Threat reveals university security flaws

by Shea Furey-King

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 00:00

I got out of work around 9 last night, ushering for a show in the Humanities building. Before I left, I checked my phone, as many do religiously. Seeing that no one had called, I began my walk home. It was dark out and the sidewalks eerily empty, although I've never felt particularly uneasy at night in Madison. I arrived at my dorm to a group of house fellows asking if I was aware of what was happening on campus. They informed me of the suicidal man, the campus lockdown and the additional information that could be found on the University of Wisconisn's webpage. Although thankful for the report, I suddenly felt a pang distress in my stomach, not because of the lockdown situation, but because I had received the information after I had ventured home alone, apparently in total jeopardy. Not only did I learn of the "Emergency Situation" afterward, I had seen many others walk obliviously into the night a few minutes prior. One student went on her way, by foot, to the Frederick Center. I recall giving directions to a young woman and had hoped that she found State Street all right, not knowing I had sent her toward potential danger. For a university that drives the importance of safety down its students' throats (and for that I am sincerely appreciative) I felt disappointment and negligence on account of its safety procedure. Why was a whole building kept in the dark hours after the first occurrence of the lockdown? With the capabilities of mass communication at a university such as this, how could this happen? The homepage shared valuable details, and I read them carefully while in the safety of my dorm room. Details that, had I known an hour ago, would have made me reconsider the walk home. Is this the extent of the quality of safety that UW assures its students — safety only for those with access to the Internet? What about the students who choose to attend clubs that meet in remote places, or who work? Students do not always have Internet access, especially on the go. For the most part, many use it in class, the library or at home. A friend of mine, a student at Monmouth University in New Jersey, asked the same questions when I told her about my school's current lockdown. She said her school has implemented a system called Connect-ED for these types of circumstances. With this system, the moment an emergency occurs, students receive both a voicemail and a text message informing them of the situation and what actions should be taken to assure safety. Several weeks ago, she witnessed the effectiveness of the procedure during a bomb threat. Could this system be of use at UW? Maybe I am overreacting. I could have been the lone student who did not get stopped by police questioning why I chose to walk home alone during a lockdown. I didn't necessarily walk far, maybe two or three blocks at most, and I never actually encountered the person in question. The bottom line is that the "lone student in the dark" shouldn't exist, and I don't feel comfortable knowing that it could be me. If I had gone to another school, that moment when I checked my cell phone, I would have instantly become aware of the heightened alert. However, I choose to attend UW, and I depend on it to keep me safe. UW needs to step up its game and utilize more available resources to secure the safety and awareness of all its students. Shea Furey-King UW sophomore, communications arts fureyking@wisc.edu