Virginia Tech’s actions during the April 16, 2007, campus shootings have been deemed violations of federal regulations by the Department of Education, solidifying a stricter interpretation of “timely warning” requirements.
“First, the warnings that were issued by the university were not prepared or disseminated in a manner to give clear and timely notice of the threat to the health and safety of campus community members,” the report said. “Secondly, Virginia Tech did not follow its own policy for the issuance of timely warnings as published in its annual campus security reports.”
Student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 Tech students and faculty in the shootings. His first two victims were killed in West Ambler-Johnston Hall before he left campus and returned to kill 30 more and injure 17 in Norris Hall before committing suicide.
In January, after a 27-month investigation, the Department of Education issued its initial findings on Tech’s compliance with federal timely warning regulations. Tech responded on April 20, and posted the report and response on its Web site on May 18.
The review process allows the Department of Education to consider the university’s response and then issue a final report. The initial investigation was notably lengthy, and many expect the final report to be completed in six to eight months.
If the violations remain in the final report, Tech could face a fine of up to $55,000. The university could appeal the fine, but the findings will be final.
Security on Campus Inc. initially filed the request that led to the investigation. The group was founded by the parents of Jeanne Clery, the namesake of the Clery Act, which was enacted in 1990 and requires universities to report crime statistics and give communities timely warnings of campus crimes. Clery was raped and murdered in her dorm room at Lehigh University in 1986.
The report asserts Tech officials knew enough about the situation to warn the community prior to the first mass e-mail sent at 9:26 a.m. on the day of the shootings.
A version of this article appeared in the May 27 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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So Morva escapes and the campus is locked down because he might be headed there, but two people are killed on campus, with no suspect in custody, and somehow that warrants two hours of deliberation? Talk about taking a step backward.
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I agree. And even if it was considered a "domestic incident" as it was originally deemed, there was still no suspect at the time and the killer was not found. At that moment campus should have been locked down, ans other lives would have been saved. I understand time can't be reversed, but this issue still has to be addressed and some official should have to answer to someone.
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There was a suspect in custody; the gun-owning boyfriend of the killed woman. The wrong suspect, but a reasonable one.
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Fredo, that's not quite accurate. See http://www2.wsls.com/sls/news/local/new_river_valley/vt_tragedy/article/new_timeline_for_april_16_raises_questions_for_virginia_tech/19609/
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Fredo, I stand corrected, yet still doesn't excuse not having a campus lockdown until that suspect is confirmed as he killer or not.
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But it's okay for the faculty - no one at Virginia Tech, aside from a part time filing clerk LOST THEIR JOB for screwing up in the Cho matter prior to 4/16 or in the policy committee meeting deliberations that day.
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