Issue date: 1/12/09 Section: News

Blue emergency poles, like this one outside of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, are set up throughout campus for police to assist in personal emergencies. For campus-wide emergencies, there is an emergency response contingency plan set up for campus and city police, fire department and other emergency personnel to respond to situations such as shootings, bomb threats, fires, severe weather and natural disasters. (Erin Matheny / The Daily Eastern News)

The campus' emergency response plans are in no immediate need of revision upon the enacting of the Illinois Campus Security Enhancement Act, which took effect on Jan. 1 after being signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich on April 22.

The General Assembly was motivated to act on the bill after the Northern Illinois University shootings on Valentine's Day last year.

"The tragedies that occurred on the Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University campuses provided an unfortunate reminder that colleges and universities are not immune to acts of senseless violence," said Gov. Blagojevich in a press release on the passing of the law. "This new law sets Illinois apart in our efforts to make sure students and faculty members on college campuses are as safe as possible."

A committee has continuously updated Eastern's plans at various points during the year since the Northern shootings, said Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs.

"Eastern Illinois University is prepared to effectively respond to a variety of emergency situations," Nadler said. "We frequently update our policies as well as train and practice emergency situations."

Eastern began vigorous revisions and additions to the emergency response plan after the shootings at Virginia Tech.

Eastern is in "substantial compliance with the act," Nadler said.

Illinois is the first state to require all state universities and colleges to plan and practice their emergency responses annually. The law also stipulates that colleges and universities must combine their efforts and cooperate with local emergency response agencies and mental health agencies.

"Colleges and universities in Illinois have long recognized the importance of implementing measures to ensure the safety of their students," said Andrew Velasquez III, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, in the release.

"This act will strengthen those efforts by ensuring consistency in their planning efforts and encouraging coordination with their local emergency response agencies," he said.

Eastern coordinates with the University Police Department, Charleston Police Department, Mattoon Police Department, Health Service and Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in the event of these emergencies.

The law also states "all Illinois higher education institutions will be required to develop and exercise an all-hazards emergency response plan and an inter-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional campus violence prevention plan."

Eastern's comprehensive plan not only covers shootings, bomb threats and terrorist activities, it also covers chemical spill response and prevention, and asbestos, mold and lead control. The plan also covers traditional natural disaster scenarios as well as less threatening plans for waste minimization and fluorescent lamp collecting.

Prevention and safety tips are outlined on the campus' Environmental Health and Safety Web site. The Act also requires the development and implementation of a campus violence prevention committee and campus threat assessment team, which the university currently has.

Blagojevich continues to push for legislative approval of another task force recommendation that would create a $25 million Campus Security Enhancement Grant Program.

The program would make funding available for campus security response and violence prevention training programs, projects to enhance emergency communications, and planning and execution of campus-wide training exercises. Funding for this initiative is included in the proposed Illinois Works capital program.

The program and bill that would approve this grant have been put on hold as the House sorts through the economic disarray of the budget and local economy.

Krystal Moya can be reached at 581-7942 or at ksmoya@eiu.edu.

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