By Kang Shin-who Staff Reporter Virginia Tech (VT) students didn't want to think about the massacre incident any more during the press conference with Korean media. Eighteen students and two professors of the school visited Konkuk University on Tuesday where they will attend summer school programs for a month. When it came to the shooting rampage by a South Korean immigrant student, they were firm in not talking about the past, saying none of them personally knew the killer or were at the scene of the crime. ``We do not judge Korea on the actions of one. We really ask that the media respect our grieving process,'' said Adnan Barqawi, 19, who is studying accounting and information system at VT. ``I personally lost two friends during the incident, I think that being on my own and being with my friends is what is going to help me.'' ``Coming to Korea happened because this is a part of my education. We have an increasing participation of the people of this world. My intention is not to stop my education because of adversity. I am here to learn and pursue my education,'' Adnan added. All students were wearing maroon and orange ribbons on their shirts. Asked the meaning of the ribbons, Cheryl Tait, 22, said that they represent the support of VT from all the universities in the United States. ``The ribbons symbolize our hope and all the support for one another,'' she said. Instead, VT members were excited about their new experience in Korea and wanted to talk about the programs they are scheduled to take part in here. ``This study abroad program was planned before the shooting. The students signed up and although they could have cancelled their decision to come, none of them did,'' VT professor Devi Gnyawali said. ``The study abroad program is a joint one with Japan and Korea. To learn about the culture and to tour various Korean companies for example Samsung and Hyundai, we came here.'' Lastly, they confirmed that the brutal incident will not affect Korean people at all. ``Generalizing a group of people because of the action of one person, in my opinion, would be wrong because Cho was sick, he had mental illness which could effect everyone and so I think to associate Koreans with ill will is wrong,'' said Daniel Lesneski, 20, who is studying finance. ``I agree with Daniel, I am a Korean American and I know from personal experience there was no hostility toward us _ we are a big community and no one was singled out,'' said Elizabeth Chin, 20, who is majoring in accounting. kswho@koreatimes.co.kr Jung Joo-yang, Joan Kim, Korea Times interns, contributed to this article. -- Original Source: Korea Times http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/nation_view.asp?newsIdx=3760&categoryCode=117
Karen Harper 22 Apr 2007 There will be a lot of blame dished out in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre. But one element will be missing and that is the system itself. Capitalism and the society it nurtures will remain unscathed in the big business press. In the aftermath of another school shooting in the US, many will be asking why and some will be trying to lay blame. The shooter's parents will be blamed for how they raised him; the school will be blamed for how it dealt with his mental illness; and his schoolmates past and present will be blamed for how they teased and ostracized him. However, the blame will mostly not be laid where it appropriately belongs; on the head of capitalism and the social values that it has nourished. No individual can be looked at out of context of the larger society, and this young man and what he became cannot be understood without first looking at the society he came from. Unfortunately, the "angry loner" type that has done these sorts of shootings in the past is not the product of an isolated genetic mutation that happens unpredictably and that cannot be prevented. Such people are a real product of their environment and the direct result of capitalism's impact on personal development and mental health. This society promotes individuality, self-absorption, and competition over solidarity and collective struggle. Is it any surprise that some young people are so incapable of not only identifying with the group and its larger good, but also of even, in severe cases, forming any kind of meaningful relationship with another individual? These people after years of painful experiences can come to the conclusion that they are completely unloved and unlovable. Because we are social beings, this conclusion makes life difficult to continue. Capitalism is daily bombarding our self-esteem; we are never good enough under capitalism. There is always some drug to make us happier, some surgery to make us thinner, some car or house or job that will make us more respected. The inevitable consequence of this pressure is that some people will consider themselves failures when they judge themselves up against the values of this society. In some cases this will only further increase some individual's isolation and anger. This terrible brutal crime is an ugly, warped but nonetheless, direct product of big business'‚ value system. Capitalism will continuously attempt to encourage an obsession with money, fame and the worship of individualism. This in turn will inevitably be accompanied by what we saw at Virginia Tech this week. This will not be the last individual so void of solidarity as to massacre his classmates. The outpouring of empathy towards the victims of this crime is a sign of the enormous human and working class solidarity that exists in this society. The crime itself is a consequence of the corrupt and rotten values of those who are in control at the top. Related http://www.laborsmilitantvoice.org -- Original Source: http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/77317/index.php Licensed under Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication.
Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication
Memorial to nine student victims from Virginia Tech's Department of Political Science and International Studies Program.
