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New Safety Initiative in Response to Mass Shootings

By Tiffany Miller
Staff Writer

The classrooms in Humanities and Pell Hall do not have locks on them, which is alarming to some faculty members and students. Students and other visitors can access classrooms and other buildings across the campus without the use of an LIU identification card. This concern arises after the Feb. 14 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Photo by Tiffany Miller
Morgan Kashinsky, a junior criminal justice major

“Not only is it a danger that students and professors are unable to lock classroom doors from the inside, but also it’s crucial that doors open inwards towards the classroom, rather than outwards towards the hall-way,” Morgan Kashinsky, a junior criminal justice major, said. “That is imperative because, should a student be unable to lock a door due to lack of locking mechanism or malfunction, the door must be barricaded. If the door opens to the outside, how can students block the door?”

These concerns have been raised to campus facilities services and public safety. Roy Fergus, director of facilities services for LIU Post and Brooklyn, said that the concerns are being addressed.

As part of the detailed security review after the shooting in Parkland, LIU administrators have conducted a detailed assessment of the current safety and security profile on the campuses, according to Fergus. “We have checked every classroom door, fire and safety zones,” he said. “Based on this effort, we intend to design and implement upgrades to all doors around campus, based on preserving and ensuring the safety of students and staff, as well as lessons learned concerning these type of events,” .

Fergus and the team at facilities services are moving quickly to assess the cost the university will incur, the scheduling of when this will happen and other procurement related issues to determine the best course of action to implement these changes.

Nothing is set in stone. Fergus estimates within 30 days – after the semester ends – the changes will be complete. “There will be a concrete course of action to ensure the safety of students.

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