| As a recent college graduate looking back on my | | | | constitutional right to possess a firearm. Instead, |
| four years of indentured servitude, I can recall | | | | the focus is being directed at the universities. In |
| many stressors that contributed to numerous | | | | August, Illinois Gov. Rod D. Blagojevich signed The |
| sleepless nights and frequent migraines. I suppose | | | | Campus Security Enhancement Act into law. This |
| its par for the course. After all, those hours of | | | | new act will require all universities in the state to |
| hard work cramming for exams and scrambling to | | | | develop and practice an emergency response plan |
| complete a 15 page research paper you just | | | | alongside local emergency response agencies and |
| started yesterday only make the reward of | | | | mental health providers. |
| graduating that much sweeter. To say you | | | | During the investigation of the Virginia Tech |
| survived college unscathed is quite the | | | | shootings, the university authorities were criticized |
| accomplishment. | | | | for slow and sloppy response to the shootings |
| Yet in today's stormy climate of higher education, | | | | after failing to shut down the university after the |
| it isn't so much surviving anatomy and physiology | | | | first two shots. Authorities at the time believed it |
| that plagues the minds of American students. | | | | to be an isolated incident or that the shooter had |
| More and more, college students are facing the | | | | fled the campus. Two and a half hours later, the |
| harsh reality that they are putting their personal | | | | massacre continued, ultimately leaving 33 dead. |
| safety at risk by simply stepping foot inside the | | | | Effective Jan 1, 2009, all Illinois higher education |
| student union. The April 2007 shootings at Virginia | | | | institutions will be required to develop an |
| Tech and The Northern Illinois University shootings | | | | emergency response plan as well as an |
| that occurred earlier this year are slowly but | | | | inter-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional campus |
| surely bringing college violence closer to home. | | | | violence prevention plan in order to avoid a |
| What's the Real Issue? | | | | situation similar to Virginia Tech. State and local |
| Gun control has always been a hotbed of | | | | management officials will assist with the |
| controversial discussion. With the majority of | | | | development of the operations as well as training. |
| school massacres involving firearms, many blame | | | | Another requirement involves the creation of a |
| the constitutional right of gun ownership for the | | | | university threat assessment team and violence |
| increase in violent crime. Just this month, a librarian | | | | prevention committee. Blagojevich is also pushing |
| at Northeast Lakeview College in San Antonio | | | | for approval of the Campus Security |
| was gunned down by a co-worker in the | | | | Enhancement Grant Program. The $25 million dollar |
| university's library. Authorities say the gunman | | | | plan would provide funding for campus security |
| shot and killed Devin Zimmerman, 37, and then | | | | response and violence prevention training |
| sat and waited to be arrested. Students were in | | | | programs, projects to enhance emergency |
| the library at the time of the shooting, but none | | | | communications, and implementation of |
| were injured. Police eventually evacuated the | | | | campus-wide training programs. |
| building. | | | | "This new law sets Illinois apart in our efforts to |
| The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence reports that | | | | make sure students and faculty members on |
| every day, more than 80 Americans die as a | | | | college campuses are as safe as possible," said |
| result of gun shootings. Furthermore, the US | | | | Blagojevich. |
| Department of Justice reported that only 2% of | | | | With any hope, Governor Blagojevich's efforts will |
| all gun related crimes occurring between | | | | gain national attention and similar legislation will |
| 2000-2002 were actually prosecuted. Law | | | | follow throughout the country. As tragically shown |
| enforcement agencies are frequently ignoring laws | | | | in the case of Virginia Tech, many lives may have |
| including selling to minors and possessing a firearm | | | | been saved if a proper emergency procedure |
| in a school zone. Long story short, among the | | | | was in place. Universities need an efficient system |
| many concerns associated with gun ownership, | | | | to be prepared to handle a wide variety of |
| guns are quickly and easily getting into the wrong | | | | emergency situations in order to ensure the |
| hands and little is being done to prevent it. | | | | security of its students. No one should have to |
| The Solution? | | | | fear for their life, especially when then they are |
| Arguably, it could take years of painstaking effort | | | | taking every opportunity to make a better one |
| to even make a dent in reversing the | | | | for themselves by attending school. |