THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLUME 123 ISSUE 31
IS IT SAFE?
Campus response plan is effective
A Kansas State Trooper communicates with other officers outside of McColum Hall early on April 30. Reports of a person with a gun prompted authorities to block off and search the residence hall.
University of Texas shooting displays benefits of emergency response system
Tanner Grubbs/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Police prepare to enter Calhoun Hall at the University of Texas at Austin campus in Austin, Texas on Tuesday. A gunman opened fire Tuesday inside the Perry-Castanda library, then fatally shot himself, and police are searching for a possible second suspect, university police said.
ASSOCIATED PRESS/THE DAILY TEKAN, TAMIR KALLIFA
BY STEPHEN MONTEMAYOR
smontemayor@kansan.com
The University of Texas provided an example for the nation's colleges to review emergency response systems. The Texas administration's response helped inform students and faculty that a gutman was on the campus.
"It looked like a textbook example of an outstanding response," said Marlesa Roney, vice provost of student success.
'On Tuesday, Colton Tooley, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Texas, carried an AK-47 with him across his campus and fired several times. Witnesses said Tooley did not appear to be firing at anyone. Police chased Tooley into the campus' largest library, where he shot himself.
Witnesses first saw Tooley walking and shooting at 8:10 a.m. University of Texas administrators put the university on lockdown and posted emergency alerts through text messages, public address speakers and the Web at 8:23 a.m. Emergency sirens sounded at 8:30 a.m., 20 minutes before Tooley took his own life. Students, faculty and staff were permitted to leave campus at noon, with many receiving notifications by phone.
Campus police, city police and a SWAT team responded to the
scene in Austin.
Sergeant Matt
Saran of the
Lawrence Police
Department
said a similar
response could be expected at the University of Kansas.
Colleges nationwide increased their mobile notification systems
fication process.
The University's Twitter account worked to dispel rumors as Lawrence police were called in for assistance.
"I don't know how often they send the alerts, but if they sent something every hour it would probably be more of a hassle than a benefit," Clark said.
Cherae Clark, a junior from Kansas City, Mo., has worked the front desk and has been a resident assistant at McCollum for two years. The University's response was surprisingly quick that day, she said.
On April 30 of this year, text messages informed students of a search for an armed suspect in a campus residence hall. The building was locked down and those outside were instructed to find a safe place to stay put.
The McCollum Hall search put the University's emergency response capabilities on display for public review.
JILL JESS University Relations
"Please don't get to the point where you're not looking at them, because we send them out for a reason."
in light of the 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech in which 32 people were killed. More than two hours passed before students were formally told of the shooter on campus.
Saran said the University requested assistance from Lawrence Police in April. The state highway patrol, nearby police departments and SWAT personnel are also available if needed, he said.
Less than a month after the Virginia Tech shooting, the University announced plans to include text messaging in its noti-
The last text message alert sent
out was Aug. 26 to inform students of the temporary evacuation of Haworth Hall because of a hazardous materials spill.
A May 2008 survey by the Midwestern Higher Education Compound found
that before the Virginia Tech shooting, 5 percent of responding colleges said mobile phones were involved in emergency notifications. Of those that said they did not use text message alerts, 75 percent either implemented text alerts or planned to after the shooting.
According to Roney, 17,794 KU students have provided information to receive emergency text messages as of Sept. 22. That number accounts for all KU campuses. So far, 15,141 Lawrence campus students have signed up — about 57 percent of the 26,266 students who attend classes on the Lawrence campus.
Jill Jess, associate director for news and media relations, urged
students to sign up for the service at alert.ku.edu and to not take the messages lightly.
"Please don't get to the point where you're not looking at them, because we send them out for a reason," Jess said. "And we're not going to spam you."
Edited by David Cawthon
IN THE EVENT OF A SHOOTER OR THREAT OF ONE,THE UNIVERSITY RECOMMENDS:
1. Maintain awareness of the situation and environment around you; be prepared to take appropriate action.
2. Evacuate the area if you know that it is safe to do so 3. If a threat presents itself, seek cover and barricade yourself (with others if possible) by placing as much material between you and the threat. Remain quiet and turn off lights.
4. As soon as it is safe to do so, notify authorities by calling 911 and provide as much information as possible.
5. Do not approach emergency responders, let them come to you. Keep your hands visible.
6. Remain under cover until the threat is passed or you have been advised by law enforcement that it is safe to exit.
7. Activate cell phones to receive campus emergency text message notification.
Courtesy of alert.ku.edu
DIVERSITY
From left to right, speakers Ben Hodge, David Trevino and KU professor Tanya Golash-Boza sit on a panel at the SUA-hosted Immigration Forum. The forum was held at Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.
Forum on immigration tackles controversial topics
Howard Ting/KANSAN
BY SAMANTH COLLINS
collins@kansan.com
Some fear that Republican candidates will introduce a bill similar to Arizona's recent illegal alien law
You are driving along a road near the southern borderlands of the United States. An Arizona police officer pulls you over and asks for identification - but you forgot your driver's license. Under
Arizona law SB 1070, if the officer has reason to believe you're an illegal immigrant, you're in big trouble. Some worry a similar law may soon come to Kansas.
SUA hosted an immigration forum at the Kansas Union last night to discuss various topics relating to immigration in the
United States. The forum was especially concerned with Arizona's SB 1070, which essentially allows police forces in Arizona to ask for citizens' documentation at any time, at the police officers' discretion.
SEE DIVERSITY ON PAGE 6A
JAYPLAY | Inside
Spend a Saturday exploring Kansas City
The city offers many cultural events for lovebirds, art enthusiasts and moviegoers.
BASKETBALL | 1B
Self uses intense camp to prep team
Marcus Morris and other team members react to the first few days of training camp. The team begins 'Boot Camp' at 5:30 a.m. and continues later in the afternoon.
INDEX
Classifieds...4B
Crossword...4A
Cryptoquips...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...4A
TODAY'S WEATHER
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