K-State police log has been quiet for the last couple of weeks. I called Officer Troy Lane and he said he is trying to train somebody to take it over for him and he doesn't know when it will be issued again.
This service to the K-State community should not be allowed to lapse for long.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
A word about Sam Brownback
I'd like to thank Sen. Sam Brownback for something he did about this time last year (has it been that long ago?) At the time, I had asked K-State for a review of residence hall security and they had agreed to do so, but I left an email in the Senator's Web site to make the case to him as well, since I am well aware he is a favorite son of K-State and Pat Bosco, et al.
I got a call the next morning from one of Sam's staffers in KC and I laid out the case for a review of residence hall security at K-State, and I pointed out that K-State's standards were not as tight as KU, and I also said I didn't think KSU was very accommodating as to our particular case.
The staffer said my complaint wasn't in their "jurisdiction" and said it sounded like I needed a lawyer. In the end, he agreed to pass on my concern to the Board of Regents.
After my conversation, I sent Sen. Brownback another email expressing my disappointment in the staffer's response.
A couple of days later, I got a letter written by Brownback himself, who said he made a personal call on behalf of my concerns to K-State. That he would take time to do that was most appreciated and won't be forgotten, no matter what else has transpired.
I got a call the next morning from one of Sam's staffers in KC and I laid out the case for a review of residence hall security at K-State, and I pointed out that K-State's standards were not as tight as KU, and I also said I didn't think KSU was very accommodating as to our particular case.
The staffer said my complaint wasn't in their "jurisdiction" and said it sounded like I needed a lawyer. In the end, he agreed to pass on my concern to the Board of Regents.
After my conversation, I sent Sen. Brownback another email expressing my disappointment in the staffer's response.
A couple of days later, I got a letter written by Brownback himself, who said he made a personal call on behalf of my concerns to K-State. That he would take time to do that was most appreciated and won't be forgotten, no matter what else has transpired.
Collegian Edit
Here is the Collegian edit on dorm security:
After the most deadly shooting in U.S. history Monday at the Virginia Tech campus, universities across the country are considering new security policies.One of the areas in which K-State is looking to improve security is its residence halls.Beginning next semester, students will need to show identification and register at the front desk when entering a residence hall after 9 p.m. In the past, students who lived in the halls could enter the building by scanning their K-State ID cards to unlock the door.The measures taken are necessary. Previously, any guest - or even random people - could follow residents into the building without any sort of security check.It is not a big inconvenience for students, whether they live in the hall or not, to provide proper identification when entering a place in which hundreds of college students live for much of the year. Many universities like KU already have adopted similar policies.In previous semesters, nearly anyone could enter the halls, one way or another. This is potentially harmful to students who do not lock their doors or are up late at night. Hopefully this measure, along with future considerations, will change this.Since thousands of students live in the halls, it would be nearly impossible to keep track of every single resident or guest in the hall. But a measure like the one K-State is instituting will help significantly. And while it might not repel all possible intruders, this will add some much-needed security.
TK: While many students see the announcement of dorm security measures as a response to Va. Tech tragedy, the wheels have been in motion for some time. One area I think K-State overlooks in its security upgrades is the use of cameras at the entrances and lobbies in the dorm. Those cameras could help protect residence hall staff as they enforce after hour security measures.
After the most deadly shooting in U.S. history Monday at the Virginia Tech campus, universities across the country are considering new security policies.One of the areas in which K-State is looking to improve security is its residence halls.Beginning next semester, students will need to show identification and register at the front desk when entering a residence hall after 9 p.m. In the past, students who lived in the halls could enter the building by scanning their K-State ID cards to unlock the door.The measures taken are necessary. Previously, any guest - or even random people - could follow residents into the building without any sort of security check.It is not a big inconvenience for students, whether they live in the hall or not, to provide proper identification when entering a place in which hundreds of college students live for much of the year. Many universities like KU already have adopted similar policies.In previous semesters, nearly anyone could enter the halls, one way or another. This is potentially harmful to students who do not lock their doors or are up late at night. Hopefully this measure, along with future considerations, will change this.Since thousands of students live in the halls, it would be nearly impossible to keep track of every single resident or guest in the hall. But a measure like the one K-State is instituting will help significantly. And while it might not repel all possible intruders, this will add some much-needed security.
