UT Student Government calls for improvements after campus stabbing
The University of Texas’ Student Government on Thursday highlighted some of the protocols and procedures that university administrators plan to review in the wake of a knife attack that left one student dead and three oth- ers injured.
The Student Government met with UT administrators and police over the three weeks since the May 1 school stabbing before publishing an action plan online, and UT officials agreed that all these items are things they’re look- ing to improve.
One of the most talk- ed-about issues, the 30 minutes that passed between the moment officers got the call reporting the stabbing and when the campuswide text alert went out, will definitely be addressed, Student Govern- ment and university officials said. UT spokesman J.B. Bird said the university plans to send out alerts more promptly when an incident is ongoing and when it is under control.
UT police plan to seek more money to hire an additional dispatcher and a new dispatch system, the Student Govern- ment action plan says. That’s because dispatchers send out the campus alerts, and they’re busy getting officers and med- ics the information they need in the midst of a crisis, said UT police spokeswoman Cindy Posey. Adding an additional dispatcher and upgrading the technology will allow them to send alerts sooner, she said.
Also during future emergen- cies, the University Commu- nications department plans to involve two Student Govern- ment representatives in crisis communications. These students will relay student concerns and information directly to University Communications and help address rumors. University Communications will also work to inform parents more rapidly and encourage more parents to receive opt-in alerts.
The Provost’s Office is developing a new protocol on how class cancellations alert emails are written and communicated. The office is also working up a resource sheet for faculty that addresses how to handle crisis situations. It will include best practices for accommodating students in times of need.