WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (April 30, 2014) – A security feedback panel will present its recommendations to Purdue University leaders including President Mitch Daniels Wednesday morning.
The 18-person panel was put together in the aftermath of the deadly shooting on Purdue’s campus in January.
Right now, student Cody Cousins is facing a murder charge, accused of walking into an engineering building and killing graduate student Andrew Boldt on Jan. 21.
In the wake of the tragedy, university leaders decided to look at which procedures were effective and which need improvement.
In a published letter to Daniels, the panel chair Patricia Hart said, “The university received hundreds of emails, letters and phone calls about the events and our panel read each and every comment. Of particular note, 177 people wrote especially to commend the first responders. We also received many thoughtful and helpful suggestions.”
The 25-page report reviews main categories including building security, campus communication, training, and mental health services.
The report states, “To the extent this event revealed a weakness, it was in the lack of awareness of the procedures in certain cases, thus revealing a general need for more communication and training about Purdue’s crisis response protocols.”
One recommendation about campus-wide communication refers to the university’s alert system. Some students said they never received an alert on the day of the shooting. The recommendation will be an “opt-out” system rather than an “opt-in” system.
Additionally, the report calls for “one ‘easy’ button with a number of alert layers, including text, email, social media, Purdue Home Page, and Boiler TV.”
The university will also consider an outside call center for crisis management support and professional counseling to students, faculty, staff and parents.
FOX59’s Marisela Burgos is at the meeting and tweeted the following updates:
Security feedback panel about to speak at the President's forum @purdue pic.twitter.com/iaVnijVAuJ
— Marisela Burgos (@MBurgosNews) April 30, 2014
The university started a new twitter feed @purdueemergency in order to give people valuable updates if there is a situation.
— Marisela Burgos (@MBurgosNews) April 30, 2014
@LifeAtPurdue considering an alertus beacon for large classroom that would provide an alert @purdueemergency pic.twitter.com/EsZIUqIz0X
— Marisela Burgos (@MBurgosNews) April 30, 2014
Also, considering improving doors on campus to be able to lock them from the inside @LifeAtPurdue
— Marisela Burgos (@MBurgosNews) April 30, 2014
