying to evaluate how we would put this all together," Roberts said in the article. The communication and notification committee are going to meet together to discuss final issues regarding these plans." While it is important that the University and its law enforcement officials corroborate on ideas to better alert and inform the WVU community about possible dangers, it is also necessary that we take a step back and encourage truly practical ideas, designed not for flashiness but for mass utilization and for the clearest, most direct announcement of danger. While text messaging is a great idea, some cell phones and carriers have reputations for messages arriving days late. Additionally, not everybody has them. Plastering LCD screens everywhere on campus that will regularly need replacing, the visibility of such screens may be too low to properly alert everyone. The University could most benefit from a University-wide speaker system, an idea highlighted in the DA article. A centralized speaker system that could be piped into classrooms, much like those in K-12 schoolrooms, could easily be channeled into the PRT and its stations (which are both already equipped with its own radio system), and in the open areas between buildings. This would be an effective way to alert those in danger and issue appropriate lockdown procedures. It is the unfortunate gain of the rest of us in the college community throughout rest of the country - that we are able to reassess our handicaps and flaws in regards to our emergency response systems. It is also unfortunate that it is left up to national situations like the shooting at Virginia Tech to spearhead such movements. Those that perished on April 16 paid the ultimate price, in part, due to "missed opportunities" to seize gunman Cho. Let us hope that we, as colleges, are able to learn from this tragedy, and are able to avoid our own "missed opportunities" if, God forbid, anything like the tragic events at Virginia Tech should happen here. -- Original Source: The Daily Athenaeum http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=29638
Staff Editorial Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Viewpoint There are still plenty of questions surrounding what happened Monday at Virginia Tech. But one thing that isn't up for discussion is that Notre Dame should have a plan in case the unthinkable happens here. Which is why University President Father John Jenkins' e-mail Thursday discussing emergency plans was a welcome - and much needed - announcement for students, faculty and, maybe most of all, parents. That message didn't come, however, until days after the shooting - days of wondering and worrying and wanting to know what Notre Dame would do. Earlier this week, members of the administration and Notre Dame Security/Police were unwilling to comment on the University's preparedness for such an emergency, leaving students questioning if the plan was fully developed. But now, Jenkins has reassured the community through an e-mail that, while somewhat vague, promises the University will work to further prepare for anything that may come along. It's understandable that Notre Dame would need time to work out certain details before making a plan public. Still, when information of this nature isn't being released, it's important to tell people why, instead of generating anxious speculation that no plan exists. Hopefully, Notre Dame's plan will eventually include the text-message initiative, one of the few specifics Jenkins included in his e-mail. If implemented, the procedure would go a long way to helping Notre Dame not repeat the delay in warning students that happened in Blacksburg. While other details of the plan will likely always be kept secret, it's necessary to be open about all procedures and safety measures that do not compromise security - and open in telling students when information isn't released due to security concerns. -- Original Source: http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/20/Viewpoint/Security.With.Transparency-2870855.shtml
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 Lokman, assistant vice chancellor of University Communications, called the incident a "rumor-control" issue for the university. He said media relations officials spent Wednesday contacting City News Service and other media outlets to correct reports, such as KCBS's report of a "UCLA Gunman" which was later removed. "We all realize we're in a fast media environment," he said. "These kinds of things always drive home (a) level of angst. ... (It's) important not to add to the angst." Greenstein said e-mails were later sent out to various mailing lists or list-servs that went to building coordinators and residence halls. "The e-mail that people are talking about was addressing the rumor control," she said, referring to the list-serv notice at around 4 p.m., after the incident was over. E-mails were not sent out to the entire UCLA community. "One thing (we) want to avoid is over-noticing people. Focus groups (formed after the Virginia Tech shooting) have said if they get too much information or bulletins, they stop looking at them," Greenstein said. "When it's really important, we're going to tell you." Chakravarty contacted UCPD and was told there was no shooting and the students were not in danger. There are 435 students who attend the on-campus elementary school, which is the laboratory school of the UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, according to the school's Web site. The school day ends at 2:40 p.m. and students wait to be picked up in the carpool area at 2:45 p.m. The incident was first reported at around 1:30 p.m., according to witnesses, and police re-opened the streets by 3:20 p.m. She said it was good that officials tried to lower people's anxiety, but believes she should have been notified immediately, even if her school was not at risk. "(It's) important that we be informed so that we can take action if we need to, and we can allay the fears of the parents," she said. "Parents hear things, they get worried, they call us and they expect us to know." Since the Virginia Tech shooting on April 16, university campuses nationwide have been sensitive to campus safety issues. Greenstein said Wednesday's incident was not an issue of public safety and was not similar to the events at Virginia Tech. But she added