Massacre at Virginia Tech
Tragedy Takes its Toll on US's Crisis Communication
Adam Lawless
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: News
"We can improve when it comes to communicating with our students, faculty and staff," Saponaro said. "We need a variety of ways of communication in a crisis situation."
One of the suggestions to better diversify communication tactics at UC is using text messaging. Many of the people on campus have a cell phone or have access to one at all times of the day. Text alerts would allow the Office of Campus Safety to inform or update people about crisis situations that happen on campus.
Alison Jones, senior secretary in the Office of Career Services, said she would feel safer if there were more effective means of communication throughout the campus. As a staff member, she feels that more can be done to develop better communication and ensure the safety of people on campus. She suggested the campus use a form of PA system to inform people of a crisis as soon as it occurs.
Emily Balcom, director of residential life at UC, agrees that communication is key to having a safe campus.
"Train, plan and make sure you have good communication," Balcom said. "That is the core of maintaining student safety."
As the director of residential life, Balcom works closely with campus safety to help keep UC safe. She is also in charge of training resident assistants, or RAs. She said that her RAs are trained to respond in crisis situations, but are never encouraged to put themselves in harm's way.
"When in doubt, put a locked door between yourself and the situation," Balcom said about an RA's role in keeping residence halls safe.
Balcom also said that students can help ensure the safety of their residence halls simply by following the safety policies outlined by their RA at the beginning of the semester. Propping doors and allowing unauthorized visitors into residence halls among other indiscretions might seem minor, but can affect the safety of an entire building.
Administrators and staff members are not the only ones getting involved in ensuring UC's safety.
Courtney Witherspoon is a junior at UC and is the newly re-elected president of the Student Senate. She said that the massacre at Virginia Tech is frightening because it reminds her that tragedy can strike anyone at anytime. However, Witherspoon finds some reassurance in UC's community-like atmosphere.
"I still feel safe because UC is like your neighborhood," Witherspoon said. "Some campuses like Virginia Tech are almost like a small city in themselves."
Despite her confidence in the safety of a small college like UC, Witherspoon knows that many students have concerns. In order to address these concerns, she decided to discuss the issues and form possible solutions at the regular senate meeting on Wednesday, April 18.
"I personally feel we should do all that we can to make everyone feel safe," Witherspoon said.
One of the suggestions to better diversify communication tactics at UC is using text messaging. Many of the people on campus have a cell phone or have access to one at all times of the day. Text alerts would allow the Office of Campus Safety to inform or update people about crisis situations that happen on campus.
Alison Jones, senior secretary in the Office of Career Services, said she would feel safer if there were more effective means of communication throughout the campus. As a staff member, she feels that more can be done to develop better communication and ensure the safety of people on campus. She suggested the campus use a form of PA system to inform people of a crisis as soon as it occurs.
Emily Balcom, director of residential life at UC, agrees that communication is key to having a safe campus.
"Train, plan and make sure you have good communication," Balcom said. "That is the core of maintaining student safety."
As the director of residential life, Balcom works closely with campus safety to help keep UC safe. She is also in charge of training resident assistants, or RAs. She said that her RAs are trained to respond in crisis situations, but are never encouraged to put themselves in harm's way.
"When in doubt, put a locked door between yourself and the situation," Balcom said about an RA's role in keeping residence halls safe.
Balcom also said that students can help ensure the safety of their residence halls simply by following the safety policies outlined by their RA at the beginning of the semester. Propping doors and allowing unauthorized visitors into residence halls among other indiscretions might seem minor, but can affect the safety of an entire building.
Administrators and staff members are not the only ones getting involved in ensuring UC's safety.
Courtney Witherspoon is a junior at UC and is the newly re-elected president of the Student Senate. She said that the massacre at Virginia Tech is frightening because it reminds her that tragedy can strike anyone at anytime. However, Witherspoon finds some reassurance in UC's community-like atmosphere.
"I still feel safe because UC is like your neighborhood," Witherspoon said. "Some campuses like Virginia Tech are almost like a small city in themselves."
Despite her confidence in the safety of a small college like UC, Witherspoon knows that many students have concerns. In order to address these concerns, she decided to discuss the issues and form possible solutions at the regular senate meeting on Wednesday, April 18.
"I personally feel we should do all that we can to make everyone feel safe," Witherspoon said.
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Caisy
posted 5/03/07 @ 9:16 PM EST
" ... the Virginia Tech shooting rampage, while tragic, was not ?the worst mass murder in U.S. history.? It wasn?t the ?second worst mass murder in U. (Continued…)
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