With the horrible Virgina Tech massacre still in the nation's collective mind, universities nationwide are already looking to the future. The awful details of the Virgina Tech massacre are slowly making their way to light, and university administrators are, no doubt, scrambling to set up plans to ensure no disaster of this magnitude occurs again.
At Ball State University, administrators plan to meet to discuss what plans and policies might be necessary in light of the Virginia Tech shooting. It's impossible to have a specific course of action for every situation, but a general plan for what to do in potentially violent scenarios is a must.
The events that led up to the senseless deaths of 32 people provide invaluable examples for Ball State administrators to keep in mind when formulating a viable and efficient crisis management plan. Regardless of responsibility or potential mistakes at Virgina Tech, which will no doubt be hotly debated and discussed in the weeks to come, the true value to Ball State administrators lies in the cause and effect situations that led up to the massacre.
To ensure safety, Ball State already has policies in place that address problems before they occur. Policies can only go so far, however, and administrators need to consider what plans need to be formulated to address violent situations that could come up. All residence halls require valid ID cards for entry, but there's no reason all campus buildings shouldn't have precautions as well. Officials should be able to lock all building doors easily to ensure violence can be blocked from finding its way to students.
Effective communication is a must in any emergency situation and especially so when lives are at risk. What administrators know becomes inconsequential if the information can't be disseminated to the people who need it in a quick and practical manner.
At the request of President Jo Ann Gora, Ball State technology officials are looking into utilizing opt-in text messages from the university to alert students in the case of an emergency. Text message alerts in an emergency situation would provide instant, real-time communication - a feature that's becoming more necessary in our technology-orientated world. Constant updates would ensure students aren't caught off guard and put in a potentially fatal situation.
The future crisis management protocol for Ball State is unclear at this point, but one thing's for certain: a plan is necessary. With the proper planning, Ball State administrators will have the necessary tools to react to any emergency situation - and students will be safer for it.
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