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March/April 2008 GW Completes Presidential Task Force Review of Campus Safety and Security
President Steven Knapp announced Feb. 19 the completion of the Presidential Task Force assessment of campus safety and security and subsequent review of the report by the Leadership Group, GW’s senior-level incident response group. The Presidential Task Force on Campus Safety and Security was initiated by Knapp in September 2007 following the release of reports related to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. The task force delivered its report on Nov. 9, 2007. Knapp then referred the report to the Leadership Group to provide its assessment. The Leadership Group endorsed the task force’s primary recommendations in concept, recognizing that several may require further coordination and/or additional budget allocations to implement. In many cases, the Leadership Group concluded that sound practices regarding safety and security already exist within the University community, but that those practices should be formalized, documented, and publicized. Knapp has accepted the Leadership Group’s endorsement and commended the task force, which included students, faculty, and administrators, for a comprehensive and thorough effort. “The seriousness with which the task force accepted its challenge was evident from start to finish,” says Knapp. “Nothing is more important on our campuses than the safety and security of our community, and I thank the task force for a superb effort. As evidenced by the findings, GW already has in place comprehensive public safety and emergency management policies and procedures. But even with established best practices in use, there is always room for improvement. I am therefore asking that the recommendations of the task force that were accepted by the Leadership Group be implemented as soon as possible.” A key recommendation of the Leadership Group is that the University establish a Safety and Security Planning Committee to implement and oversee a number of task force recommendations. This committee, comprising senior leaders and chaired by an officer of the University, also will serve as a standing committee with ongoing responsibilities for these matters. The task force recommendations endorsed by the Leadership Group and accepted by Knapp target three primary areas: Education: Establish an online education program addressing information that should be known by all members of the GW community throughout their relationship with GW, focusing on, but not limited to, issues of safety and security. Mental Health and Violence Prevention: Formalize and enhance existing procedures and resources to manage campus mental health situations more effectively. University Police Department Modernization of Facilities and Equipment: Enhance facilities and equipment to ensure the ability to continue to provide high-level responsiveness. Implementation of several recommendations currently is underway, such as the deployment of GW Alert to University-owned computers. The new Safety and Security Planning Committee will be formed in the coming weeks and will then address the remaining recommendations, including those that require a University-wide response and those that can be implemented at the department level. The Presidential Task Force on Campus Safety and Security reviewed GW’s current policies and procedures in several areas, including leadership and response management, emergency planning and operations, physical security and infrastructure, communication/ notification systems, and assessments of students, faculty, or staff who show signs of posing a risk to themselves or others. The task force also considered how the University coordinates with law enforcement and emergency management agencies and addresses federal and local privacy and mental health laws. The GW assessment was guided in part by the findings from a state review panel appointed by Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and an internal report by administrators at Virginia Tech.
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