What If "Shit Just Happens"?

Yet again, my thoughts are triggered by an unfortunate incident. :(

The Boston Marathon (if you have been living under a rock this week) was terrorized by several bombs during the event, and killed 3 people and injuring almost 200 others.

While the incidents did not happen on a college campus, colleges and universities across the country began tightening security. And once again, conversations began to open back up on security, additional officers, and other such measures.

For some reason, though, something was bugging me in the back of my head that these tightening up of security just didn't seem like the right response to the event. Then I found an article on insidehighered.com which clarified my little "bug". It basically made the point that most colleges and universities have adequate preventive security measures, and some times "shit just happens" and that campuses should focus on adequate response programs just as much as the preventive measures.

One of the positives of the Boston Marathon Attack was the response of the security and Boston PD as well as attendees of the events. For the most part, communication and response was tight and on point.

To me it seems that campuses are so engrained in preventive measures that they loose sight that "shit just happens" and in order to have a fully adequate security program an effective and purposeful response program is a must as well.

As a professional I had an idea of what I should probably do in the case that such an event happened on my campus, however, there was no official procedure, nor walk through or practice for such an event. Now, our public safety department is one of the best I've seen on a campus, but if an event occurs there is still a responsibility of the staff and faculty to take care of any students within their immediate area. I often did wonder if such events happened on campus, what I would do. I was a new professional in charge of a highly active Student Organization Center on the 2nd Floor of our building with the rest of my office on the 3rd floor on the opposite end of the building. So for all sense and purpose, I was alone if such an event happened, and as these events have been growing in number, this has been a concern for me. I researched suggested practices and had a plan if something happened, however it was only the measures that a new professional could come up with.

As these events seem to be escalating, I have to wonder if there will be a practical shift towards a balance of preventative measures with educating staff and faculty on effect responses and procedures, in the case this would happen.

It is scary to think that amidst everything else Student Affairs professionals get to endure, campus shootings and stabbings (or worse) could occur, but if we want to be proactive in this time of growing violence, perhaps we should continue the great preventive measures we all have, but also focus on what to do if "shit just happens".

In closing, my thoughts and prayers go to all the victims, families, cities and anyone effected by these latest shootings, stabbings, and whatnot across the country, be it on college campuses or not.