April 1, 2008

From Animal House to Big Brother: Student Privacy and Campus Safety in an Age of Accountability
By Ron Chesbrough
Two Scenarios: A student at a large university spots a gun on the desk of a fellow student during class. Frightened, the student sends a text message to someone outside of the classroom, who in turn contacts the University Police Department.. Members of the University Police respond immediately, going to the classroom and removing the student and the gun. In the process, they learn that the gun is a toy gun used in the popular game “Assassin.” They seek out the other students engaged in the game and confiscate their toy guns.

Student Affairs Leader - April 1, 2008 - Full Issue PDF
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News Capsules
NASPA conference: At press time, three of us are in the process of returning from the NASPA conference in Boston. In addition to having the pleasure of meeting many people who have contributed articles to these pages, we also attended a number of seminars, most of which were filled to capacity.

Developing and Implementing a Communications Plan:
Q.You coordinated media relations efforts on college campuses during several crises, including the abduction of a student and a multimillion dollar fire. What did you learn from these experiences?

What Should We Focus on Now?
By An Interview with Brett Sokolow
Q. After the tragic events at Virginia Tech, we saw a huge interest in instant messaging systems. Now, after the Northern Illinois University shooting, everyone seems to be talking about locks on classroom doors. What should we be talking about?

In the Face of Tragic Events, Does What We Do Still Matter?
Q. I’m new to student affairs, and I’m feeling discouraged over the tragic events at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois. Our students feel vulnerable and worried. Do you really believe that what we do still matters?