Public Safety joins other universities in increasing campus security efforts

The measures the University has taken to heighten security on campus and how these compare to the precautions taken by other colleges remain at the forefront of the community's consciousness during the U.S.'s war on terrorism.

Public Safety and the Universi-ty's Environmental Health and Safety department have held two meetings to train University mail handlers to look for suspicious packages.

Public Safety has also increased security measures.

Assistant director of Public Safety Charles Nouvel explained, "What we are doing applies to all institutions. We are extra cautious — we screen every vehicle that comes in through the two booths of campus."

'Vigilant'

Though some may argue that Princeton's open campus is vulnerable to attack, no gates can stop the types of warfare initiated in the last five weeks. Nouvel also emphasized that it is the duty of the "faculty and students [to be] ever vigilant," adding that an individual's security depends greatly upon his or her own awareness.

The FBI reaffirmed Nouvel's sentiments.

"Colleges should be following the same guidelines as everyone else," said an FBI public relations representative who asked not to be identified. "Just be aware of your surroundings and use your common sense."

The majority of American universities parallel Princeton in the precautions they have taken. Schools such as Harvard, Yale and Rutgers universities, Barnard College and the University of Pennsylvania have all revamped their processes of sorting mail and informed their communities about the threat of anthrax through e-mail and meetings.

These institutions have also implemented an enhanced level of awareness. "Our police department is at a heightened level of alert," said University of Pennsylvania spokeswoman Laurie Doyle. According to Harvard officials, campus policemen have also increased the number of shifts and hours they work.

Some may argue that schools, like Princeton, need to increase the size of their security forces.

Situated in New York city, Barnard administrators do not consider this a legitimate concern. Barnard's director of safety and security William Plackenmeyer questioned, "Why should there be [an increase]?"

In place of an influx of security guards, New York University students are required to swipe their ID cards when entering the majority of buildings. Most universities have declined to take this precaution because they are built on contiguous campuses; NYU is a series of scattered buildings.

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When asked whether some universities are in greater danger than other institutions because of the concentrated number of civilians in a given area, the FBI official said, "We cannot even speculate that colleges are prime targets for attacks."

Plackenmeyer also contended that "no actual attacks have been made on any college campuses." Nouvel reassured the University community that Public Safety officials are dedicated to protecting the campus, attesting to this with a final promise, "We're poised and ready."