KU officials react to Virginia shooting

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Officials from the University of Kansas responded Monday to the morning’s deadly attacks at Virginia Tech and addressed safety concerns.

Todd Cohen, director of University Relations, said the University had response plans which were constantly being updated.

“We always have to learn from other tragedies and apply them,” Cohen said. “It’s appalling, unfortunate, and all we can do is pray for the survivors at Virginia Tech and try to apply the lessons learned.”

Cohen related the attacks to the Columbine, Colo., shootings in 1999.

“It could be like Columbine, where you look at what happened and change accordingly,” Cohen said. “We’ll be looking at what worked and what didn’t.”

Chancellor Robert Hemenway released a statement Monday morning:

“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the Virginia Tech University family today. The horrific tragedy that occurred this morning is so immense it is difficult to comprehend.”

Hemenway also addressed security in his statement to the KU community.

“It is a chilling reminder why campus security must always be a top priority. The safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors is paramount,” he said.

Jennifer Jensen, Goodland junior, said she heard about the shootings through classmates who were watching news stories on their cell phones during her morning class.

“Both the amount of people around and seeing the police driving around makes it feel like a pretty safe place,” Jensen said. “I just think it’s horrible. There should be more protection, but I don’t know what that would mean. It could happen anywhere.”

University staff and students interested in offering their condolences Virginia Tech can sign a banner this morning from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of Wescoe Hall. Student Union Activities provided the banner and will send it to the university. SUA is also giving out maroon ribbons in honor of the victims.

Kansan staff writer Erick R. Schmidt can be contacted at eschmidt@kansan.com.

— Edited by Katie Sullivan

Shooting stuns students

After campus lock down, students at Virginia Tech try to contact friends. ...

/news/2007/apr/17/virginia/

Remembering the fallen

A candlelight vigil was held in rememberance of those lost Tuesday night ...

/news/2007/apr/18/vigil/

Letter to the Editor: Improve University security

The shooting at Virginia Tech has many University of Kansas students concerned ...

/news/2007/apr/18/letter_editor_2/

Letter to Editor: Isolation provides motive

In light of last week's tragedy, junior Nick Mangiaracina looks at the ...

/news/2007/apr/25/letter_editor/

Letter to the editor

One student says that something should be done to restrict gun ownership ...

/news/2007/apr/19/letter_ed_2/

Student released from Denver hospital

A student who was shot and robbed while leaving a concert with ...

/news/2007/mar/29/shooting/

Letter to the Editor: Shooting calls for ...

Academia is notorious for getting things done slowly. Here, a former Jayhawker ...

/news/2007/apr/23/shooting_calls_safety_analyses/

Text messages will alert students

Beginning today, students can sign up to receive text messages from the ...

/news/2007/may/10/text/

Oliveira: Hanging on to hope

We need to feel we play a role in society and have ...

/news/2007/apr/20/oliveira/

Freshmen lack new safety concerns

Freshmen and parents learned about the new technologies being used on campus ...

/news/2007/aug/17/security/

Student stable after fainting in class

A KU female passed out during class in Wescoe Hall and fell ...

/news/2007/feb/28/wescoe_brief/

Campus crime down for third straight year

The KU Public Safety Office said the reason for the decrease was ...

/news/2007/apr/06/crime/

KU student shot in Denver

A KU student was injured in shooting after leaving a concert in ...

/news/2007/mar/27/shooting/

Editorial: Early warning works

Delaware State learned from the Virginia Tech shooting and was able to ...

/news/2007/sep/28/editorial/

Administrators focus on campus safety instead of ...

The Northern Illinois University shooting hasn't affected KU's policy.

/news/2008/feb/19/administrators_focus/

Brown: Text messaging alert system increases safety

Improved communication with students may prevent future campus tragedy

/news/2007/nov/29/Brown/

Daily Brief: May 3, 2007

KU Public Safety will be giving away bike light sets today.

/news/2007/may/03/bike_brief/

Brown: Conceal and carry on campus would ...

Simply having possession of a gun doesn't mean that you will be ...

/news/2009/apr/20/brown_conceal/

Students carry banners at commencement

Faculty and staff selected the students based on their involvement in academics ...

/news/2009/may/06/banners_commencement/

Returning leaked documents was for benefit of ...

Erick R. Schmidt, Kansan editor-in-chief, returned the documents that have spawned criticism ...

/news/2007/sep/25/returning_leaked_documents_was_benefit_university/

Professor to preach on porn

Tonight’s lecture will address how pornography affects relationships.

/news/2009/mar/05/professor_porn/

Program to celebrate Hemenway’s 14 years

‘Hats Off to Hemenway,’ at the Lied Center, will commemorate the outgoing ...

/news/2009/may/01/hemenway/

Cohen: What is the solution?

After a student killed 32 on the Virginia Tech campus, many try ...

/news/2007/apr/18/cohen/

Campus looks to update warning systems

The early response of the KU Public Safety Office in last March's ...

/news/2007/mar/12/emergency/

Leaving a lasting legacy

As Hemenway prepares to retire, he and others look back at how ...

/news/2009/may/04/leaving_legacy/

Welcome to The University Daily Kansan

On behalf of the entire news staff, Erick R. Schmidt extends a ...

/news/2007/aug/13/editor/

Chancellor expands cancer research program

/news/2005/sep/19/cancer/

Editorial: Leadership changes come during uncertain time

Amid budget cuts and an uncertain economy, the next chancellor and provost ...

/news/2009/mar/11/editorial_leadership/

Jurors selected for murder trial

Seven-hour selection process decided the fourteen who will serve as jurors in ...

/news/2007/may/01/rose/

Research aide arrested for possible drug manufacturing

The University research assistant was arrested on Monday under suspicion of making ...

/news/2008/aug/28/ne_malott/

Campus given "all clear" after Friday morning ...

Police were searching for "white suspect with a long gun" on campus. ...

/news/2007/jun/01/breaking_news_campus_locked_down_reopened_report_g/

10,000 students unable to enroll

Enrollment holds placed on students who haven’t filled out the state census.

/news/2010/mar/25/10000-students-unable-enroll/

Masked intruder escapes arrest

Four girls locked themselves in a room after a man entered asking ...

/news/2007/mar/06/hawker/

Technology troubles affect campus

Before being resolved late Wednesday, a hardware failure produced problems for faculty ...

/news/2008/jan/17/email/

Body found in Naismith Hall Friday identified ...

A visitation for the Lawrence Free State High School senior will be ...

/news/2009/may/01/body_found_naismith_hall/

Civic Engagement Week gets students involved

Throughout the week, students will have the chance to get involved in ...

/news/2007/oct/22/Civic/

Museum gives tapeworm talk

Researcher Kirsten Jensen makes science wild and wiggly.

/news/2009/oct/29/museum-hosts-tapeworm-talk/

Hemenway leaves his mark on Kansas Athletics

Hiring of Athletic Director Lew Perkins was key point in chancellor’s tenure

/news/2008/dec/10/hemenway/

Construction triggers fire alarm

Fire patrol units responded Tuesday morning to a false alarm.

/news/2007/mar/07/briefs/

Letter to the editor: Protect free speech

A University of Colorado student who said he understood how Cho Seung-Hui ...

/news/2007/apr/26/letter_editor_2/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID