In various sites & media outlets, many people are moving to criticize the response of VT police & administration during the events of 16 April. This include many higher ed venues, with people looking at their own plans & procedures.
This is the response I posted on one site.
As someone who has worked for VT in various capacities, & lived in the area for a fairly long time, I'd have to say they did the best they could with what they had at the time.
If you've never been on this sprawling campus, you have no idea how hard it can be to find something that you're looking for when you don't know where, or who, it is.
The idea of shutting down a campus of 26,000 students in short time is similar to trying to shut down a small city; no easy thing.
And it is about impossible to get the full attention of a college student.
Even after the police shut down the campus, the central drill field (20+ acres large), which is fairly close to Norris Hall, was filled with students taking pictures & video of the unfolding events. These were students who had just been told to stay indoors for their own safety!
I think it is clear from subsequent information released that the VT police felt that the initial dorm shooting was an isolated incident, and that they felt that they knew the person they needed to be talking to about it, the early person of interest.
Yes, all of our universities are now looking at their emergency communication plans, but I wonder how much better anyone else would have done in the same situation?
I sincerely hope that we never find out.
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