By: Karl Spaulding Posted: 5/7/07 When Florida liberalized its restrictive and disjointed system of concealed carry laws in 1987, many states followed suit. In each case, naysayers predicted everything from "blood in the streets" to "parking lot shootouts." Just as regularly, after each state changed the law to allow more law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns, the results were peacefully anticlimactic. Within a year or so after a law changed, a law enforcement or political figure would be quoted in an article admitting they were surprised that there had been no major problems. Now after the Virginia Tech shootings, there are those wanting concealed carry to be allowed on college campuses. I've wanted this for ages, not as an "answer" to mass shootings (there is no single answer), but because it would further improve the safety of individuals who are legal to carry elsewhere in Ohio. Predictably, the naysayers are still at work. They claim the same tragic consequences as they always have, aggravated by our youthful population and the abuse of alcohol. One of the arguments that keeps popping up is that "everyone will have a gun." They expect us to believe that the most irresponsible students will start carrying guns while drunk, wreaking havoc in our residence halls and classrooms. What they don't mention is that in Ohio the minimum age for a concealed handgun license is 21. Plus, applicants have to take a 12-hour training course. At most, only around 4 to 5 percent of state populations obtain gun carry permits. Plus, schools could still be allowed to ban guns from their residence halls. I could state that these predictions are balderdash, but there is a better way to show this: real life results. "Campus carry" already exists. Utah is the only state that specifically allows licensed gun carriers on college campuses. Until just recently, the administration of the University of Utah banned legally concealed guns, but a decision from the Utah Supreme Court forced them to comply. Other colleges in Utah, including the College of Eastern Utah, have had legal concealed carry since at least 2003. If there were serious problems with these schools, wouldn't we have heard of them by now? Opponents of campus carry don't like to talk about what happens in the real world; only what happens in their pessimistic, sociologically illiterate minds. The best reason for allowing CHLs on campus is that those of us who want to go armed need to carry as much as possible to make it a habit. The safest place for a defensive handgun is on one's person, not locked in a car (currently allowed by Ohio law on campus) or at home. No one can predict when they might be attacked, so one needs to carry a defensive weapon as much as possible. Do you only wear your seatbelt when you think you will be in a crash? Proper weapons training (another thing most administrators don't have) dictates that weapons should be carried in the same place as much as possible. When faced with danger, the mind will be occupied by other things, and one's weapon presentation should be automatic. This is true for any weapon or tool that will be used under stress. Unfortunately, our society ignores the real purpose of defensive weaponry, and stigmatizes handguns as suitable only for killing people instead of admitting their real purpose: saving innocent human life from an unexpected attack. A 1995 study, which showed firearms are used more than 2 million times per year in self-defense, described how prosocial uses for weapons at the very least cancelled out the negatives. Another criminologist, the late Marvin Wolfgang, followed that article with his own, expressing surprise as well as admiration because he had long been against firearms ownership, but could find nothing wrong with their methodology. CHL holders do not become violent, "Wild West" savages when they come onto campus. Those of us who carry simply want to be able to protect ourselves to the best of our abilities at all times. Yes, campus is relatively safe, but the neighborhoods surrounding OSU and the places where visitors come from may not be. Society is not made any safer by restricting individuals' right and means to self-defense. -- Original source:The Lantern - May 7, 2007
Is UM prepared for a similar emergency? By: Karyn Meshbane // Assistant News Editor Posted: 4/20/07 Monday morning's shooting rampage at Virginia Tech, the deadliest such incident in American history, has forced colleges and universities around the country, including the University of Miami, to reevaluate on-campus security. Once news broke of Monday's events, UM's Police Department and administrators reacted within hours. President Donna E. Shalala sent out a statement on Monday afternoon to all students concerning the Virginia Tech tragedy and spoke of a crisis plan, while David A. Rivero, director of public safety, increased police presence in order to avert a possible copycat incident. "We immediately communicated with everybody that's on our emergency response plan so that everybody knew what was happening," Rivero said. "We increased our force by doubling the amount of cops, and we hired extra security guards to give students, faculty and UM employees an extra sense of safety." Rivero traveled to Tallahassee on Monday for a meeting with all police chiefs from the ACC schools to discuss security concerns and plans at the other universities. Officers from the Coral Gables Police Department have also been hired to patrol campus. Security Response Three weeks ago, Rivero met with SG President Danny Carvajal and decided to create the University of Miami Police Advisory Board. Rivero said the advisory board would revolve around student participation to offer an alternate perspectives on possible security vulnerabilities. Carvajal appointed Matthew Shpiner, vice president of operations for the 'Canes Emergency Response (a organization comprised of students who assist the university in times of disaster preparation and recovery), as the chair of the University of Miami Police Advisory Board. Shpiner plans to have an official meeting this week to discuss the board's goals and plan a response to the Virginia Tech shootings. Alan Fish, the vice president of Business Services, said the university is adequately prepared for a similar emergency on campus, based on the Emergency Preparedness Plan. "We've had a crisis management plan since the late '80s, which is constantly evolving every year as issues like [Virginia Tech] come up or technology changes," he said. Fish also told The Miami Hurricane the crisis plan includes a small emergency response team that includes a few "key" administrators, such as Shalala and Provost Thomas LeBlanc, who can meet on a moments notice. After the emergency response team meets, decisions are relayed to the crisis decision team, which includes approximately 100 people who carry out the smaller team's desired plan. The larger crisis decision team is made up of representatives from 57 major areas of the university, such as the various colleges,, medical campus, Department of Public Safety, the Department of Residence Halls and Auxiliary Services. The decision team last met during hurricane season to decide a course of action, which included sending an e-mail notification to students