that emergency protocols would have been enacted had the situation been similar to the Virginia Tech shooting. "(They are) totally not comparable situations," she said. Lokman said there are trained officials and processes in place if there had been a more serious incident. He said that depending on the situation, university administrators could choose to use one or more different means of mass communication for safety purposes, such as loudspeakers on police cars, and the campus television station on channel 3 and the emergency radio station, 1630 AM. He said there is also technology in place, created before the Virginia Tech shooting, that would allow the university to instant message the community and override Web sites such as the UCLA home page and MyUCLA. "That is technology we're evaluating to add to our mix of options," he said. Gabe Rose, Undergraduate Students Association Council president-elect, said university administrators should consider alternative methods of communication. He said since students do not constantly check their e-mails, "(it's) important to look for other ways to distribute the message. ... E-mail is not effective." Instead, Rose said student leaders and university officials should rethink the current policies to come up with different ways to reach students in case of emergencies, such as a text-message system. "It's important to not get caught up in the status quo, but to be creative and think harder," he said, adding that students should express their concerns and share ideas with student government leaders on how to make the campus safer. "If you don't feel safe on campus, that's a huge problem," he said. Greenstein said it is important to distinguish between rumors and official university notices but said the incident on Wednesday was relatively minor. "(There were) very few people who had issues. ... Many people saw it for what it was worth," Greenstein said. -- Original Source:The Daily Bruin - May 18, 2007
US churches call for gun control following university shootings
News Brief By staff writers 17 Apr 2007 Expressing the sorrow of many Christians in the US at yesterday's killings in Virginia, the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches USA (NCC USA) has also renewed the NCC's call for 'meaningful' legislation to prevent gun violence. "My pastor's heart breaks for the families of those who died today," said the Rev Dr Bob Edgar following the fatal shooting at Virginia Tech University. "Faith leaders have spoken up continually about the epidemic of gun violence in our country," Dr Edgar said in a statement. "Despite repeated calls from faith and community leaders to Congress and presidents nothing ever seems to get done to stem the tide." Dr Edgar, himself a former Member of Congress, lamented that the issue of gun violence seems to get such little attention from those who have the power to do something about it. "How many more will have to die before we say enough is enough? How many more senseless deaths will have to be counted before we enact meaningful firearms control in this country? How many more of our pastors, rabbis and imams will have to preside over caskets of innocent victims of gun violence because a nation refused to stop the proliferation of these small weapons of mass destruction?," said Dr Edgar. Edgar pointed to the NCC USA's 1967 policy calling for firearms control and a March 2000 interfaith campaign calling for an end to the epidemic of gun violence in the nation. "The escalation of gun violence compels us to call for an end to the manufacture and easy distribution of such instruments of destruction," Edgar said in 2000 and reiterated that statement today. Edgar invited people of faith and goodwill to send messages of support to a weblog set up by the Virginia Interfaith Center. The NCC USA is an ecumenical voice of America's Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican, historic African American and traditional peace churches. These 35 communions have 45 million members in 100,000 congregations in all 50 states. -- Original Source: Ekklesia http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/5059 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License.
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License
WCC leader backs calls for effective US firearms regulations
News Brief By staff writers 18 Apr 2007 World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary the Rev Dr Samuel Kobia has expressed "deep sorrow" over "this new horror of random violence" that took place at Virginia Tech University on Monday 16 April 2007. To his prayers for the families and the wounded, he added international church concern for more effective regulation of firearms. "Churches around the world join churches and councils of churches in the US in sending sympathies to those who are suffering, and in upholding parishes in Virginia in their ministry during these difficult days", said Dr Kobia in a statement published yesterday. Dr Kobia affirmed that "In deference to those who have died and with concern for the future, we all must ask why such killings happen so easily. Why are these incidents repeated as if there are no remedies? "We are all Virginians in our sympathy, but many people around the world are also Virginians in their vulnerability to the misuse of unregulated guns", Kobia declared. "Wanton killings", "indiscriminate use of armed force" and "widespread availability of deadly weapons" are features of the Virginia tragedy but are also present daily in Darfur and in Iraq, he said. Dr Kobia called for "firm and appropriate controls" on the globalized trade in small arms. He notes, among other factors, that the "pro-gun position adopted by the US administration" has been "one of the major obstacles" to progress toward that goal. The World Council of Churches, which brings together Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and indigenous churches across the globe, has a longstanding concern for combating violence. The Decade to Overcome Violence and build a culture of peace has brought together church and civic groups. It has included a 'peace to the city' initiative which included action on gun crime and domestic attacks. -- Original Source: Ekklesia http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/5069 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License.
