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Vendaval -> "Schools review safety after Va. massacre" (4/18/2007 11:16:14 PM)
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"Schools review safety after Va. massacre"
By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER, Associated Press writer
17 minutes ago
" Many schools consider texting a key way to reach this generation of students. "They consider e-mail snail-mail, and really don't use it as much," said John A. Fry, president of Franklin & Marshall College, near Lancaster, Pa.
The University of Memphis plans to build a system that will act as a schoolwide intercom. Scheduled to be in place by this fall, it will feature speakers mounted on three or four tall poles.
At Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, officials installed more than 100 "smart" cameras after two off-campus slayings. The cameras are linked to computers that detect suspicious situations, such as someone climbing a fence or falling down, and alert not only campus security but also Baltimore city police.
Using text messages would require students to provide personal cell phone numbers — an intrusion that many colleges and universities have until now been reluctant to pursue, said Howard Udell, chief executive officer of Saf-T-Net AlertNow, a Raleigh, N.C., company that specializes in campus security.
Cell phone numbers "have to be as vital as your Social Security number," he said. "I don't think it's been a priority."
The Virginia Tech massacre could bring about widespread safety reforms at colleges and universities, much as the Columbine shootings in Colorado led to security improvements at primary and secondary schools, Udell said.
Text-message alert systems are already in place at some schools, including Penn State University, which started its program in the fall. The system has transmitted 20 emergency messages since its start, ranging from traffic closures to weather-related cancellations or delays.
At the University of Minnesota, 101 of the university's 270 buildings have electronic access devices. A control center can selectively lock and unlock doors, send emergency e-mail and phone messages, and trigger audio tones and messages. Video cameras monitor 871 locations around the university, and radio networks link the university with police.
California State University in San Bernadino, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, has experience dealing with emergencies. It was evacuated in 2003 because of wildfires and closed again last year because of high winds.
Officials now have an automatic phone bank that calls every campus extension in an emergency. The school also has a flashing electronic bulletin board at its entrance and a mass e-mailing system. "
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070419/ap_on_re_us/virginia_tech_campus_alerts;_ylt=AjYxvWd9rJ_Z_Pcl8HCoJTRH2ocA
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