Administrators’ efforts to increase security on campus and to create stronger forms of emergency communication should be applauded. Less than six months after the Virginia Tech Massacre, local universities are preemptively taking measures to protect their campuses and their students.

Currently, TCU has four means of crisis communication: e-mails, a recorded information line, the TCU home page and the media, which are necessary in order to maintain a high level of campus security.

Having more than one line of communication available to students protects against instances similar to Virginia Tech. But TCU is taking security a step further and has created a committee to look into even more ways to get in touch with the campus community in a crisis.

Don Mills, vice chancellor for student affairs, said the committee is looking into bringing an outdoor loudspeaker system, as well as a phone messaging system to campus to use as communication in the case of an emergency situation.

The phone messaging system would allow administrators to send mass text messages to students informing them of any dangerous situations. This seems to be a practical idea because of the attachment many students have with their cell phones. Even in class, it would be difficult not to notice if everybody’s phones were vibrating at the same time.

Also, the side doors of the dormitories are now only open during daylight hours. This limits access points for unauthorized entrance in dorms and, therefore, further protects residents.

Though these security measures are still in the planning stages, it is good to see TCU taking the initiative to work toward a safer campus.

Measures such as these are important because they instill a sense of security in students and better protect the campus.

News editor Bailey Shiffler for the editorial board