Korean church leaders caution against backlash after US shootings
News Brief By staff writers 21 Apr 2007 Korean and American Korean church leaders are calling for "healing, reconciliation and peace" amid concerns that the Virginia Tech shootings by a South Korean native could lead to a backlash against Koreans. "I was really shocked to hear that this senseless crime was committed by a Korean-immigrated student," said Bishop Kyung-Ha Shin, president of the Council of Bishops of the Korean Methodist Church. In a letter from Seoul sent on 18 April 2007, Bishop Shin offered condolences to the bereaved families and the American people while hoping "there will be no undesirable negative feeling and attitude toward Koreans." Meanwhile, in the United States, more than 250 leaders of the National Association of Korean American United Methodist Churches were holding their annual meeting 16-19 April in Chicago when the shooting occurred. As word of the shooter's identity spread, the mostly clergy participants began receiving calls from their home churches asking for guidance. "The whole community was in shock and did not know how to respond, but we prayed for the victims and their family members and the school and the community," said the Rev Keihwan Ryoo, editor of United Methodists in Service, who was reporting on the gathering on behalf of the Korean-language magazine published by United Methodist Communications. Several pastors received reports that Korean American students had been bullied in their mostly white schools as the week progressed, Ryoo said. The caucus held a memorial service for the shooting victims and released a pastoral letter. "We pray that the violence that has needlessly taken innocent lives does not escalate nor happen again," said the Rev Hoon Kyoung Lee, chairman of the association. "Furthermore, we are especially concerned that the immigrant community and the children of minorities may become targeted by anti-racial backlash because of this incident. "We pray that all of our friends and neighbors will support the Korean-American community in striving for healing, reconciliation and peace." The 16 April 2007 massacre in Blacksburg, Virginia, left 33 people dead, including the lone gunman, Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old senior majoring in English literature. Born in South Korea, he moved to the United States in 1992 at age 8 and was raised in the suburbs of Washington DC, where his parents worked at a dry cleaner store. Authorities said Cho appeared to shoot his victims randomly. In a video made prior to the killings and sent to NBC-TV, he ranted about rich kids and portrayed himself as persecuted. Lee asked people throughout the church to prayer for the shooting victims and their families, the family and friends of Cho, and the minority and immigrant community in the United States. "We departed from this meeting with a heavy heart," Ryoo reported. "A lot of churches planned special memorial services over the weekend." Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, of the Northern Illinois Conference, said the church's American Korean community is "weeping and praying" with the rest of the world. He said grief and concern over such events cross all racial and ethnic lines. "We pray for our young people and those feeling a sense of vulnerability, isolation, insecurity and fear on their campuses, and even in their homes," Jung wrote in a pastoral letter from his Chicago office. "... I encourage each of us to offer the ministries of comfort, healing and love." [With grateful acknowledgments to the United Methodist Church News Service USA and reporter Marta W. Aldrich] -- Original Source: Ekklesia http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/5109 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 England & Wales License.
Media's responses to Virginia Tech shootings spur discussion about ethnicity, mental health, violence By Eli Rosenberg Tuesday, May 1, 2007 The issues of ethnicity, mental health, and violence in American society were some of the key topics addressed yesterday at a forum organized in response to the shootings at Virginia Tech. The talk, titled "Media, Ethnicity and Public Response," was sponsored by both Student Psychological Services and the Dashew International Center, and was moderated by Elizabeth Gong-Guy and Bob Erickson, the directors of each organization, respectively. "International students and scholars have great concern about issues of violence in American society, and this event gives them opportunity to participate in the discussion of this issue at UCLA," Erickson said. He said Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus on April 16 before taking his own life, was originally reported erroneously to be an international student. A few people expressed surprise that the issue of Cho's Korean ethnicity was such a focal point of debates that took place after the issue. Gong-Guy described how she was brought to tears after listening to the apology of Cho's sister on the radio. "(It was) the idea that she was apologizing not for herself or her brother, but for all Koreans and Asians on the whole," Gong-Guy said. The discussion, which covered questions of violence, mental health and racial relations in American culture, highlighted some of the issues brought up in the media after the shootings. Most of the seven participants seemed critical of the media's handling of the shootings, particularly in the early stages of the crisis. "Media seeks to take the most sensationalized portrayal of issues in this era of 24-hour news," Erickson said. The talk also touched on the changes and debates that UCLA has experienced in the aftermath of the attack. "One of my first reactions is that it could have happened here," Erickson said. The issue of mental health particularly was presented as a problem that affects college campuses nationwide. "When something of this nature happens, it creates a ripple effect across the whole nation," Gong-Guy said. Gong-Guy also spoke about the importance of simple mental health techniques for the prevention of such events. "A lot of