Eastern Representatives Attend National Campus Security Summit
(Press Release 05-31-07)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

Eastern Oklahoma State College officials joined more than 500 individuals from 25 states to consider safety elements associated with school crises management like that of recent Virginia Tech.

The lessons of Columbine High School in 1999 and Virginia Tech. seem to be changing the approach required by higher education and high school security.

While state and national laws leave education officials somewhat in a state of confusion in conjunction with privacy and individual rights according to one speaker at the summit, protection, according to another, is no longer police work but is rapidly moving toward a militaristic approach says Oracle Public Safety Group National Director Joe Bierly.

The National Campus Security Summit held at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond was sponsored by the Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, UCO and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Eastern President Dr. Steve Smith said the national summit on campus security was informative and provided our staff with many good ideas to enhance Eastern’s campus safety plan.

“Thanks to the State Regents and other sponsors who helped fund registration for participants we can now go forward with more information.

“The tragedy at Virginia Tech. has heightened our awareness of the importance of security measures and plans to protect our students, faculty and staff,” the Wilburton college president said.

“Eastern continues its commitment to diligently provide a safe environment of learning for the people in southeastern Oklahoma.”

David Paulison, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, says his agency is now to help campuses prepare and train for tragedies like Virginia Tech. Paulison says the resources of FEMA are available for colleges and training is necessary. Local people will be the first responders.

Roger Webb, a former Oklahoma public safety commissioner and now UCO president, says most campus police departments are good with crowd control but lack the training to cope with a campus shooter like the one that killed 32 people at Virginia Tech.