Camden Provost's Message to Campus Community Regarding Northern Illinois Tragedy

To the Campus Community:

The tragic shootings at Northern Illinois University have deeply saddened our nation. I ask that you join me in keeping the victims, their families, and the Northern Illinois community in our thoughts during the difficult weeks ahead. That such an act occurred on a university campus, where our aspirations are nurtured and our futures formed, sharpens the already incomprehensible nature of this tragedy. 

The safety and security of our own campus remains of greatest importance.  Our Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) is a highly professional force with armed officers who have undergone specialized training and continue regular training to deal with a wide range of crisis scenarios.  In any crisis situation, the RUPD is also supported by city, county, state, and federal agencies.  The 18 fully commissioned RUPD officers are supported by more than 40 security guards; all of them patrol our campus and surrounding neighborhood on foot, on bicycles, and in cars, while remaining in constant contact with the RUPD dispatcher.

We have invested heavily in technology to strengthen our tactical security efforts.  More than 50 cameras, positioned strategically across the campus, allow the RUPD to monitor our grounds and buildings in real time.  The RUPD is on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  The RUPD continuously plans and tests strategies for rapid response to crisis scenarios.  Be assured that in the event of such a situation on campus, the RUPD will respond quickly and appropriately.

There are many initiatives in place for your on-campus safety.  I encourage you to visit http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/safety for more details.  Counseling is available through Student Health Services, located on the second floor of the Campus Center.  The phone number is (856) 225-6005.  I encourage anyone wishing to utilize these services to do so.

The security of our campus community is a joint effort that involves us all.  Your thoughts and ideas are of significant importance to the continuous advancement of our safe environment for learning, working, and living.  If you have suggestions, please contact Mary Beth Daisey, associate provost for student affairs, who chairs the campus security committee.  She may be reached at mailto:daisey@camden.rutgers.edu. Please know that the RUPD and the campus leadership team are reviewing our existing security strategies, as we do on a regular basis, to determine if additional enhancements are required.

One way for us all to engage actively in the security of our campus is to report any suspicious activity to the RUPD.  Certainly, no one is able to predict every instance of tragedy, such as we saw at Northern Illinois; nonetheless, your information may help to prevent such a tragedy.

During the past summer, Rutgers initiated an emergency alert system that notifies enrolled users via text messages to cell phones as soon as a crisis is known.  I strongly urge you to make certain that your information is registered with this service.  Please visit https://personalinfo.rutgers.edu for more details.

Please join me in keeping the Northern Illinois University community in our hearts. 

Margaret Marsh
Interim Provost