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Spotlight: Virginia Tech's lessons

Photo: UC Davis chancellor Larry Vanderhoef

UC Davis chancellor Larry Vanderhoef

E-mail from Virginia Tech Provost Mark McNamee

Chancellor outlines services, communications, prevention services

April 23, 2007

Dear Members of the Campus Community:

It's been just a week since we learned of the Virginia Tech tragedy. In that time we have gathered to mourn and to connect, and to convey to another campus family that we care.

That compassion, personally and collectively expressed, has brought comfort. Mark McNamee, our former dean of biological sciences and now Virginia Tech's provost, has written to say how moved the VT community is by the national outpouring of support from alumni and friends everywhere. [See box on right: "E-mail from Virginia Tech Provost Mark McNamee"]

He asks for our continuing thoughts and prayers.

I know from some of the questions you've asked this past week that it's hard for us all not to feel more vulnerable now.

You've asked about our preparedness for such a circumstance, about how you would be kept informed, and about how such a tragedy might be prevented. The campus is doing lots, but that's not to say there isn't more to do.

First, our preparedness:

  • We have the great advantage of our own police and fire departments, highly trained in rapid response to such unfolding emergencies and with mutual-aid agreements with other law enforcement and emergency response agencies.
  • Our campus-wide emergency management team convenes regularly to rehearse how the campus would respond to various emergencies, and many of our employees have additionally participated in state and federal training and emergency drills.
  • Our full-time emergency manager helps us to continually assess the campus's readiness.
  • Our police department is developing a new community-training program to help all of us know what to do in the event of a critical incident like Virginia Tech's.

Watch Dateline UC Davis over the next several weeks for details, as well as for other safety-related information.

Second, our communications:

  • We currently can deliver urgent notices to you via:
    • e-mail
    • campus telephones
    • an emergency telephone hotline (530-752-1011)
    • the Web (http://www.ucdavis.edu)
    • our KDVS 90.3 FM radio station,
    • and cars equipped with bullhorns.
  • We are revitalizing a network of emergency-response coordinators for every campus building and investigating the possibility of improving cell phone reception in several high-traffic campus buildings.
  • We are also exploring a system for automatically sending text, voice and e-mail messages, and investigating the possibility of installing sirens and of engaging amateur radio operators to assist in emergencies.
  • You can also help the police by alerting them to any dangers by dialing 911 from a campus phone or 530-752-1230 from a cellular or non-campus phone, or by picking up one of the "blue light" phones located in several outdoor spots on campus.

Third, and very importantly, prevention:

  • Two special teams – the Student Crisis Response Team and the Faculty-Staff Crisis Response Team — meet regularly (immediately, if a situation warrants) to prevent high-risk situations of intimidation or violence from escalating to emergencies.
  • The Campus Violence Prevention Program at (530) 752-3759 also works proactively to prevent violence through intervention, education and training.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services at (530) 752-0871 provides urgent care and by-appointment counseling for students, and also helps faculty and staff respond appropriately to students who are distressed (see http://caps.ucdavis.edu/emergencies/index.htm or call for information about workshops).
  • The Academic and Staff Assistance Program at (530) 752-2727 provides similar counseling and intervention services — at the earliest possible moment — for faculty and staff.

In closing, it's important that we take care of one another and of ourselves, especially at times of major tragic events. We've had such a trauma this past week and, for some, it may be a while before its full, sad impact is felt.

If you'd find it helpful to talk with a counselor, or are concerned about a friend or colleague, don't hesitate to be in touch with Counseling and Psychological Services or with the Academic and Staff Assistance Program. They very much want to help.

Sincerely,

Larry N. Vanderhoef
Chancellor