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MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle today took another step toward ensuring safer college campuses across Wisconsin during the first meeting of the Task Force on Campus Safety. Governor Doyle created the Task Force in May following the tragic events at Virginia Tech, and charged the group to ensure the security and preparedness of all college campuses across Wisconsin. During the Task Force’s first meeting today at Edgewood College, Governor Doyle called for specific recommendations and long term benchmarks that will ensure both the physical planning and mental health aspects of campus safety.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of everyone in Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “Young people from all around the country, and the world, come to Wisconsin to attend our great colleges, universities, and technical colleges. They are the envy of the nation, and when students are here getting a first-rate education, their safety and their school’s ability to handle an emergency should be the last thing on their mind.”
With representatives from public and private colleges and universities, as well as technical colleges across the state, together with law enforcement officers, student affairs professionals, mental health professionals, faculty experts, student housing administrators, student and parent representatives, and a representative from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the Task Force will:
- Determine the best way to communicate with students and local law enforcement during an emergency, with special focus on campuses that don’t have their own police department;
- Develop the best coordination between campus officials and local law enforcement;
- Determine how to identify students who may be vulnerable to extreme and dangerous actions, and develop ways to direct these students to mental health services they need to ensure tragedies are averted; and
- Assess appropriate campus security, and other threat assessment systems.
This effort will coordinate with work being done in the UW system and at campuses across the state.
Throughout this summer, the Task Force will hold six meetings and two regional summits; one in Milwaukee and a second in Eau Claire. Following the first summit, the Task Force will make recommendations for how institutions should prepare for both physical security needs and critical mental health aspects to ensure campus safety. These recommendations will be completed prior to school resuming this fall.
Following the second summit, the Task Force will examine longer term campus safety issues - particularly, improving the mental health of students on campuses who may be vulnerable to extreme and dangerous actions, and get students the help they need, so tragedy is averted. This recommendation will be submitted before the end of the calendar year.
The following individuals comprise the Governor’s Task Force on Campus Safety:
- Bruce Shepard, Chancellor, UW-Green Bay, Co-chair;
- Roger Leque, Police Chief, River Falls Police Department, Co-chair;
- Pam Hoderman, Campus Police Chief, UW-Milwaukee;
- Larry Rickard, Director of Public Safety, Marquette University;
- Elizabeth Pappe, Associate Dean of Public Safety, Northeast Technical College;
- Petra Roter, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, UW-Oshkosh;
- William Flanagan, Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students, Beloit College;
- Terry Simmons, Vice President, Student Success, Gateway Technical College;
- Diane Lazear, Dean of Instruction, Transfer, General Education, Graphic Design & Early Education, Nicolet Technical College;
- Susan Crowley, Chair Elect, Academic Staff Executive, Committee/Prevention Services, UW-Madison;
- Barb Bloomer, Director, Student Health, St. Norbert College;
- Jackye Higby Thomas, Director, Counsiling/Conflict Management, Madison Area Technical College;
- Deborah Newman, Associate Director, Housing & Residential Halls, UW-Eau Claire;
- Amy Uecke, Associate Dean of Students, Residence Life, Lawrence University;
- Jerry Matysik, Police Chief, Eau Claire Police Department;
- Keith Govier, Grant County Sheriff;
- Rick Gale, President, Profssional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, West Allis;
- Gary Hamblin, Administrator, Division of Law Enforcement Services, Office of the Attorney General;
- Stan Stojkovic, Dean, School of Social Welfare; Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, UW-Milwaukee;
- Gordom Bothun, Student, Carthage College;
- Shelly Van de Weerd, Student, UW-Marathon County;
- Roxanne Starks, Parent, Milwaukee; and
- Chongcher Lee, Parent, Onalaska
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