2008 Woodie Awards
Security efforts heightened
Following tragedy, Towson examines plans for additional safety measures
Sharon Leff
Special | 4/17/08
Following the mass shootings at Virginia Tech last spring, Towson University began investigating new security measures and sped up others that were previously in the works.
"As things developed from the tragedy at Virginia Tech and the aftermath, it became really clear that even more so than before there are students that come to college campuses who are distressed and who have previous histories of mental health and mental illness issues," Jim Spivack, director of the counseling center, said.
With that in mind the University started to organize a student behavioral management team.
"We want students to understand the intent of it is to provide a safety net for the campus as well as for the student who may be in distress," he said.
Spivack said part of the purpose of the team would be to better disseminate information across different departments and faculty across campus. If a student showed signs of needing help there would be a more central method of communicating that information.
He said the committee who is forming the team has been meeting throughout the semester.
"The intent is not to be big brother or big sister or spy on the students. It is to preserve and protect the individual and the community," he said.
Spivack said some of the goals of the team already exist unofficially at Towson.
He said he hopes the committee will be done with their deliberations by the end of the semester.
As for security, the University has also implemented a siren and text messaging system.
Towson University Police Department Capt. Joe Herring, said the added security measures were not as a result of what happened at Virginia Tech.
"We've had some planning going on for years now and different things have received funding that I would assume is partially in response to what happened at Virginia Tech," he said.
He said the security industry has changed because of the shootings and have created additional security related products.
"While we recognize the tragedy at Virginia Tech and we're aware of the one year anniversary, we're approaching security for what's best at Towson," Herring said.
"As things developed from the tragedy at Virginia Tech and the aftermath, it became really clear that even more so than before there are students that come to college campuses who are distressed and who have previous histories of mental health and mental illness issues," Jim Spivack, director of the counseling center, said.
With that in mind the University started to organize a student behavioral management team.
"We want students to understand the intent of it is to provide a safety net for the campus as well as for the student who may be in distress," he said.
Spivack said part of the purpose of the team would be to better disseminate information across different departments and faculty across campus. If a student showed signs of needing help there would be a more central method of communicating that information.
He said the committee who is forming the team has been meeting throughout the semester.
"The intent is not to be big brother or big sister or spy on the students. It is to preserve and protect the individual and the community," he said.
Spivack said some of the goals of the team already exist unofficially at Towson.
He said he hopes the committee will be done with their deliberations by the end of the semester.
As for security, the University has also implemented a siren and text messaging system.
Towson University Police Department Capt. Joe Herring, said the added security measures were not as a result of what happened at Virginia Tech.
"We've had some planning going on for years now and different things have received funding that I would assume is partially in response to what happened at Virginia Tech," he said.
He said the security industry has changed because of the shootings and have created additional security related products.
"While we recognize the tragedy at Virginia Tech and we're aware of the one year anniversary, we're approaching security for what's best at Towson," Herring said.
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