our efforts are focused on prevention - training students to use stress training techniques so resilience is higher, getting people to sleep better," Gong-Guy said. Erickson spoke about how the university has tried to come up with a mass communication system to alert students, workers and faculty in the event of such a disaster. Erickson also said universities have a responsibility to shift focus from students' individual accomplishments to social and community involvement. "Maybe we need to look more at community involvement (in admissions)," he said, adding that UCLA's new holistic admissions process was a step in that direction. The talk, attended by a handful of people, lasted for about an hour. No undergraduate students were in attendance. While the numbers fell short of the organizer's expectations, a few people saw this lack of attendees as a positive sign. "I'm really happy that there's not that many people here" because high attendance would have been a sign of grief and anxiety in the student body, said local resident Hsuan-Shiang Wu. -- Original Source: The Daily Bruin - May 1, 2007
By Elise Ma Tuesday, April 24, 2007 Since last week's shootings at Virginia Tech, officials at UCLA's Student Psychological Services have received many more calls than usual from people reporting concerns about other students. While SPS has set up specific services to address the incident, it is also working to expand its general services in response to research suggesting college students require more mental health assistance than is currently offered. And though SPS offers various services both in person and online, funding remains problematic, and some students said they are unsatisfied with both the quality of the staff and the availability of appointments. "Short-staffed, we try to do what we can and are usually pretty successful in addressing the needs of most students who come in, but it would be easier for the staff here to manage if there were more of us," said Elizabeth Gong-Guy, SPS clinical director. Christina, a first-year English student who asked to be identified by her middle name, said she was dissatisfied with her visit to SPS, specifically noting concerns about the conduct of the psychologist she met with. She said at her appointment she was surprised to be met by a graduate student trainee, who immediately asked, "Do you mind if I record this? I want to study this later." "It really turned me off because it seemed very unprofessional to me," Christina said. "I didn't want someone who is just 5 years older than me to use my therapy session for practice." The environment made her feel uncomfortable, so she did not return to SPS. Instead, she decided to return to the therapist she went to at home, she said. Gong-Guy said some students prefer one-on-one counseling with graduate student trainees, who are supervised by the professional clinicians on the SPS staff, and that students have the option of requesting a different counselor. "A lot of psychotherapy is about the match between the clinician and client, and sometimes it takes one or two tries to get a good fit," she said. Another concern some students had with SPS is the amount of time they had to wait to get an appointment. Tiger Curran, a second-year communications studies student, said she tried to make an appointment during her freshmen year when she was feeling depressed and homesick, but could not get an appointment for three weeks. "Those things should be taken care of within a reasonable amount of time," she said. "What if I was really suicidal or something? 'Come back in two weeks.' Are you kidding me?" Curran said by the time the appointment came around, she was asked to reschedule since SPS could not offer her the original time, though by then she was no longer in her "winter slump." In an effort to make mental health assistance more available to students, SPS has in recent years introduced new services, including walk-in counseling, Gong-Guy said. Since SPS began offering walk-in appointments, the number of students seeking counseling has jumped 30 percent, she added. SPS also offers group counseling, couples counseling, stress clinics, Web resources, online brochures and urgent counseling services including walk-ins and crisis counselors available 24 hours a day via telephone. And after the shootings at Virginia Tech, additional resources have been made available on the SPS Web site, including an online screening to check for symptoms of distress, suggestions for dealing with distress, and a discussion group to be held next week. "An event like this, because it is so tragic and has national, local and personal implications, raises people's levels of vulnerability. It is important to reach out, and we're hoping people would come for that," Gong-Guy said. Last quarter, the Undergraduate Students Association Council organized its first Mental Health Awareness Week. One purpose of the week was to remove the stigma from psychological issues, said USAC General Representative Joline Price. "The more students who feel comfortable getting help and knowing they are not alone, the better our campus is as a whole," Price said. She added that she believes extending SPS's hours could help encourage students to use the services. The University of California has begun diverting more resources toward its campuses' counseling services. In a 2006 student mental health report, the UC Board of Regents said counseling services on its campuses are understaffed and underfunded, even as campuses are seeing an increasing number of students with severe mental health issues. In March 2007, the Board of Regents voted to set aside 43 percent of its revenue from a 7-percent increase of registration fees, accumulating $4.6 million to fund UC mental health services for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. UCLA SPS plans to use the additional funding to increase its staff. "With more clinicians, we could do more of what we need to do. We could reduce the amount of time in between appointments, offer more groups, more services," Gong-Guy said. -- Original Source: The Daily Bruin - April 24, 2007