2007 National Campus Security Summit at the University of Central Oklahoma

MENTAL HEALTH, NORTHERN ILLINOIS TRAGEDY TO BE THE FOUCS OF UCO HOSTED NATIONAL CAMPUS SECURITY SUMMIT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2008
Contact: Charlie Johnson, UCO University Relations, (405) 974-2315

University presidents, administrators, counselors and law enforcement officers from throughout the region will gather to discuss practical measures to keep their campuses safe at the 2008 National Campus Security Summit, to be held April 13-14 at the University of Central Oklahoma.

This will be the second campus national security summit hosted by UCO since the tragedy at Virginia Tech in April 2007 and the first to be held since the February shooting at Northern Illinois University (NIU).

The summit will feature presentations by mental health experts as well as a closing keynote address from two members of the NIU police department who responded to the shooting.

“Nearly a year after the tragic shooting on the Virginia Tech campus, violence on college and high school campuses continues to make headlines,” said UCO President W. Roger Webb.

“We must continue this important dialogue and learn what we can from our colleagues who experienced these tragedies. There is no greater priority than keeping our students, faculty and staff safe.”

Following the Virginia Tech tragedy, Webb testified on campus security before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security.

Webb’s professional career began in law enforcement, where he served with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and as Oklahoma Commissioner of Public Safety. He is currently the longest serving university president in Oklahoma.

Highlighted speakers and topics include:

J. Steven Tidwell, Executive Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, who will give the opening keynote address on “Forging Security and Safety”
Lt. Darrin Mitchell and Lt. Todd Henert, NIU Police Department, who will give the closing keynote address on “Experiences and Key Lessons Learned from the NIU Tragedy.”
Brett Sokolow, Founder and Director of the National Center for Higher Education Risk Management, who will present, “Best Practices for Campus Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment.”
Gene Deisinger, commander of the Special Operations Unit with the Iowa State University Police Division, and Marisa Randazzo, president of Threat Assessment Resources International, who will present “Best Practices in Threat Assessment”

“This is all about practical ideas, affordable and attainable ideas that will improve protection while maintaining an environment of openness,” said Webb.

The University of Central Oklahoma is a public, four-year, master’s level university. Founded in 1890, UCO is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Oklahoma.

UCO also is home to the internationally known UCO Forensic Science Institute, headed by Dr. Dwight Adams, former director of the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.

Deadline for registration is April 11. For more information, go to the 2008 National Campus Security Summit website at http://campussecuritysummit.ucok.edu or call (405) 974-6977.

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