The Ripple Effect of Virginia Tech

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The Ripple Effect of Virginia Tech

• Assessing the Nationwide Impact on Campus Safety
  and Security Policy and Practice
• A report from the Midwestern Higher Education
  Compact

This material was produced under grant number
SH-17035-08-60-F-11 from the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration, U.S. Department of
Labor. These materials do not necessarily
reflect views or policies of the U.S. Department
of Labor, nor does mention of any trade names,
commercial products, or organizations imply
endorsement by the U.S. Government.
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Recent Events

• May 9, 2003
• A 62-year-old man with two handguns and a
  bullet- proof vest fires hundreds of rounds
  during a seven- hour shooting spree and standoff
  at a Case Western Reserve University building in
  Cleveland. One student is killed and two others
  are wounded. Biswanath Halder, who authorities
  say was upset be- cause he believed a student
  hacked into his web site, is later sentenced to
  life in prison.
• Sept. 2, 2006
• Douglas W. Pennington, 49, kills himself and his
  two sons, Logan P. Pennington, 26, and Benjamin
  M. Pennington, 24, during a visit to the campus
  of Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va.
• April 2, 2007
• University of Washington researcher Rebecca
  Griego, 26, is shot to death in her office by a
  former boyfriend who then turned the gun on
  himself.
• April 16, 2007
• Seung Hui Cho kills 32 people and injures at
  least 24 others in a dorm and a classroom at
  Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. The gunman then
  kills him- self by gunshot.
• Sept. 21, 2007
• Two students are wounded at a late-night
  shooting at a campus dining hall at Delaware
  State University in Dover. Shalita Middleton, 17,
  dies Oct. 23 from her injuries. A student is
  charged in the shooting.

• Oct. 1, 2007
• University of Memphis football player Taylor
  Bradford, 21, is fatally shot on campus in a
  botched robbery. Four men are later charged in
  the slaying, including one student.
• Dec. 13, 2007
• Two Ph.D. students from India are found shot to
  death in a home invasion at an apartment on the
  campus of Louisiana State University in Baton
  Rouge.
• Feb. 8, 2008
• Latina Williams, 23, opens fire during an
  emergency medical technology class at Louisiana
  Technical College in Baton Rouge, killing
  Karsheika Graves and Taneshia Butler. She then
  kills herself.
• Feb. 14, 2008
• Steven Kazmierczak, a former graduate student at
  Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois,
  opens fire in a lecture hall, killing five
  students and wounding 15 others. He then commits
  suicide.
• July 24, 208
• Rodney Smith, a former student at South Mountain
  Community College in Phoenix, Arizona shot three
  people in the computer lab, critically injuring
  one. His victims included two who were hit by
  stray bullets and one who he had a long standing
  feud with. Smith was arrested within 30 minutes
  of the 911 call.

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Violence Statistics

• Nationwide college enrollment of 17.5 million in
  2005.
• Between 2001 and 2005 fewer than 10 students a
  year on average were murdered on college
  campuses.
• The chances of being murdered on campus are
  about as likely as being fatally struck by
  lightening.

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Mobile Phones

• Less than 5 reported that mobile phones were
  included in their emergency notification system
  prior to the events at Virginia Tech.
• 75 of the remaining respondents plan to acquire
  the technology or had already implemented systems
  since April of last year.

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Communications Best Practices

• Use layered approach several technologies
• Test the systems
• Determine who has authority to issue emergency
  alert notices
• Account for hearing and sight impaired
• Educate the campus community

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Campus Police and Security

• Campus security varies
• Emergency communications devices such as panic
  buttons or telephones in outdoor areas of campus
• Closed circuit security cameras
• Classroom lockdowns from remote location

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Faculty and Staff Training

• Over 2/3rds provide training for faculty and
  staff to recognize disturbing, threatening, or
  potentially threatening student behavior.
• 82 have formal procedures for faculty and staff
  to communicate concerns about student behavior.
• 65 have groups of faculty and/or staff that
  meet regularly to discuss troubled and
  potentially troubled students.

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Other Policies

• Training for residence hall student staff on
  security and safety issues
• Revised language regarding student behavior in
  student handbook
• Reporting procedures for unusual behavior
• Involuntary withdrawal procedures of students for
  psychological reasons
• Monitoring of students returning after
  psychiatric hospitalization

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Budgetary Considerations

• 35 indicated their 07-08 budget for safety and
  security increased.
• Some have received funding from outside their
  institution.
• About 25 reported hiring at least 1 additional
  staff person related to safety and security.

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Virginia Tech Task Force Recommendations

• Emergency Planning and Critical Incident Response
• Empowering and Resourcing the Campus Public
  Safety Function
• Prevention and Education Programs to Address
  Campus Safety Risks

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Emergency Planning and Critical Incident
Response

• Threat and vulnerability assessment
• Variety of methods to disseminate information
• NIMS framework ICS
• Annual training on emergency operations
• Work with local government partners
• Provide First Responder training

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Empowering and Resourcing the Campus Public
Safety Function

• Public safety executive direct access to
  institutional decision-making authority
• Review of physical security infrastructure
• Compliance with Clery Act timely response
• Interoperable communications
• State legislation to allow sworn police agency
• Understanding of involuntary hospitalization
  procedures

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Prevention and Education Programs to Address
Campus Safety Risks

• Admissions and employment questions charged or
  convicted of a crime
• Behavioral threat assessment team
• Program to end violence against women crimes
• Faculty and staff training how to respond and
  how notification systems will be used
• Collaborative relationships with advocacy
  services

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