St. Lawrence University: University Communications

To:                   The St. Lawrence Community
From:              President Daniel F. Sullivan
Date:               September 27, 2007
Subject:          Emergency Procedures Update

Last April, after the Virginia Tech tragedy, I sent a campus memo that outlined our security and safety practices and emergency protocols. I indicated them that we had several new systems about to be implemented, so this note serves as an update. Our updated information appears in boldface.

I began my memo last April with this preamble: In the context of a residential college, we constantly seek a reasonable balance between freedom of access to the spaces and people who make up our community and safety and security for the individuals who live, study and work here. Of course, our assessment of what is a reasonable balance will necessarily shift with time as new safety and security resources, as well as new demands, require us continually to evaluate what we do. With that in mind, in our view maintaining safety and security has three, integrated aspects: facilities management, staffing, and rapid, accurate communications. This summary outlines the current status and our existing plans for all three areas as well as two new topics a simple safety protocol we have established and our on-going attention and coordination of safety issues.

Simple Protocol to Remember: If you hear a fire alarm, leave the building. If you hear a siren, stay inside the building and inside the room, locking all doors that are possible to lock. Then, stay alert to communications that will come from one of three sources: The President’s Office, Security and Safety, or University Communications.

On-going Attention and Coordination: We have now four committees to consider issues related to safety or emergencies, an increase from two committees last year. Each committee has distinct areas for review, but when there is overlap, we will expect coordination.

We continue to support the tripartite Safety Committee, whose members consider day-to-day, campus-wide safety issues, and the staff Safety Compliance Task Force, whose members address OSHA-related employee policies, procedures and training.

We have asked our Pandemic Planning Team to stay together to become our Emergency Planning Team, to focus on our planning for and response to campus emergency situations, whether threats come from health issues, weather, or crime.
We also have added a Campus Safety Advisory Board of two faculty, two staff and two students; together they review the policies and procedures of our Security and Safety office.

Facilities management: The St. Lawrence campus in Canton has approximately 40 buildings, categorized as residential spaces, academic spaces, and mixed use spaces. All on-campus residential spaces have computerized access controls such that, with a card swipe, people authorized to have access do have access and when unauthorized access is attempted that is known immediately at Security; residences on the periphery of campus have access control—usually a combination lock—at each site. All of the residences are, by default, locked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each room in all residences automatically locks when the door is closed.

This past summer, we installed centrally controlled card access security to all theme residences and Greek chapter houses.
For spaces governed by the centrally controlled system, the Security and Safety staff can know, by card identification, those who enter a residence, and when. Security staff can disable individual access cards for any and all spaces.

Staffing: St. Lawrence employs a 17-member professional staff whose members are focused on campus safety and security. Our staff will respond to any emergency situation with a focus on protection of students and employees, while appropriate village, county and state authorities, called immediately, will set up a command post and coordinate any necessary investigation.

Communications: St. Lawrence begins its communications approach with the premise of transparency. In the event of campus emergency, we determine the potential of imminent danger and err on the side of communication, providing as much verified information as can be determined and providing regular updates. We have employed broadcast e-mail and voice mail methods successfully, we post information to the University Web site, and we mobilize Student Life staff at all levels to communicate in person.

We have invested in a new, flexible contact system that will allow rapid text messages to cell phones. We have reprogrammed the APR (our automated student registration system) system to collect student emergency contact information. So far, 1,970 students have updated their emergency contact information. These data is automatically sent to our text messaging provider. Employees who have cell phones, either through the University or a personal contract, are urged to share their cell phone numbers with Human Resources so the numbers can be added to the SAINTS database. We will be testing the new system in October.

We are about to implement a new automated voice alert system that will call all campus telephone extensions in the event of an emergency. We are in the process of purchasing phones for all classrooms.
We have purchased a new security vehicle with a built-in portable address system, with siren, and emergency lights.

We have investigated several options for customized siren systems. One possibility is a coordinated purchase through Associated Colleges will give all four schools an external siren designed for each of our specific campus landscapes. Another possibility is a coordinated purchase with the Canton and county governments. Both options are being evaluated.

A reminder that our Emergency Preparedness Web site has been a resource for you and will continue to be updated and expanded. I would be happy to respond to your specific questions about campus security protocols, or to connect you with the professional staff who can assist you.