that classes were cancelled as a result of Hurricane Ernesto. Fish said a similar e-mail notification system would be used to warn students in the case of other types of threats. Patricia A. Whitely, vice president for Student Affairs, and Gilbert Arias, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, said they encourage all students to update their cell phone numbers at myum.miami.edu so the university is able to send out voicemails and text messages to all students in the case of a crisis. Currently only 4,600 of roughly 15,670 students have updated their cell phone numbers. In 1996, Hurricane linebacker Marlin Barnes was beaten to death in his on-campus apartment. Whitely, who was the director of Student Life at the time, said UM increased security immediately after that incident and followed the crisis plan UM had at the time. She noted the emergency plan UM uses now has been drastically updated since then, but whether a crisis is large or small, the decision team follows the same guidelines. Shalala also noted in her statement that the Rosentiel and medical campuses also have emergency response procedures. Annie Reisewitz of Media Relations said RSMAS has security during operating hours and no unauthorized persons are allowed on campus. Whitely also noted that both the RSMAS and medical campuses have a comprehensive plan that follows the Disaster Preparation and Recovery Plan on UM's website. Comparative Perspective Because most college campuses in the United States are sprawling by design with large open areas and free access to buildings that house classrooms, the use of unconventional security devices has been utilized by universities such as John Hopkins and Princeton. Johns Hopkins uses a "smart" video camera technology that employs computer algorithms to detect suspicious actions such as a person climbing a fence or loitering around a window. The university currently has 101 "smart" cameras installed on the main campus. At Princeton, professors and university officials are trained to spot depression and are told to contact mental health services when a student may need help. Also, after Columbine, many U.S. high schools installed metal detectors, though colleges and universities did not follow suit. Fish said UM is not planning to add security measures such as metal detectors or "smart" cameras, but he noted the university's crisis team does convene annually to have an "awareness meeting" to discuss issues that may impact the crisis plan. Furthermore, Arias emphasized that during times of crisis the Department of Public Safety, located in the Flipse Building, is staffed around-the-clock by members of the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Communications, who may be reached via the Hurricane Hotline at 305-284-5151. "We constantly update the hotline and the website," Arias said. He added that in times of crisis, such as hurricanes, "We even sleep at [the Department of] Public Safety to be available for students and parents in case they have any questions." More information about UM's emergency preparedness may be found at www.miami.edu/prepare. -- Original Source: The Miami Hurricane- April 20, 2007
This day was supposed to be the best day of the year for me. It was my 14th birthday and when I found out about the shootings I did not care about my birthday. I was at school in Pennsylvania when the principal announced that there were shootings in Virginia. We had a moment of silence the next day at school at the exact time the first person was shot the day before. It was a borthday that I will never forget.
BHE takes a look at campus security By: Kate Davies Posted: 4/20/07 The Board of Higher Education, during its meeting that was previously called to clarify the fine print on Massachusetts's policy toward allowing undocumented immigrants to receive in-state tuition, said it plans to review universities' security policies in wake of this Monday's shootings at Virginia Tech. Taking time to reflect on the shootings, in which 32 Virginia Tech members were killed by a gunman who then took his own life, Board officials said although universities already have adequate crisis response plans in place, it is important to review such policies and possibly seek more statewide funding for the schools. "We have strong plans in place to secure a safe learning and working environment that we can go to everyday," said Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President Mary Grant. "We always have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best." The BHE announced it will meet in June at the University of Massachusetts with public and private universities and state police to review existing response programs. In a BHE press release yesterday, Secretary of Public Safety Kevin Burke said the schools' existing plans are extensive. "The Department of State Police review of these plans is designed to ensure that the plans continue to reflect best practice standards," he said. After further work with universities, schools may adopt more high-tech communication methods, including automated voice and text-messaging systems and better counseling services for students, the BHE press release states. When the Board turned to its original agenda, it released a "fact sheet" detailing the fine print of the in-state tuition system as it applies to undocumented immigrants. BHE chairman Aaron Spencer said the fact sheet is meant to clarify two bills filed separately by the Senate and House that would each allow undocumented immigrants to attend state institutions at the same price other state residents pay. Similar bills failed in the Legislature last year. "In an effort to be totally non-partisan and only deal with the facts, we have decided to prepare a questions-and-answers document to provide key information," Spencer said. Though the Board firmly refused to take a stance on the bills, the fact sheet repeatedly stated the state college system can afford to enroll such students. According to the fact sheet, under terms of the bills, undocumented immigrants would be eligible for in-state tuition after completing three or more years of high school in Massachusetts and graduating or attaining the equivalent of a high school diploma. Addressing concerns that the plan would make it more difficult for legal residents to attend college, Spencer said the commonwealth's 29 universities would maintain the same admissions standards. Because undocumented immigrants would still not be eligible for state-funded financial aid, documented residents would not lose state funds. The BHE fact sheet also states there is sufficient space available in Massachusetts's state colleges for additional students. About 400 to 600 additional students would be eligible for in-state tuition at Massachusetts's colleges under the plan, which would generate about $2.5 million for the state, according to statistics from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. The Board's Fiscal Affairs and Administrative Policy Committee also unanimously approved a uniform policy on residency status for state and community colleges that would classify applicants as either residents or nonresidents. "This motion is merely an effort to have a concerted, evenhanded document that applies to everyone," Spencer said. "One thing I am proud of about this document is that it is one step toward operating as a system, and not separate parts." -- Original Source:The Daily Free Press - April 20, 2007