TK: While many students see the announcement of dorm security measures as a response to Va. Tech tragedy, the wheels have been in motion for some time. One area I think K-State overlooks in its security upgrades is the use of cameras at the entrances and lobbies in the dorm. Those cameras could help protect residence hall staff as they enforce after hour security measures.
Monday, April 16, 2007
CU responds
CU responds to Virginia shooting
BOULDER (KWGN) — The University of Colorado at Boulder is responding in a number of ways to today's shooting at Virginia Tech including offering students counseling services, and a variety of community outreach efforts in residence halls.In addition, the campus will issue reminders on safety precautions."Our entire campus community is stunned by the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech," said Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson. "I want all our CU community, parents and families to know that we are monitoring this situation carefully and that we do not believe at this time that CU students are threatened in any way."Also, we have made counseling resources available on campus to those who might be affected by this horrendous crime. I believe this awful moment in the history of American higher education underscores the need for all of us to take strong measures to prevent violence in all aspects of American life. As that struggle continues, we send our thoughts and prayers to the members of the Virginia Tech campus community."Spokesman Bronson Hilliard said, "The campus is communicating with CU-Boulder students internally to provide them with information on counseling and other support services that are available."Students also are being sent reminders to observe basic security protocols including locking their doors, not allowing anyone they don't know into the residence halls and reporting anyone who acts suspiciously, Hilliard said.CU-Boulder is increasing the frequency and staffing of security patrols for campus housing facilities. Residence hall staff members are receiving information on how to discuss the tragedy with students and to update all hall residents on safety issues."We're going to provide community outreach services in our residence halls this evening, and we'll be continuing our outreach efforts as long as our students need assistance," said Deb Coffin, CU-Boulder's assistant vice chancellor for housing administration. "The university also will work to provide assistance and outreach to every student who can be identified as having a connection to the state of Virginia or to similar local and national tragedies."CU-Boulder students affected by the shooting and who wish to contact a campus counselor are encouraged to call or visit any of the following offices: Counseling and Psychological Services, 134 Willard Hall, (303) 492-6766; Office of Victim Assistance, 217 Willard Hall, (303) 492-8855; Center for Multicultural Affairs, 118 Willard Hall, (303) 492-5667; the Office of Psychological Health and Psychiatry at Wardenburg Health Center, (303) 492-5654; and the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program, 223 Willard Hall, (303) 492-2172.
BOULDER (KWGN) — The University of Colorado at Boulder is responding in a number of ways to today's shooting at Virginia Tech including offering students counseling services, and a variety of community outreach efforts in residence halls.In addition, the campus will issue reminders on safety precautions."Our entire campus community is stunned by the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech," said Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson. "I want all our CU community, parents and families to know that we are monitoring this situation carefully and that we do not believe at this time that CU students are threatened in any way."Also, we have made counseling resources available on campus to those who might be affected by this horrendous crime. I believe this awful moment in the history of American higher education underscores the need for all of us to take strong measures to prevent violence in all aspects of American life. As that struggle continues, we send our thoughts and prayers to the members of the Virginia Tech campus community."Spokesman Bronson Hilliard said, "The campus is communicating with CU-Boulder students internally to provide them with information on counseling and other support services that are available."Students also are being sent reminders to observe basic security protocols including locking their doors, not allowing anyone they don't know into the residence halls and reporting anyone who acts suspiciously, Hilliard said.CU-Boulder is increasing the frequency and staffing of security patrols for campus housing facilities. Residence hall staff members are receiving information on how to discuss the tragedy with students and to update all hall residents on safety issues."We're going to provide community outreach services in our residence halls this evening, and we'll be continuing our outreach efforts as long as our students need assistance," said Deb Coffin, CU-Boulder's assistant vice chancellor for housing administration. "The university also will work to provide assistance and outreach to every student who can be identified as having a connection to the state of Virginia or to similar local and national tragedies."CU-Boulder students affected by the shooting and who wish to contact a campus counselor are encouraged to call or visit any of the following offices: Counseling and Psychological Services, 134 Willard Hall, (303) 492-6766; Office of Victim Assistance, 217 Willard Hall, (303) 492-8855; Center for Multicultural Affairs, 118 Willard Hall, (303) 492-5667; the Office of Psychological Health and Psychiatry at Wardenburg Health Center, (303) 492-5654; and the Faculty & Staff Assistance Program, 223 Willard Hall, (303) 492-2172.
