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February 15, 2008
Dear Campus Community, The entire Indiana University Northwest family wishes to express
our horror and sadness at the shootings at Northern Illinois University
. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends
of the victims, and to everyone on the Northern Illinois University
campus affected by this tragedy.
We can expect to feel a wide range of emotions. If you need assistance
in working through your reaction to this terrible tragedy, please
contact the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for
counseling services. They can be reached at 219-980-6702.
I have also been advised that all IU campuses are on high alert
as a result of this incident and we ask that everyone remain vigilant
and report any suspicious persons or behavior to the IU Northwest
Campus Police Department at 219-980-6501. While we do not have
reason to suspect a threat to our campus, our police department
will be highly visible.
We invite the campus community to attend one of two Town
Hall Meetings to share with the campus how IU Northwest
is positioned to handle such crises, listen to any concerns,
and answer any questions. The sessions will last one hour and
will be held in the Savannah Auditorium :
Monday, February 18 – 2 p.m.
Tuesday, February 19 – 9 a.m.
In addition, it has been asked that faculty, staff and students
at colleges and universities across the country wear red and black
on Monday, February 18 to honor the NIU victims.
I have also included for your reference, information
that pertains to our emergency preparedness and security for the
IU Northwest campus.
IU Northwest Preparedness
If such an incident should ever happen on our campus, Indiana
University Northwest is prepared. We have a Crisis Management
Team who meets regularly to review our Emergency Action Plan and
practices mock crisis scenarios.
In the event of a threat or crisis on our campus, the crisis team
will mobilize immediately and declare an emergency based on the
circumstances of a particular situation. We will then communicate
with the campus community through a number of different channels.
The IU Notify system, IU's new emergency communications system
permits broadcast messages to be quickly sent as voice, text and
email messages to office, local home, cell phones, and university
and external e-mail accounts. The system will be used to announce
and provide guidance in an emergency or crisis and to communicate
relevant critical updates. Other communications systems in place
to disseminate critical information include the emergency preparedness
Web site http://www.iun.edu/~preparen,
news releases to media, campus emergency status hotlines, podcasts,
outdoor warning sirens, public address equipment, and emergency
e-mail listservs set-up to reach all students, faculty and staff.
Security
The IU Northwest Campus Police Department is in operation 24 hours
a day, seven days a week with trained officers. The officers and
cadets participate in regular training sessions, including an annual
active shooter training which is held on campus each spring. In
addition, we have strong relationships with city, county, state
and federal agencies who would assist our campus police in the
event an incident should occur on our campus. As a reminder, we
have yellow emergency phones located throughout the campus that
directly connect to the IU Northwest Police Department. An escort
service is also available.
Again, please keep the NIU community in your thoughts and prayers
and let us remain vigilant in our own communities.
Chancellor
Bruce Bergland
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