To members of the UW-Whitewater campus community,

The Virginia Tech community suffered an extraordinary tragedy on Monday when more than 30 people were shot and killed and many others were wounded. Our thoughts turn to the Virginia Tech campus in this time of crisis.

In response to the situation at Virginia Tech, members of the UW-Whitewater administrative team met this morning to review campus polices and responses to emergency situations. UW-Whitewater is a safe and secure campus and we have felt comfortable in that knowledge. However, as the Virginia Tech situation shows, incidents can happen and the campus must be prepared.

In a crisis situation on the UW-Whitewater campus, all communication will come through broadcast emails and the campus homepage. It is vital that you read the broadcast emails and check the home page for important information. The Web address is UWW Home Page

Residence Life will make contact with all resident assistants today and they will schedule floor meetings this week. Specific information on these meetings will be made available to those who live in the halls. If you have any questions or concerns, please address them with your resident assistant or hall director.

In a campus violence situation, here are some ways to try to secure and protect yourself:
1. Lock or block the door.
2. Close blinds or cover windows. Stay hidden from view.
3. Call 911 or from a campus telephone call 9-911.
4. Look for a safe route of escape, if available.

If the situation at Virginia Tech is causing you stress or anxiety, the University Health and Counseling Services is available to help. You can reach Counseling Services at 472-1305.

A moment of silence for the Virginia Tech victims will be held tonight prior to the Warhawk wheelchair basketball game. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Williams Center and is a benefit for injured resident assistant Tony Sabel.

 

After reading the announcement that was broadcast emailed to the UW-Whitewater community I have two questions:

1) How do we find out there is a crisis situation on campus?  I understand that we should check our email and the website for updated information but is it reasonable for us to constantly check just in case there is a crisis?  Why not have a siren or a PA voice that says “hey students and staff the shit is hitting the fan.”

2)  How are those of us in class supposed to check the website or our email?  Not all classrooms have computers and/or access.  Would it be difficult to appoint or get some volunteer in every building to spread the word in the case of a crisis situation?  There are some support staff that sit at an office all day and that could be alerted by email or even better a reverse 911 type system and spread the initial word and give the all clear.

I can tell you if I was in charge or working towards a safe campus a big priority would be putting phones and / or PA systems in all classrooms.  The inability to communicate directly with students, faculty, and staff in an emergency situation is inexcusable.

That little bit of snow did a lot of damage today due to the below zero temperatures.  Guess they needed to use more sand…

Following three violent school shooting that struck the nation in the past two weeks, including one in a small rural town in Wisconsin, State Representative Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue) announced his plans to introduce legislation that will allow teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel to carry concealed weapons. The lawmaker said that while his idea may not be politically correct, it has worked effectively in other countries.

Teachers should be in charge of teaching our nation’s children, not gunning them down. If there is a security or safety threat, the School District should bring in security guards or foster a stronger relationship with the community police.

Having a loaded weapon in the classroom is not a valid answer as the risk of abuse is huge. What happens when a teacher goes crazy because they can’t control little Jimmy? Before it was handled with a little physical abuse, now little Jimmy will have a Glock pointed at him? What happens when the high schooler over powers the teacher, and now has a loaded weapon?

Representative Lasee points out that it has worked in other countries, his usual example is Israel. Does he realize the situations are no where near similar? In Israel the threat is from terrorists and extremists, and everyone lives in fear. In Wisconsin, the threat is children who have been bullied and are emotionally unstable. A teacher who shoots a terrorist is one thing, but a teacher who shoots a 13 year old boy?

It’s a good thing this bill will never pass, especially in a Wisconsin, a state still struggling to pass a normal concealed carry bill…

1. Stay Alive
Being in a combat zone I feel this is important to my health and welfare for the new year.

2. Learn Spanish
Everyone is talking about taking online classes to make progress towards their degrees while we are off duty. I only have two classes left for my major in Social Work: Social Work Practice III. and a Field Experience (internship). Neither of these can be done online or through the mail. I figure learning Spanish will be the most productive thing I can do to help me in the civilian world.

3. Get in Shape
yeah, I had to throw this traditional one in. Doing PT is good but eating three full meals a day with a desk job can cancel out the effects of the PT.

We’ll see how I do!

Two things Navy SEALS are always taught:

1. Keep your priorities in order
2. Know when to act without hesitation

A college professor, an avowed atheist and active in the ACLU, was teaching his class. He shocked several of his students when he flatly stated that once, and for all he was going to prove there was no God. Addressing the ceiling he shouted: “GOD, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I’ll give you exactly 15 minutes!!!!! The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by. ” I’m waiting God, if you’re real knock me off this platform!!!!”
Again, after 4 minutes, the professor taunted God saying, “Here I am, God! I’m still waiting!!!” His count down got down to the last couple of minutes when a Navy SEAL, just released from the Navy after serving in Afghanistan, and Iraq, and
newly registered in the class, walked up to the Professor.

The SEAL hit him full force in the face, and sent the Professor tumbling from his lofty platform. The Professor was out cold!! The students were stunned, and shocked. They began to babble in confusion. The SEAL nonchalantly took his seat in the front row, and sat silent. The class looked at him and fell silent…waiting. Eventually, the professor came to, and was noticeably shaken. He looked at the SEAL in the front row. When the professor regained his senses, and could speak he asked: “What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?” “God was really busy, protecting America’s soldiers, who are protecting your right to say stupid shit, and act like an asshole…so he sent me!

I’m actually surprised they won, as they were up against a guy, Johnny Lechner, who drummed up quite a bit of publicity on the regional and national levels by his non-traditional student status; he’s been in college for 11 years. Hopefully he has learned something from the business classes he’s taken and uses the free press to further his music career. From his website it sounds like that he may have hit the goldmine. So he shouldn’t be too upset about his Whitewater Student Government defeat.

I never really got involved with student government as I never saw the point. Although after this election for Whitewater Student Government President and Vice-President I’m regretting that decision. I didn’t realize that they actually have some pull with the administration and the networking opportunities and learning experiences are awesome. Oh well.

Anyway if you graduated from Sun Prairie Senior High School in 2000 and haven’t heard about saving the date of August 20th for our reunion, shoot me an email and I’ll forward you the “official email”

Today all classes were canceled because of a campus wide power outage. I couldn’t believe it. It happened on a good day too because there was no way in hell I was going to make it to my first class, I overslept big time. I just wish I would have known before I went all the way to Whitewater, oh well.

Since I have nothing to do guess I’ll sit around watching CNN or whatever is on TVLand until the roomies get home.

Besides all the complaints it was a good day. All of my classes sound fairly easy and I caught up with some of my profs and former classmates.