To: The St. Lawrence Community From: President Daniel F. Sullivan Date: September 27, 2007 Subject: Emergency Procedures Update Last April, after the Virginia Tech tragedy, I sent a campus memo that outlined our security and safety practices and emergency protocols. I indicated them that we had several new systems about to be implemented, so this note serves as an update. Our updated information appears in boldface. I began my memo last April with this preamble: In the context of a residential college, we constantly seek a reasonable balance between freedom of access to the spaces and people who make up our community and safety and security for the individuals who live, study and work here. Of course, our assessment of what is a reasonable balance will necessarily shift with time as new safety and security resources, as well as new demands, require us continually to evaluate what we do. With that in mind, in our view maintaining safety and security has three, integrated aspects: facilities management, staffing, and rapid, accurate communications. This summary outlines the current status and our existing plans for all three areas as well as two new topics a simple safety protocol we have established and our on-going attention and coordination of safety issues. Simple Protocol to Remember: If you hear a fire alarm, leave the building. If you hear a siren, stay inside the building and inside the room, locking all doors that are possible to lock. Then, stay alert to communications that will come from one of three sources: The President’s Office, Security and Safety, or University Communications. On-going Attention and Coordination: We have now four committees to consider issues related to safety or emergencies, an increase from two committees last year. Each committee has distinct areas for review, but when there is overlap, we will expect coordination. We continue to support the tripartite Safety Committee, whose members consider day-to-day, campus-wide safety issues, and the staff Safety Compliance Task Force, whose members address OSHA-related employee policies, procedures and training. We have asked our Pandemic Planning Team to stay together to become our Emergency Planning Team, to focus on our planning for and response to campus emergency situations, whether threats come from health issues, weather, or crime. We also have added a Campus Safety Advisory Board of two faculty, two staff and two students; together they review the policies and procedures of our Security and Safety office. Facilities management: The St. Lawrence campus in Canton has approximately 40 buildings, categorized as residential spaces, academic spaces, and mixed use spaces. All on-campus residential spaces have computerized access controls such that, with a card swipe, people authorized to have access do have access and when unauthorized access is attempted that is known immediately at Security; residences on the periphery of campus have access control—usually a combination lock—at each site. All of the residences are, by default, locked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Each room in all residences automatically locks when the door is closed. This past summer, we installed centrally controlled card access security to all theme residences and Greek chapter houses. For spaces governed by the centrally controlled system, the Security and Safety staff can know, by card identification, those who enter a residence, and when. Security staff can disable individual access cards for any and all spaces. Staffing: St. Lawrence employs a 17-member professional staff whose members are focused on campus safety and security. Our staff will respond to any emergency situation with a focus on protection of students and employees, while appropriate village, county and state authorities, called immediately, will set up a command post and coordinate any necessary investigation. Communications: St. Lawrence begins its communications approach with the premise of transparency. In the event of campus emergency, we determine the potential of imminent danger and err on the side of communication, providing as much verified information as can be determined and providing regular updates. We have employed broadcast e-mail and voice mail methods successfully, we post information to the University Web site, and we mobilize Student Life staff at all levels to communicate in person. We have invested in a new, flexible contact system that will allow rapid text messages to cell phones. We have reprogrammed the APR (our automated student registration system) system to collect student emergency contact information. So far, 1,970 students have updated their emergency contact information. These data is automatically sent to our text messaging provider. Employees who have cell phones, either through the University or a personal contract, are urged to share their cell phone numbers with Human Resources so the numbers can be added to the SAINTS database. We will be testing the new system in October. We are about to implement a new automated voice alert system that will call all campus telephone extensions in the event of an emergency. We are in the process of purchasing phones for all classrooms. We have purchased a new security vehicle with a built-in portable address system, with siren, and emergency lights. We have investigated several options for customized siren systems. One possibility is a coordinated purchase through Associated Colleges will give all four schools an external siren designed for each of our specific campus landscapes. Another possibility is a coordinated purchase with the Canton and county governments. Both options are being evaluated. A reminder that our Emergency Preparedness Web site has been a resource for you and will continue to be updated and expanded. I would be happy to respond to your specific questions about campus security protocols, or to connect you with the professional staff who can assist you.
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