Thursday, April 9, 2009
A lack of communication regarding multiple unsubstantiated threats to Monday’s planned Student Senate debate sowed confusion and anxiety among Senate candidates and Kansan staff.
The University administration’s response, or lack thereof, to the threats was unacceptable. When such a threat of imminent violence is received by University officials, they should make every effort to clarify the situation to the potentially endangered students and organizations.
If the threat was serious enough to inspire the installation of a metal detector outside the debate, it was serious enough to inform the students involved in the debate.
In a meeting early Monday, administration officials chose not to cancel or postpone the debate despite the phone calls that threatened a shooting in relation to the event. Rather, at the last minute, the administration moved the debate to Woodruff Auditorium, where security measures, including a walk-through metal detector and a handheld detector, were put in place.
The Kansan, along with KUJH and KJHK, had coordinated the planning of the debate and had already opted to move it inside Stauffer-Flint Hall because of the possibility of inclement weather. After learning of the threats, Brenna Hawley, Kansan editor-in-chief, decided to cancel the event, given the uncertainty surrounding the situation.
The need for metal detectors indicated the substantive nature of the threat, but during the course of the day, administration officials and University Relations employees repeatedly rebuffed Kansan reporters and refused to explain the exact nature of the threats, the need for the metal detectors, or the reason for keeping debate participants in the dark.
The campus police department would say only that there was an “unsubstantiated rumor,” and Marlesa Roney, vice provost for student success, delayed answering The Kansan’s questions until hours after the debate’s scheduled time.
The University’s response to these threats proved to be inadequate and disconcerting in light of the recent incidents of gun violence near campus and the spate of mass shootings around the nation during the previous month.
The administration’s intent may have been to prevent instilling fear in the student body, but the result was the exact opposite.
Rumored threats lead to debate cancellation
The Student Senate debate was canceled after ‘unsubstantiated rumors’ and anonymous phone ...
Student Senate debate rescheduled
University Daily Kansan, KUJH-TV, KJHK will host a debate previously canceled because ...
Presidential candidate’s laptop seized
Tutu Lee’s apartment was also searched by police in response to posted ...
Students respond to concealed weapons bill
The bill would allow people with concealed carry licenses to bring weapons ...
Schlesener: Conceal carry shouldn't be allowed on ...
A current bill which would allow conceal carry on campus should be ...
Nygaard: Guns on Kansas campuses are too ...
The Kansas Senate should reject concealed-carry on campus.
Editorial: KU message alert system effective
The system faced, and passed, two big tests last week.
Kansas House passes conceal-carry bill
If passed by the Senate, the bill would allow concealed weapons on ...
Cosby: Proceed with caution in concealed carry ...
Students should voice concerns with concealed carry bill to lawmakers, not just ...
Blizzard warning issued for Douglas County
KU Edwards Campus and Lawrence Public are closed Tuesday.
University implements communication system
The University of Kansas is working to implement Message Blox, a system ...
Classes continue as scheduled
While KU fans are worried about Monday’s championship, students are worried if ...
A generation ablaze
Forty years ago today, the Kansas Union burned during one of the ...
Editorial: Early warning works
Delaware State learned from the Virginia Tech shooting and was able to ...
Shorman: For freshmen, first election proved complicated ...
The 2009 contest set the bar for the "craziness factor."
Policy forces cancellation of study abroad in ...
The policy has received criticism because the program is located 1,000 miles ...
Winter Weather Advisory in effect
Drivers and pedestrians should take extra caution on campus Monday.
Brown: Conceal and carry on campus would ...
Simply having possession of a gun doesn't mean that you will be ...
Bank accounts cause discussions
Editorial: Student Senate makes progress but needs ...
United Students has made headway, but stalled proposals pose problems.
Editorial: Pay attention to cries for help
The Virginia Tech shootings elicited copy-cat threats from individuals desperately seeking the ...
Students protest sexual harassment in airports
The Young Americans for Liberty held a protest on Wescoe Beach to ...
University officials propose changes to Code of ...
The student rights committee will discuss the proposed changes Wednesday night.
Extinguishing the Gaslight's last flame
The Gaslight Tavern, a hippie hangout in the 1960s and a popular ...
Editorial: Proposed policy infringes on privacy
Past semester’s alcohol related deaths spur proposal to inspect students rooms
A question of identity
The Comanche Nation informed KU that a professor who claims he's Comanche ...
Racial protest sparks change
Classes canceled after 1 p.m. today
The University has canceled classes after 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 21. ...
Blizzard waring issued for Douglas County
KU Edwards Campus and Lawrence Public are closed Tuesday.
Editorial: Conceal and carry bill dangerous, unwanted
A dangerous bill allowing concealed weapons to be carried on campuses in ...
Student group advocates concealed carry on campus
Students for Concealed Carry on Campus want school and public officials to ...
Editorial: Find cost-effective way to blow whistle
University cancels classes after storm
After Lawrence saw several inches of snow in a few hours, University ...
University changes alcohol policy, adds amnesty clause
Officials will notify parents of underage students who violate alcohol or drug ...
Officials conclude investigation on private documents
Jack Martin, deputy director of communications stresses importance of document disposal.
KU debaters officially out of national tournament
Final team loses to Michigan State University.
Provost to be appointed Oregon president
Richard Lariviere was named the finalist for the University of Oregon’s search ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Editorial: Administration mishandled response to shooting threats
What could have been a chance for them to flex their preparedness turned into a pitiful attempt at brushing everything under the rug. They really SHOT themselves in the foot on this one.
Editorial: Administration mishandled response to shooting threats
The student editor of the paper takes decisive action while University officials sit on their hands. It is extraordinarily shameful that school officials took so little action and did such a poor job of informing students of the danger. Student Senate should call on the school to investigate itself and see why such a poor handling of the situation occurred.
Editorial: Administration mishandled response to shooting threats
i agree with the guy above. write about something you actually know about and let the professionals handle the safety issues.
les than 50 words apart from eachother you call the threat 'unsubstantiated' and then 'imminent.' then the last 2 paragraphs make it sound like there actually was a shooting, when as far as i've read the debate went down as boring and uneventful as ever.
this is just part of a trend that journalists start early in their career: taking flamboyant positions on subjects they know little about and critisising anyone and everyone that does real work in the process.
Editorial: Administration mishandled response to shooting threats
the university acted like buffoons.
I organized my own debate. 4pm in Alderson Auditorium, Friday. Be there.
This event will not be canceled for any reason whatsoever.
Editorial: Administration mishandled response to shooting threats
let me get this straight....
so, the university are buffoons for responding to a threat by changing venues, using metal detectors and posting security...
yet, somehow its a good idea for you to post the time and place of a new debate, absent any security measures that 'will not be canceled for any reason whatsoever,' absent the apprehension of whoever made these supposed threats?
do believe the threat was real or not? because now you're saying either: (1) the threat was not serious and the university are 'buffoons' for taking reasonable and inexpensive precautions, or (2) the threat was serious and despite the university not going far enough, you are now taking steps that will put these students in far greater danger...
who's not thinking here?
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID