Miami Student

Issue date: 8/24/07 Section: Editorials

The implementation of Miami University's new emergency text messaging system coincides with Wednesday's release of a report concerning the Virginia Polytechnic Institute shooting in April. The staggering loss of 32 people on that fateful day at Virginia Tech reminds colleges and universities across the country about the importance of efficient communication among faculty, staff, students and local law enforcement officials. Miami's plan for an emergency text messaging system is certainly a step in the right direction.

Even though no level of preparedness or single safety measure will ever be completely fail-safe, simple measures can be taken to deter a similar attack from happening. The internal report released by Virginia Tech suggests a promising plethora of common sense solutions-locks on doors from within classrooms, alarm systems, greater use and installation of security cameras and electronic message boards.

And while it can be argued that the Virginia Tech massacre was isolated, it could happen again at any college or university. Because of this, Miami and other schools should implement reasonable-albeit economical measures-to prepare for on-campus emergencies. With a tight university budget, it is imperative that proper fiscal weight be given to security measures.

The new text messaging system is such a solution ensuring that information is available in the event of an emergency, when lines of communication are critical during chaotic circumstances.

Yet it is clear that only a limited amount of information can be conveyed through a cell phone text message and it is not a seamless security measure. The Miami Student encourages Miami to thoroughly research other means of security, such as the suggestions in Virginia Tech's report.

But within these suggestions for tighter protection comes the risk of colleges and universities quickly becoming places where the lives of students are micromanaged in the name of security. This editorial board strongly believes the university should always carefully balance of the safety of students and staff with important privacy concerns.

The breakdown of communication was evident at Virginia Tech, with students being notified of the gunman's earlier shootings a full two hours after they occurred-and in the midst of his brutal classroom rampage that killed 32 people. To that end, the new text messaging system helps to prevent such a breakdown from happening at Miami if any emergency were to occur on campus. But it is only part of the solution.

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