Remove cause of violence by ending social divide
By: Katherine Paster Posted: 4/18/07 Another school shooting has claimed the lives of more young victims, and we are left wondering why so many of our peers had to die. In all, 33 people were killed at Virginia Tech on Monday in what officials are calling the most deadly school attack in U.S. history. As we begin to grieve this substantial loss, college campuses around the nation are struggling to figure out how to prevent such senseless acts of violence from occurring in the future. While some students are looking to their university administrators to address safety concerns, it may not occur to them that they could also play some role in keeping tragedies of this nature from reoccurring. The most alarming part of the tragedy is not the record-breaking number of casualties, the warning signs leading up to it, or the university's unprepared response. It is that the gunman was neither a misguided Marilyn Manson protégé nor a terrorist as we may have assumed. Instead, Cho Seung-hui was a 23-year-old English major who lived in the dorms on campus like countless other undergraduate students around the nation. "He was a loner, and we're having difficulty finding information about him," said Larry Hincker, Virginia Tech's associate vice president for university relations, in a press release. From the little information available, it appears as though Cho was not unlike many college students who struggle to fit in with the white, upper-middle class group of elite students who often dominate the social scenes of universities around the country. Cho poured his hatred and resentment for this exclusive group of socialites into a lengthy note found in his dorm room on Tuesday morning. His passionate disdain for the "in" crowd calls attention to the dangerous divide that exists between the popular students and social outcasts. As we walk carelessly around campus, Syracuse University students never expect to encounter an armed gunman in our classrooms or dormitories. Yet the underlying social conflict that appears to have ignited the tragedy at Virginia Tech exists right here at SU. College students must reconsider the way we treat one another and recognize that we may be partially responsible for the insecurities and depression that drive individuals to such extreme resentment. It shouldn't matter whether or not isolated individuals fit into our precious social hierarchy. In order to bridge the divide between loners and the "in" crowd, we must reach out to all fellow students. Small acts of kindness that require students to descend from their pedestals could make individuals feel less alone and could even prevent them from acting out in violence. -- Original Source:The Daily Orange - April 18, 2007
The tragedy of Virginia Tech is partly a tragedy of bureaucracy
From the Editor May/June 2007 by Kathrin Day Lassila '81 The tragedy of Virginia Tech is partly a tragedy of bureaucracy. I don't mean the sort of complaint people usually make about bureaucracy -- too much paperwork and red tape. I mean the opposite. Too few records. Too little discussion and sharing of information. Too few staff, perhaps. I'm not blaming the state of Virginia or Virginia Tech for failing to stop a determined murderer. But enough bureaucracy, of the right kind, would have given them a chance. The gun salesman would have known Seung-Hui Cho had a history of mental illness and wasn't entitled to buy guns. The associate dean who told a worried professor last fall that she hadn't heard of any previous problems would have known about the two complaints to the police and the judge's ruling that Cho was a danger to himself. The competing needs for privacy and protection can't be perfectly balanced. Colleges and universities serve a vulnerable demographic. Usually, "major mental illness first shows itself somewhere between the ages of 17 to around 25," says Lorraine Siggins, chief psychiatrist at Yale Health Services. Against those rare but terrible events, universities need discreet and careful systems. If a student has trouble and the trouble is resolved, the university has to leave the student alone to live the ordinary turbulent life of a young adult, in privacy, without stigma. But if trouble recurs, the right administrator has to be able to find out fast that this isn't the first time. The competing needs for privacy and protection can't be perfectly balanced. After VT, says Betty Trachtenberg, dean of student affairs at Yale College, university officials everywhere thought, There, but for the grace of God . . . But it's easier to have good systems and enough staff at a wealthy, relatively small private institution than a large public institution. Siggins speaks of a "web" of people at Yale who act as a safety net. Medical privacy rules prevent her staff from taking action or sharing information on any patient unless that patient is an immediate "threat to self or others." (She wouldn't comment on how often that happens and said Health Services doesn't give out statistics.) Instead, "what most frequently happens is that the person comes to people's attention in lots of different ways." The campus police report any incident involving a student to the disciplinary committee and the student's dean. In Yale College, the 12 residential college deans are the people who, says Trachtenberg, "notice when somebody's in trouble." In the professional schools, relationships with teachers and fellow students serve this need, as most schools have small student bodies (from 120 art students to 670 law students). The Graduate School has only two associate deans of student affairs for 2,600 students. But Graduate School dean Jon Butler says the 50-plus department directors of graduate studies are the people who call his office when a student is in trouble. Once the warning flags go up, administrators can, for instance, suspend a student or require the student to seek treatment. In a meeting after the VT massacre, Trachtenberg and the deans of the colleges agreed that Cho's multiple episodes of stalking and frightening students -- "behavior that is not consistent with living in a community" -- would have triggered action. Not that they can be certain. "It's very hard to think that something like this would fall through the cracks" at Yale, says Trachtenberg. "Nevertheless, I am knocking wood as I talk to you." -- Original Source: http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/current/editor.html
Permission granted by author Kathrin Lassila, kathrin.lassila@yale.edu
Maroon and orange ribbons remained on trees on the drillfield over the Memorial Day weekend.
Students at Saint Louis University sent nearly a dozen message board to Tech in the weeks following the tragedy. SLU also hosted a memorial mass in honor of the Tech students and professors who died.
Over Memorial Day weekend flowers, ribbons and condolences continued to occupy the drillfield in front of Burruss Hall
This letter was part of one of the 32 memorials. The tragedy affected people of all ages.
The drillfield monuments drew many people over the Memorial Day weekend.