A tragedy in Blacksburg
From the AP:
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, shot up a classroom building across campus Monday, killing 32 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman committed suicide, bringing the death toll to 33.
Students bitterly complained that there were no public-address announcements on campus after the first burst of gunfire. Many said the first word they received from the university was an e-mail more than two hours into the rampage—around the time the gunman struck again.
Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said authorities believed that the shooting at the dorm was a domestic dispute and mistakenly thought the gunman had fled the campus.
"We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur," he said.
He defended the university's handling of the tragedy, saying: "We can only make decisions based on the information you had on the time. You don't have hours to reflect on it."
Investigators offered no motive for the attack. The gunman's name was not immediately released, and it was not known if he was a student.
The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus. Witnesses reporting students jumping out the windows of a classroom building to escape the gunfire. SWAT team members with helmets, flak jackets and assault rifles swarmed over the campus. Students and faculty members carried out some of the wounded themselves, without waiting for ambulances to arrive. A student used his cell-phone camera to record the sound of shots echoing through the stone classroom building.
The massacre took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing at least two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half-mile away, authorities said.
Two people were killed in a dormitory room, and 31 others were killed in the classroom building, including the gunman, police said.
"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," Steger said. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."
Steger emphasized that the university closed off the dorm after the first attack and decided to rely on e-mail and other electronic means to notify members of the university, but with 11,000 people driving onto campus first thing in the morning, it was difficult to get the word out. He said that before the e-mail went out, the university began telephoning resident advisers in the dorms to notify them and sent people to knock on doors to spread the word.
Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum would not say how many weapons the gunman carried. But a law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was incomplete, said that the gunman had two pistols and multiple clips of ammunition.
Flinchum said that some doors in the classroom building had been chained shut from the inside.
Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building.
Some students bitterly questioned why the gunman was able to strike a second time.
"What happened today, this was ridiculous," student Jason Piatt told CNN. "While they send out that e-mail, 20 more people got killed."
Students and Laura Wedin, a student programs manager at Virginia Tech, said the first notification they got of the shootings came in an e- mail at 9:26 a.m., more than two hours after the first shooting.
The e-mail had few details. It read: "A shooting incident occurred at West Amber Johnston earlier this morning. Police are on the scene and are investigating." The message warned students to be cautious and contact police about anything suspicious.
Student Maurice Hiller said he went to a 9 a.m. class two buildings away from the engineering building, and no warnings were coming over the outdoor public address system on campus at the time.
Everett Good, junior, said of the lack of warning: "I'm trying to figure that out. Someone's head is definitely going to roll over that."
"We were kept in the dark a lot about exactly what was going on," said Andrew Capers Thompson, a 22-year-old graduate student from Walhalla, S.C.
At least 26 people were being treated at three area hospitals for gunshot wounds and other injuries, authorities said. Their exact conditions were not disclosed, but at least one was sent to a trauma center and six were in surgery, authorities said.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) - A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech dorm and then, two hours later, shot up a classroom building across campus Monday, killing 32 people in the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history. The gunman committed suicide, bringing the death toll to 33.
Students bitterly complained that there were no public-address announcements on campus after the first burst of gunfire. Many said the first word they received from the university was an e-mail more than two hours into the rampage—around the time the gunman struck again.
Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said authorities believed that the shooting at the dorm was a domestic dispute and mistakenly thought the gunman had fled the campus.
"We had no reason to suspect any other incident was going to occur," he said.
He defended the university's handling of the tragedy, saying: "We can only make decisions based on the information you had on the time. You don't have hours to reflect on it."
Investigators offered no motive for the attack. The gunman's name was not immediately released, and it was not known if he was a student.
The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus. Witnesses reporting students jumping out the windows of a classroom building to escape the gunfire. SWAT team members with helmets, flak jackets and assault rifles swarmed over the campus. Students and faculty members carried out some of the wounded themselves, without waiting for ambulances to arrive. A student used his cell-phone camera to record the sound of shots echoing through the stone classroom building.
The massacre took place at opposite sides of the 2,600-acre campus, beginning at about 7:15 a.m. at West Ambler Johnston, a coed dormitory that houses 895 people, and continuing at least two hours later at Norris Hall, an engineering building about a half-mile away, authorities said.
Two people were killed in a dormitory room, and 31 others were killed in the classroom building, including the gunman, police said.
"Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions," Steger said. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."
