State Earmarks $350,000 for Emergency Systems to Bolster Campus Security
Great news out of the State House regarding the funding of some critical programs that deal with security at public higher education in Massachusetts. Locally, at MCC, our Emergency Management Team is working with the proper officials at the state level to ensure that MCC keeps pace with the new technology and implements the most effective communications systems for our students, staff, and faculty.
Here's the official word from the Board of Higher Education:
IN WAKE OF VIRGINIA TECH, KEY CAMPUS SAFETY INITIATIVES FUNDED IN FY08 BUDGET
Emergency text messaging, campus violence prevention efforts
BOSTON – Several campus safety initiatives were funded in the recently passed FY 2008 budget, including $250,000 for an emergency text messaging system on all public college and university campuses, and $100,000 for the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education’s continued efforts to prevent campus violence.
Both initiatives were developed in response to the Virginia Tech tragedies of earlier this spring, and stem from Governor Deval Patrick’s call to action that the Board of Higher Education and the Executive Offices of Public Safety and Health and Human Services work together to develop a coordinated response in Massachusetts. Senate Ways & Means Chairman Steven C. Panagiotakos took the lead to build legislative support for the initiatives recently funded in the FY08 budget.
“We must take every precaution we can to ensure our students are safe. This will require a mix of collaborative strategies and approaches from people working across both higher education and public safety,” said Governor Patrick. “I believe both the emergency text messaging initiative and ongoing work to prevent campus violence are good first steps toward achieving this.”
“We currently have technology at our fingertips that can expedite notification of those at risk during an emergency or violent threat, therefore we have a moral and governmental responsibility to fully utilize it. Hopefully, we will never have to,” said Chairman Panagiotakos.
“I applaud Governor Patrick and the Legislature for moving quickly and decisively regarding these important campus safety initiatives,” said Patricia Plummer, Chancellor of the Board of Higher Education. “Over the last several months, we’ve seen great collaboration between higher education, public safety and health and human services to develop an emergency text messaging system on our college campuses, and to further prevent campus violence. With this new funding, we can continue our work in these critical areas.”
“This funding will enable our higher education and public safety officials to ensure that we are effectively communicating with students and college communities in times of emergency,” said Senator Robert A. O’Leary, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Higher Education. “Cell phones are how we now communicate and this initiative offers a needed new approach to keep our students safe.”
The text messaging system would be activated in the event of an emergency, and would enable each of the participating 29 public colleges and universities to reach all students, faculty and staff on campus. Many public colleges, such as UMass Lowell, Fitchburg State College and Mt. Wachusett Community College, already have pilot text messaging programs in place as a result of pandemic planning.
At the June 15 Symposium on Campus Safety at UMass Boston (hosted by the BHE and Executive Offices of Public Safety and Health and Human Services), several campus Chief Information Officers presented their findings from a campus survey on emergency communications. Results indicated that in the event of an emergency, most people on public college campuses would prefer to receive text messages via cell phone, as opposed to email or voice mail. Campus CIOs will continue to work with institutional leadership to review available solutions with potential vendors, with recommendations expected by the end of summer.
All public college and university campuses have Emergency Response plans that are operationally sound and constantly updated. Presidents and Chancellors at all public higher education institutions are in the process of informing their respective campuses and the surrounding communities about existing emergency response plans, and any intentions to update such plans.