Saint Mary's reviews security protocols, does not anticipate changes changes Katie Kohler Issue date: 4/19/07 Section: News Saint Mary's students may feel safe on their quiet residential Indiana campus, but until Monday, students in Blacksburg, Va., felt the same way. In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings, members of the Saint Mary's community have began asking, "Are we safe?" College President Carol Ann Mooney addressed those concerns in an e-mail to students Wednesday, asking them to take steps to protect each other. "Saint Mary's is a secure place, but that does not mean we have been lulled into complacency," she said in the e-mail. "We must remember that college safety and security is everyone's responsibility." In an e-mail Tuesday, Vice President of Student Affairs Karen Johnson told students to keep their eyes open and report any suspicious activity on campus - especially near the residence halls. "Don't let people 'tailgate' into the residence halls behind you," Johnson said. "If anyone tries to do so, report them to the desk attendant or College Security." Current emergency protocol While the events at Virginia Tech are making colleges across the nation question their current safety procedures, Saint Mary's is simply working to improve the security protocols in place. Saint Mary's is trying to improve the existing standard operating procedure in the event of a gun crime or shooting on campus, said Saint Mary's Director of Security David Gariepy. But rather than a reaction to Monday's Virginia Tech bloodbath, Johnson said these upgrades are always on the administration's agenda. "This is not something we just started working on," she said. "Security is always of utmost importance, and so we are always working on making it better." The administration and members of a security planning committee, she said, are currently reviewing a new duty manual. The Saint Mary's Security Web site has a detailed emergency response plan for chemical or biological threats and natural disasters, keeping the stipulations of Homeland Security. There is no specific mention, however, of gun crime protocols. In any emergency, students can expect notification via e-mail, telephone and direct contact, according to the Web site. The site also encourages students to have emergency supplies pre-packed in case of an evacuation and take shelter in the basement of Regina Hall. "It is not recommended you remain in your room or office, nor should you leave the campus. Assistance will be provided for you there," the Web site reads. As helpful these tips may be, Gariepy said each situation is different and unpredictable. "Everything pertains to a particular situation. Going by the book doesn't always cut it," he said. "Students should always be aware." The problem, though, is that most students are not keeping an eye out for suspicious activities, and even if they did, they might simply panic, sophomore Kristen Anderson said. "If there was a shooting, a bomb threat, a rapist on campus, anything really, I would have no idea how to react, and I know many students feel the same way," she said. Sophomore Perri Hamma felt the same, saying she was still shaking from hearing about the Virginia Tech massacre and wouldn't know how to react in a similar situation. "I honestly don't have any idea about our emergency procedures," Hamma said. "If something bad happened, I don't think I'd know what to do." Accessing residence halls Of the four residence halls on Saint Mary's campus, only one - McCandless Hall - has an ID card swipe access system in place at the front door. LeMans and Regina Hall lobbies are open, but visitors must swipe an ID card to go up to the rooms. Holy Cross Hall does not require swiping at all, but Johnson said she doesn't think students in the residence hall are more exposed for this reason. "I don't think there is any greater risk at Holy Cross than other dorms that require swiping," Johnson said. "If somebody really wants to get into any building, they will figure it out." Johnson gave residents - not ID card capabilities -the responsibility of keeping the halls clear of strangers. "The dorm is only as safe as the people that live there make it," she said. Lockdown In the event of a lockdown, Saint Mary's will "start at the top," Gariepy said. The president will make the judgment call through recommendations from security officials. A lockdown, however, may not be the safest option. "Lockdown isn't always a good option. It is determined by the particular event we are dealing with and may cause more harm than good," Gariepy said. "In some situations, keeping people where they are is good. In others, it could be dangerous." While heightened security is assumed during emergency situations, the security Web site said that in case of an evacuation of Regina, all swipe-card systems would be deactivated "for easy access." Johnson also said a campus lockdown is not necessarily the first choice. "It really depends on if we can safely evaluate if it is safer to stay in your rooms or go some place safer," she said. "At Virginia Tech, it was decided it was safer to stay in the dorms. It really depends." Communication and cooperation In the case of Monday's massacre, authorities are still investigating Virginia Tech's response rate and implementation of its protocols. While Saint Mary's is willing to employ every method of communication to alert students, Gariepy said notifying students too early could also be dangerous. "It is hard to put out a notification with something like a shooting unless we really and truly know what we're dealing with," he said. "If we don't know the facts, we could potentially alarm students when we don't have to." Once the situation has been identified, however, Gariepy said the College would alert students in person, through e-mails, flyers and even an emergency toll-free number with regularly updated messages about the status of the emergency. This number is aimed more at parents, he said. From there, the College notifies other agencies, including the St. Joseph County Police Department and Notre Dame Security/Police, to assist with the handling of the situation, Gariepy said. He said he is confident that these collaborations, combined with a calm and collected approach, will yield the best possible results for students. "We [campus security] will stick to protocol at the present time," Gariepy said. "We always talk to the staff after events like this to keep it fresh in our minds, but, for the most part, we are going to stay consistent with our policies." -- Original Source: http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/19/News/Campus.Security.Reacts.To.Shootings-2852848.shtml http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/19/News/Campus.Security.Reacts.To.Shootings-2852848-page2.shtml http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2007/04/19/News/Campus.Security.Reacts.To.Shootings-2852848-page3.shtml