Steger emphasized that the university closed off the dorm after the first attack and decided to rely on e-mail and other electronic means to notify members of the university, but with 11,000 people driving onto campus first thing in the morning, it was difficult to get the word out. He said that before the e-mail went out, the university began telephoning resident advisers in the dorms to notify them and sent people to knock on doors to spread the word.
Virginia Tech Police Chief Wendell Flinchum would not say how many weapons the gunman carried. But a law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was incomplete, said that the gunman had two pistols and multiple clips of ammunition.
Flinchum said that some doors in the classroom building had been chained shut from the inside.
Police said they were still investigating the shooting at the dorm when they got word of gunfire at the classroom building.
Some students bitterly questioned why the gunman was able to strike a second time.
"What happened today, this was ridiculous," student Jason Piatt told CNN. "While they send out that e-mail, 20 more people got killed."
Students and Laura Wedin, a student programs manager at Virginia Tech, said the first notification they got of the shootings came in an e- mail at 9:26 a.m., more than two hours after the first shooting.
The e-mail had few details. It read: "A shooting incident occurred at West Amber Johnston earlier this morning. Police are on the scene and are investigating." The message warned students to be cautious and contact police about anything suspicious.
Student Maurice Hiller said he went to a 9 a.m. class two buildings away from the engineering building, and no warnings were coming over the outdoor public address system on campus at the time.
Everett Good, junior, said of the lack of warning: "I'm trying to figure that out. Someone's head is definitely going to roll over that."
"We were kept in the dark a lot about exactly what was going on," said Andrew Capers Thompson, a 22-year-old graduate student from Walhalla, S.C.
At least 26 people were being treated at three area hospitals for gunshot wounds and other injuries, authorities said. Their exact conditions were not disclosed, but at least one was sent to a trauma center and six were in surgery, authorities said.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Taking umbrage
Kansas State University pays nearly $400,000 a year to its cabal of lawyers, I found out recently from Freedom of Information documents. It gives me umbrage to think K-State's administrators are beholden to their attorneys more than they are accountable to their students.
I have a complaint that K-State isn't being accountable in a case of negligence at one of its residence halls. I have asked for K-State to step up to the plate and assume responsibility by providing a fund for unpaid medical bills or for future treatment. Of course, this plea is falling on deaf ears.
Let's remember the University is not perfect. K-State's attorneys lost a lawsuit in 1993 relating to a lawsuit brought by a woman who was raped by one of K-State's student athletes in a residence hall.
I believe K-State's administrators probably listen too much to their lawyers advice and not enough to their own instincts.
If K-State would set aside just 5% to 10% a year of what they pay their lawyers to set up a fund for students who are injured or harmed on the University's watch in residence halls, perhaps KSU would have less need for lawyers to represent them in civil actions such as Nero v. KSU in 1993.
I have a complaint that K-State isn't being accountable in a case of negligence at one of its residence halls. I have asked for K-State to step up to the plate and assume responsibility by providing a fund for unpaid medical bills or for future treatment. Of course, this plea is falling on deaf ears.
Let's remember the University is not perfect. K-State's attorneys lost a lawsuit in 1993 relating to a lawsuit brought by a woman who was raped by one of K-State's student athletes in a residence hall.
I believe K-State's administrators probably listen too much to their lawyers advice and not enough to their own instincts.
If K-State would set aside just 5% to 10% a year of what they pay their lawyers to set up a fund for students who are injured or harmed on the University's watch in residence halls, perhaps KSU would have less need for lawyers to represent them in civil actions such as Nero v. KSU in 1993.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Invitation extended
This morning I talked with Derek Jackson of KSU and invited him to be a guest author for this blog. I reiterated by my disappointment in K-State's lack of accountability on residence hall security and asked him to consider my original request that K-State cover any unpaid medical bills related to the attack on someone in my family. I also said that my Freedom of Information Act request entailed far more than the University provided relating to the reports from the residence hall security committee.
Relating to the case I am so exorcised about, I asked him if he could provide an account of how the assailant got into Goodnow Hall. He could not because the report wasn't in front of him. I told him that stretches credulity to believe that. And that is all I have to say about that
Relating to the case I am so exorcised about, I asked him if he could provide an account of how the assailant got into Goodnow Hall. He could not because the report wasn't in front of him. I told him that stretches credulity to believe that. And that is all I have to say about that
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