Conference looks at post-9/11 security

A colloquium on developing the "best practices" to ensure homeland security was held at the University the past two days.

Titled "Critical Infrastructures: Working Together in a New World: Lessons Learned in Action," the colloquium examined different programs to prevent and respond to terrorism.

The conference also aimed to extrapolate lessons from the responses of police, fire and rescue squads to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

"In the aftermath of September 11th, we must develop the necessary plans to protect our families from a new kind of threat to our infrastructure," N.J. Gov. James McGreevey said in a statement. "The State of New Jersey is committed to improving cooperation between the private sector and local, state and federal governments in order to provide for the protection of essential services and infrastructure."

The federal and state governments — not the University — sponsored the conference, said Pamela Hersh, University director of state and community affairs.

The U.S. Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office, the U.S. National Institute of Justice and the State of New Jersey providing the funding.

The featured speakers included McGreevey, cyberspace adviser to the president Richard Clarke, American Red Cross chief executive Harold Decker, CXO Media president and chief executive Joseph Levy and director of the Critical Infrastructure Assurance Office John Tritak.

The conference was held primarily in Dillon Gym, though some speeches occurred in Richardson Auditorium and McCosh 50. The organizers transformed Dillon Gym into a decorated auditorium for the event.

The parking lot in front of Dillon Gym was closed, and the main floor of the gym was occupied, Public Safety Capt. Don Reichling said.

Additional Public Safety officers stood in front of the inside entrance of Dillon Gym, and several of the governor's guards were also present, said Luke Schaffer, an athletic monitor.

Conference organizers decide whether to open events to the University community, and this event was only opened to selected guests, University spokeswoman Marilyn Marks GS '86 said.

The University faced several anthrax scares last year after anthrax-laden mail was sent to prominent elected officials and media personalities from Trenton through the Hamilton mail complex.

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The event was in part financially supported by Prosperity New Jersey, a N.J. state initiative aimed at creating partnerships between the private and public sectors and educational institutions. McGreevey recently appointed President Tilghman as the program's chair.