Text messages can notify police By: Katy Doll, Staff Writer Posted: 4/20/07 UNC officials are implementing a phone system that alerts campus police when students are in danger. Beginning this fall, the University will offer the Rave Guardian program, which uses a Global Positioning System timer to notify police of students' locations when needed. "You can set a timer on your phone that says: 'If I don't reset this timer, I want you to send a signal to campus police,'" said Larry Hicks, director of the Department of Housing and Residential Education. When the time expires, the phone alerts the student, and if it's not turned off, Rave contacts campus police, who can locate the phone using GPS technology. In the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting, campus security is on everyone's mind, but UNC officials were planning to implement Rave Guardian before Monday's shootings. UNC officials are in negotiations with different providers and do not know the exact costs associated with purchasing the program. Hicks said the housing department plans to offer a reduced price on GPS phones to all on-campus students next year. There will be a push for incoming freshmen to buy the phones, which will be promoted at C-TOPS. The program is part of the Rave Wireless system, an existing service that allows students to receive text messages about Blackboard updates and bus routes. The service also has an emergency broadcasting system. "We could basically send out a broadcast message to all the users of the Rave system," said Brian Payst, director of technology and systems support for the division of student affairs. Students whose phones aren't equipped for the GPS program can use Rave's other features, such as emergency text messaging. Students can sign up at www.unc.edu/rave. Rave was established as a pilot program at UNC last summer with a group of about 20 students and now has 364 students, Payst said. The emergency system never has been used, but officials said they have completed tests of the system. "We've done tests, and they've gone just fine," Payst said. "You log in and have a Web page, type in your message and hit send. It just takes minutes - seconds even." Officials also said a campuswide siren system is on its way. "It certainly wasn't intended to deal with what happened at Virginia Tech, but it can deal with that as well," said James Alty, director of facilities services. Hicks said safety issues have been at the forefront of UNC's concerns. "It's basically taking a little bit more emphasis as a result of Virginia Tech," he said. "People want to expedite the plans." -- Original Source:The Daily Tar Heel - April 20, 2007
April 24, 2007 By KATY MATLOCK Contributor Before April 16, the topic of stress at Baylor University could have provoked yawns in its predictability. With final exams, social pressures and looming career goals as the ingredients, stress was an inevitable dish served up to college students across the nation. Occasionally, some deaths that are stress-related suggested a deeper problem stalking the shoulders of students. But in general, the consensus seemed to be that stress is a fact of life on college campuses. On April 16, Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old English major at Virginia Tech University, killed himself and 32 of his fellow "Hokie Birds." The university shooting shocked the nation and threw a new stressor onto students' plates. Over the next few weeks, students on the Baylor campus at the least will be coping with passing final exams, starting summer jobs and accepting a tragedy that shattered a fellow university's campus bubble. In addition, students may be facing difficult situations at home, financial struggles or post-graduation uncertainty. As trite as it may seem, there are some helpful ways that students can persevere and even embrace life during the stress of the next few weeks. Rachel Farris, a graduate student from St. Louis, includes a section on stress management in her Health and Human Behavior classes. She encourages students to include short, fun activities in their schedules. "Some of my students schedule times in their day to have a stress break where they might color, listen to music, work on art, read or write," Farris said. Farris also applies these practices in her own life. "I try to take regular breaks in my schedule to do things that I enjoy," she said. In these breaks, she said, she may read, write, exercise or listen to music. She limits her breaks to less than an hour so that the break itself relieves rather than compounds her stress, she said. Corpus Christi sophomore Patrick Roberts allows himself a break one day a week. "If I don't get that one day off a week, my study time isn't as efficient," he said. Roberts said he feels for the families affected by the Virginia Tech shootings. "It was a horrible thing that happened," he said. However, he said, he isn't personally stressed about it. "I feel pretty safe on Baylor's campus as far as things like that go," he said. Some stress can be a healthy motivator for students. "The problem occurs when we have too much stress, or we do not handle our stress well," Farris said. Kerry Mauger also teaches sections of Health and Human Behavior. "Sometimes students spend more time stressing over what they have to do instead of focusing on doing it, which increases the feeling," said Mauger, a graduate student from Angora Hills, Calif. She said that students also sometimes use alcohol and drugs to cope with stress. Exercise, sleep and healthy eating habits consistently prove to be significant factors in combating stress. These tend to be the behaviors that students neglect during stressful times, said Carmen Boulton, a Santa Barbara, Calif., graduate student. Boulton teaches Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Relaxation and Fitness. "Not taking care of your body is common," Boulton said. "Trying to function on very little sleep, caffeine and no or poor quality food definitely affect performance in a negative way. "I think one of the most common ways that we deal with stress is avoidance, which in the long run just makes any situation worse when we get up to the last minute and have not prepared enough," Boulton said. Dallas junior Katie Richardson said going to the lake by her house to sit and meditate helps her when she's feeling stressed. "Don't stress about things you can't do anything about," she said. The most common source of stress in her life is finances, Richardson said, and her most common means of handling stress is prayer. "You've just got to put it in God's hands," Richardson said. "But when you do, you have to really let it go and leave it in his hands." Against the backdrop of Baylor's Christian heritage, many students on campus rely on their faith during stressful circumstances. "I believe that faith has a strong place within stress management," Farris said. "Faith can give an individual guidance on how to prioritize the things in life. Keeping a good perspective on what is important can help minimize stress by allowing that individual to accept when they have committed all that they can afford to commit to an aspect of their life." Boulton said it is reassuring to know that God is in control during stressful situations. "Planning specific time to give to