From the Office of the Commissioner
of Higher Education
We like to think our campuses are safe and secure places for our students and employees, but as we know, violent acts do occur in our society and they can invade the peace and serenity of the most rural of campuses.
All of the campuses of the Montana University System have developed procedures and protocols for responding to emergency situations. Our smaller campuses have benefitted from a federal grant from the Office of Homeland Security, which was instrumental in developing their plans. These plans are reviewed and updated periodically.
The tragedy in Blacksburg, Virginia has caused all of our campuses to carefully review their policies and procedures to ensure that precautions are taken to protect the safety of students and employees. These reviews will encompass physical facilities, training for staff in residence halls, and programs to educate and remind students about the measures they can take to protect themselves. Our campuses all have policies governing the carrying and storing of guns on campus. These policies are also being reviewed.
In addition, these reviews will focus on the protocols in place to ensure effective responsiveness in the event of a campus crisis or emergency. New developments in communications technology and the recommended practices which emerge in the aftermath of the Virginia tragedy will be considered in determining how best to alert and inform campus community members of an emergency situation.
