UTC steps up security

Though University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Drew Holland feels safe on campus, he signed up for the school’s new emergency text messaging system Tuesday afternoon.

“It’ll make students aware of situations and hopefully, if people are on their way to campus or in a position to avoid danger, it’ll benefit those people,” said the student body vice president.

Students began signing up for UTC Alert on Tuesday, and a system test is scheduled for April 2. UTC Alert can send both text and e-mail messages to designated devices during imminent threats such as acts of violence, chemical spills or an active shooter, Assistant Vice Chancellor Chuck Cantrell said.

Administrators had discussed the system before the Virginia Tech killings last April, but its need became more evident after that event, he said.

“Virginia Tech made it more clear to campuses across the country that you have to have multiple ways to communicate with your students and your faculty and staff in the event of an emergency,” Mr. Cantrell said.

However, no method is foolproof, and most security measures are more reactive than preventative, he said.

The text messaging system represents one of several ways UTC recently has increased campus security. In the last year, the university added emergency phones in classrooms, emergency lights around campus and an escort service.

In May, the University of Chattanooga Foundation plans to install 270 additional security cameras in hallways, entrances and parking lots at UTC Place, which it owns, after two armed robberies occurred there late last semester, Mr. Cantrell said.

Last fall, the school implemented an escorting service called the Lookout Express. Students can call the service, and a male and female student will transport them across campus at night via a golf cart. The idea grew out of a campus safety brainstorming session and will continue at least through next fall, said Elizabeth Folse, an area coordinator for UTC Place, where the service’s headquarters is located.

Chattanooga State Technical Community College administrators are updating that school’s emergency preparedness manual and submitting a request to the state to install a new siren and announcement system in campus buildings by next fall, officials said.

Eva Lewis, director of institutional effectiveness, said the system would enable administrators to make campus-wide announcements about severe weather and trouble on campus.

The college has an e-mail alert system, security cameras and armed security guards, she said.

Maintaining safety on a commuter campus challenges administrators, Ms. Lewis said. Announcements cannot be made to students in one central location, and students driving in may miss important announcements on their way to campus, she said.

Still, Chattanooga State personnel do not have to worry about domestic disputes among roommates or married couples, she said.

“Most of the issues that we have are petty theft from maybe offices or people’s backpacks or purses,” Ms. Lewis said.