Since the federal Department of Homeland Security raised the national security level to orange - meaning there is a high risk of terrorist attack - UB has taken extra precautions to ensure the safety of the UB community.
In addition to a university police officer guarding the entrance to the Ellicott Tunnel, new safety measures include the implementation of an emergency hotline, restricted access to the Computing Center in the basement of Capen Hall, and a general surveillance of everyone who enters and exits university buildings, said John Grela, director of public safety.
Though he said he was confident about UB's security and feels safe at UB, "There are things we are trying to still get in place," said Grela. According to Grela, UB officials are developing an emergency planning and response system, which has been in the works since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"There is no specific or immediate threat to us today, but there could be," said Dennis Black, vice president for Student Affairs. "We are trying to share that there are things people could do if there is a difficulty."
The new response system, Grela said, will be an efficient way to get information to a large number of people in a variety of ways, such as the Internet and the emergency hotline, 645-NEWS.
Kristi Schultz, a sophomore English major, said she feels confident in the safety precautions that have been implemented by the university since Sept. 11.
"I wrote a paper on this issue last semester," Schultz said. "Throughout my investigations, I came to the conclusion that this campus is extremely safe. Personally, I have always felt very safe, and I have never had any reasons to feel worried."
"I feel nervous about the country," said Rebeccca Deyoung, a sophomore health and human service major. "But I feel safe on UB campus."
Grela said he encourages students and faculty to help keep the university safe by paying attention to their surroundings and by knowing who does and does not belong in specific locations.
Students and faculty can help keep campus safe by reporting any suspicious activity, he added.
Black also said it is important for faculty and students to help take some responsibility in keeping the university safe, due to the unknown nature of the threats the nation is facing.
"We don't know what can happen next," Black said. "It is sad that we find ourselves in this position."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
