In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, UC President Robert C. Dynes created a 19-member security task force to study how UC campuses can enhance their security, notification process, mental health services and general preparedness.
"As the Virginia Tech and even more recent Northern Illinois University tragedies remind us, campus security and mental health remain pressing issues for university campuses," said Dynes. "Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students is one of the University of California's highest priorities, and we must constantly strive to improve our efforts in these critical areas. The task force has given us an important road map to do that."
After reviewing campus security measures, student mental health practices and policies, emergency preparedness, and other key components, the task force is recommending in its report (www.universityofcalifornia.edu/regents/regmeet/mar08/e2.pdf) that the university provide additional funding for student mental health and develop plans and procedures for rapid response to potential violent critical incidents.
The UC Board of Regents will discuss the task force report at its March 20 meeting in San Francisco.
The university believes it's critical to continue to regularly assess and update its policies and procedures concerning student mental health and campus security. UC also strives to incorporate recommendations made in these important areas.
The task force report notes that over the last few years the university has taken many positive and pro-active actions to ensure the safety and security of UC campuses.
Recent initiatives include:
• UC campus police engaging in active shooter scenario training.
• The establishment at most campuses of interoperable radio communications with local public safety agencies.
• Expanded emergency mass notification systems at all campuses.
UC campuses have also developed workplace violence training and education for faculty, staff and students. In addition, many UC campuses have implemented a number of physical security measures and safeguards, including panic or alarm systems, and emergency call boxes.
The university has also already begun seeking to address many of the challenges in the area of mental health. Through an increase in UC's registration fee for 2007-08, approximately $4 million will be directed specifically to mental health needs. On the campus level, the vice chancellors for student affairs have created a blueprint plan of action on student mental health, which largely depends upon additional funding.
The recent incident at UC Davis, where 455 students were evacuated and explosive materials safely removed from a campus residence hall, demonstrates the importance of having adequate safeguards and security measures in place, and highlights the ability of campus public safety departments, in coordination with others members of the campus community, to work with outside agencies in rapidly disseminating warnings and emergency information to the campus community.
In December 2005, UC Provost Wyatt R. Hume charged a 12-member student mental health committee with examining trends in student mental health and how those trends are being managed both nationally and at the University of California. The committee issued its report (www.universityofcalifornia.edu/regents/regmeet/sept06/303attach.pdf) in September 2006.
The campus security task force's recommendations include:
Student mental health
• Complete funding recommended in the UC Student Mental Health Committee Final Report.
• Create multidisciplinary behavioral management teams at each UC campus to address issues relating to students, staff or faculty who may pose a threat to the campus community.
• Formally examine (with input from all segments of the university community) the impact of proposed changes to student and patient privacy and related law.
Emergency communications
• Conduct campus analyses of current emergency communications practices, capabilities and needs with the objective of identifying and closing any gaps.
• Create an interdisciplinary team and crisis communication plan for each campus that clearly defines roles and responsibilities, as well as delegations and lines of authority for officials to support timely campuswide warnings and notification during an emergency situation or critical incident.
• Establish direct radio communications capability with local mutual aid and emergency services providers at all UC campuses.
Preparedness and response
• Conduct campus assessments of public safety responder staffing levels and equipment to determine whether they have the resources required to provide a rapid and effective initial response to a violent critical incident.
• Develop on each campus a first responder "active shooter" training plan that includes mutual aid emergency responders.
• Work toward systemwide compliance with the National Preparedness Standard including establishing and testing campuswide mass notification and alerting systems.
Campus safety and security fact sheet: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/factsheets/safetyFacts_0308.pdf
Student mental health fact sheet: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/factsheets/mentalHealthFacts_0308.pdf
For more information about the University of California: www.universityofcalifornia.edu