God can help keep school in perspective and remind us that there is a lot more going on and we are part of a much bigger plan," she said. Kyle Dunn, college pastor at Highland Baptist Church, said the college ministry encourages students to turn to prayer and to their Christian friendships amid stress. Dunn, a Baylor alumnus, has worked predominantly with college students in Waco for seven and a half years. In light of the Virginia Tech shooting, it is particularly important for students not to go through this stressful season alone, he said. Students can find companionship in the church, Dunn said. During the upcoming study days, the department will set up a place for students to study in the Highland church building. On Sunday the college department presented a message titled, "Tragedy and Hope." "We're really trying to encourage the students," Dunn said. Dunn said Factors outside of academic life, such as interpersonal relationships with the opposite sex and circumstances at home, can contribute to students' stress. The Baylor counseling center has included a link to several Web sites to help students cope with traumatic stress after the Virginia Tech shootings. Students who would like to speak with a counselor can call the Baylor counseling center at 254-710-2467. -- Original Source: Baylor University http://www.baylor.edu/Lariat/news.php?action=story&story=45462
April 24, 2007 By KATY MATLOCK Contributor Before April 16, the topic of stress at Baylor University could have provoked yawns in its predictability. With final exams, social pressures and looming career goals as the ingredients, stress was an inevitable dish served up to college students across the nation. Occasionally, some deaths that are stress-related suggested a deeper problem stalking the shoulders of students. But in general, the consensus seemed to be that stress is a fact of life on college campuses. On April 16, Cho Seung-Hui, a 23-year-old English major at Virginia Tech University, killed himself and 32 of his fellow "Hokie Birds." The university shooting shocked the nation and threw a new stressor onto students' plates. Over the next few weeks, students on the Baylor campus at the least will be coping with passing final exams, starting summer jobs and accepting a tragedy that shattered a fellow university's campus bubble. In addition, students may be facing difficult situations at home, financial struggles or post-graduation uncertainty. As trite as it may seem, there are some helpful ways that students can persevere and even embrace life during the stress of the next few weeks. Rachel Farris, a graduate student from St. Louis, includes a section on stress management in her Health and Human Behavior classes. She encourages students to include short, fun activities in their schedules. "Some of my students schedule times in their day to have a stress break where they might color, listen to music, work on art, read or write," Farris said. Farris also applies these practices in her own life. "I try to take regular breaks in my schedule to do things that I enjoy," she said. In these breaks, she said, she may read, write, exercise or listen to music. She limits her breaks to less than an hour so that the break itself relieves rather than compounds her stress, she said. Corpus Christi sophomore Patrick Roberts allows himself a break one day a week. "If I don't get that one day off a week, my study time isn't as efficient," he said. Roberts said he feels for the families affected by the Virginia Tech shootings. "It was a horrible thing that happened," he said. However, he said, he isn't personally stressed about it. "I feel pretty safe on Baylor's campus as far as things like that go," he said. Some stress can be a healthy motivator for students. "The problem occurs when we have too much stress, or we do not handle our stress well," Farris said. Kerry Mauger also teaches sections of Health and Human Behavior. "Sometimes students spend more time stressing over what they have to do instead of focusing on doing it, which increases the feeling," said Mauger, a graduate student from Angora Hills, Calif. She said that students also sometimes use alcohol and drugs to cope with stress. Exercise, sleep and healthy eating habits consistently prove to be significant factors in combating stress. These tend to be the behaviors that students neglect during stressful times, said Carmen Boulton, a Santa Barbara, Calif., graduate student. Boulton teaches Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Relaxation and Fitness. "Not taking care of your body is common," Boulton said. "Trying to function on very little sleep, caffeine and no or poor quality food definitely affect performance in a negative way. "I think one of the most common ways that we deal with stress is avoidance, which in the long run just makes any situation worse when we get up to the last minute and have not prepared enough," Boulton said. Dallas junior Katie Richardson said going to the lake by her house to sit and meditate helps her when she's feeling stressed. "Don't stress about things you can't do anything about," she said. The most common source of stress in her life is finances, Richardson said, and her most common means of handling stress is prayer. "You've just got to put it in God's hands," Richardson said. "But when you do, you have to really let it go and leave it in his hands." Against the backdrop of Baylor's Christian heritage, many students on campus rely on their faith during stressful circumstances. "I believe that faith has a strong place within stress management," Farris said. "Faith can give an individual guidance on how to prioritize the things in life. Keeping a good perspective on what is important can help minimize stress by allowing that individual to accept when they have committed all that they can afford to commit to an aspect of their life." Boulton said it is reassuring to know that God is in control during stressful situations. "Planning specific time to give to God can help keep school in perspective and remind us that there is a lot more going on and we are part of a much bigger plan," she said. Kyle Dunn, college pastor at Highland Baptist Church, said the college ministry encourages students to turn to prayer and to their Christian friendships amid stress. Dunn, a Baylor alumnus, has worked predominantly with college students in Waco for seven and a half years. In light of the Virginia Tech shooting, it is particularly important for students not to go through this stressful season alone, he said. Students can find companionship in the church, Dunn said. During the upcoming study days, the department will set up a place for students to study in the Highland church building. On Sunday the college department presented a message titled, "Tragedy and Hope." "We're really trying to encourage the students," Dunn said. Dunn said Factors outside of academic life, such as interpersonal relationships with the opposite sex and circumstances at home, can contribute to students' stress. The Baylor counseling center has included a link to several Web sites to help students cope with traumatic stress after the Virginia Tech shootings. Students who would like to speak with a counselor can call the Baylor counseling center at 254-710-2467. -- Original Source: The Lariat http://www.baylor.edu/Lariat/news.php?action=story&story=45462
