Associated Press
08-24-07
Faster notification top priority for universities
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
IOWA CITY — Officials at Iowa’s three public universities say they will review a
recommendation for better mass notification of students and faculty as they
consider measures to improve emergency communications on their own
campuses.
The Virginia Tech review was done after the April 16 shootings that left 32 dead.
The Virginia Tech recommendation also includes installing locks on classroom
doors, evaluating a key card access system to buildings, and implementing better
policies to identify faculty or students who may be troubled.
Gene Deisinger, commander of special operations for the Iowa State
University Police Department, said campus officials have been waiting to see
the Virginia Tech report.
‘‘If there are things we can learn from it to apply to our campus, that’s what we
want to do,’’ he said.
Officials at Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern
Iowa, reviewed campus safety after the Virginia Tech shooting and submitted a
report to the Board of Regents.
The board is scheduled to discuss campus safety next month.
Among the recommendations that will be discussed is finding ways to expedite
notification to faculty and students.
Chuck Green, director of public safety at Iowa, said the university is installing an
outdoor warning system this week. It will broadcast severe weather alerts and
allow live voice messaging and automated messaging, he said.
The university also will implement a system to send voice and text messages to
cell phones, land lines or computers.
The current e-mail based system can up to two hours to notify people.
‘‘We’re looking for something that can push out an emergency message,’’ he
said.