JagBytes

Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: College News

Media Credit: Julie Andrews IUPUI Police Captain Bill Abston talks about the Northern Illinois University shooting at the "What If It Happened Here" event. IUPUI students, staff, and faculty asked questions about campus safety and the safety measures IUPUI has in place. [Click to enlarge]

On Feb. 27 in the Multicultural Center Commons, Democracy Plaza presented a panel discussion about how to handle a tragedy, such as the shooting at Northern Illinois University, at IUPUI.

The facts about the NIU shooting went like this: the gunman entered a lecture hall and let loose 54 shots, 48 from a handgun and six from a shotgun - killing five and injuring 16, before he turned the gun on himself. Ninety seconds after the shooting the campus was alarmed.

Not even a year before this tragedy, a shooter at Virginia Tech killed 32 people. Many students at IUPUI are wondering what to do if it happened here.

"Safety and freedom at the same time," Amy Warner, vice chancellor for external affairs, said. "I think an incident like this could occur anywhere. We need to be aware and use the best judgment for any type of emergency."

Plans for security on IUPUI campus are in discussion now. The newest technology students can use for an emergency is IU-Notify. The problem is, not all students are signed up for the program, which can be accessed via OneStart.

A low-tech way to find out if there is a campus emergency is to call (317) 278-1600. The number leads to an updated voicemail that will give information, such as a campus emergency or school cancellation.

A radio station, 1610 AM, could also broadcast about at campus emergency.

The panel agreed there is no sure way to prevent an incident like this from occurring. But students can call (317) 274-7911 to report an emergency.

"Bring in more law enforcement," said IUPUI police Captain Bill Abston about keeping the campus safe. "We have trained together with other forces who will be notified and arrive shortly if an incident occurs."

What should students look for to prevent a tragedy from happening? Changes in behavior and stress levels going up are two signs an incident might occur.

"Mental illness does not equal violent behavior," said Julie Lash, director of IUPUI counseling and psychological services. "Odd behavior does not equal violence."

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