Julie Freeman (Julie_Freeman@baylor.edu)
Students show support for Virginia Tech with photo
By: KAY OYEGUN Staff Writer Posted: 4/23/07 Colleges all across America have come together to show support to the Virginia Tech students after the shootings that occurred there on April 16. Pitt organized a student support group photo outside the Petersen Events Center on Friday April 20 at 4 p.m. "The university came behind SGB, traditions committee, greek life and Student Alumni Association and helped spread the word for this event," Nora Duncan of the Athletics Department said. An estimated 300 students dressed in Hokie orange and maroon and gathered in the Petersen lobby before getting the group photo taken. At exactly 4:02 p.m., the crowd of supporters, which included Petersen Events Center staff and members of the Athletics Department, collectively made their way outside to the panther statue by the event center. "I am here just to support the Hokies. The whole thing affected my life," junior John Hollenberger said. "We are college students and that could have happened anywhere. I think its good that everyone pulls together to support those schools states away." Although the reason for the gathering was a tragic one, there were smiles and playful chatter all across the crowd as they took their places for the photo. Students climbed up on the University panther, crouched together at its side and sat on the pavement in front while the rest stood close by. The cameraman gingerly climbed to the top of his ladder and coached the students on how to pose. More and more students in orange and maroon shirts flowed in to join the picture. "Are we supposed to smile?" a girl from the crowd called out. The crowd was then instructed to smile for the photo and say "Hokies" instead of the classic "cheese." The coordinator counted down from three, the crowd yelled "Hokies" in unison, and he took the photo. In fact, this process was repeated five or six times. Those who gathered for the group photo decided to come out and show support for various reasons. "I am used to this sort of tragedy," Josh Wander, a graduate student in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, said. "I am from Israel, so things like this happen all the time. I was especially touched by the Romanian professor - Liviu Librescu - and Holocaust survivor who risked his life to save his students." Some supporters made their way to Pitt's campus from other schools and decided to join in. There was no shortage of students willing to wear the orange and maroon for the Virginia Tech Hokies. "My school is 45 minutes from Blacksburg. Liberty is showing support even though we are athletic rivals with the Hokies," Jennifer Trujillo, a Liberty University grad, said. "We really are just one family, supporting and praying. It hit home especially being so close." A campus-wide vigil will be held on Monday, April 23 at 8:30 p.m. on the Cathedral lawn. Students and faculty are encouraged to attend this event to show support, share condolences and say prayers for the families and community affected by the Virginia Tech tragedy. -- Original Source:The Pitt News - April 23, 2007
Guns Don't Kill People, Kids Who Play Video Games Kill People...
April 18, 2007 I apologize in advance for the tone of this piece. I thoroughly appreciate the devastating gravity of the situation, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to those families and friends affected. Blacksburg, Virginia. Less than a week ago, nothing would have sprung to mind. In fact, many would not even have known this small town existed. Now, for obvious reasons, it's on the map. The events of April 16 serve as a reminder - a reminder that society is imperfect; that society is unpredictable; and that society is unprepared. In fairness to those involved, the events at Virgina Tech could not have been predicted with any ease. What happened was not a commonplace, run-of-the-mill, every-day happening. I won't even go so far as to say that what happened could have been prevented - there is no reasonable way of knowing that. What I will do, however, is take a few quick shots at the aftermath. Everyone has their own concocted theory on how to respond to this type of situation. Pat Brown, for example, argues that whoever was the owner of the weapons used in the attack should be held accountable for the deaths of each and every student and professor on Monday. She believes that somehow, this would prevent a psychopath from acquiring the weapons they would choose to employ for such causes. The real world begs to differ, Pat. What we need to take away from the Virginia Tech Massacre is very simple - there are people out there that need help. Guns didn't kill those students; the Asian man didn't kill those professors; what transpired at Virginia Tech is exactly what happened at Columbine, Taber, Montreal, and every other mass shooting. These people were neglected. Do I believe in any way that whatever circumstances the shooter may have been put through justify his actions? No. Reciprocity, particularly when it involves violence, solves nothing. With that said, however, how do we take ownership of Monday's events? Do we pretend that this was an isolated incident - a single student lashing out at random? Did this man wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and decide that morning to take the lives of 32 innocent people? I don't think so. Society perpetuates the attitude and the atmosphere that leads these people to commit horrendous acts. If this young man had been cared for, appreciated, respected, and amongst friends, would there still be 32 innocent people dead? Would the thought ever have even crossed his mind that he could be capable of such an atrocity? These murderers are not the product of their own tendencies - they are products of society, as are we all. Maybe they needed medical attention, or maybe they had deep-rooted psychological issues; that could absolutely be a contributing factor. At the end of the day, however, someone pushed this young man over the edge, and was repaid in the most horrific kind. DO NOT fool yourself into believing that we are not responsible for what happened. Each and every one of us, through our thoughts, words, or actions, could spur or prevent the next Virginia Tech. We point fingers at the school's administration, the local police, the county flower... ultimately, we must all hold ourselves and one-another accountable for the citizens we are. Blacksburg, you have our thoughts and prayers. If nothing else, remember: This too shall pass. In mourning, this is BSPM, signing off. Posted by keh619 on April 18, 2007 05:08 PM -- Original Source: http://blogs.usask.ca/politics/2007/04/guns_dont_kill.html Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0.
keh619 / Tales of a Back Seat Prime Minster (blog)
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