A Message from the President
March 5, 2008
Dear Parent(s):
I know that you as part of the University of St. Francis family have had heavy hearts at the violence that intruded into the lives of students at Northern Illinois University . We have grieved with them and prayed for them. The University of St. Francis community gathered in front of Tower Hall on Feb. 18 for a candle lighting prayer service and I personally attended a memorial service at NIU on Feb. 24.
This random act is disconcerting to all; particularly parents whose intrinsic desire is to protect their children from the world's violence. Please be assured that the safety of the students at the University of St. Francis is of paramount importance. While incidents like those at NIU and Virginia Tech do bring security to the forefront of discussion in many venues, it is indeed a discussion that takes place regularly at the University of St. Francis .
In reality, campuses throughout the United States are relatively very safe places. From 1994 to 2004, violent crimes on campuses have decreased 9 percent. Nationally, there are 466 crimes per 100,000 residents, while on four-year campuses, the number is just 62 crimes per 100,000 students (U.S. Department of Justice Report). At the University of St. Francis campus, we have experienced no violent crimes in the past two years.
Our campus Safety and Security Department regularly undergoes training, which includes updates on best practices for campus safety, including lockdown procedures. We are also extremely fortunate that the university is in proximity to and works closely with the Joliet Police Department. Highly trained police are just minutes from our doors.
I can tell you that our university's Crisis Management Team regularly has detailed discussions regarding the response to emergencies of all types. We regularly review and update the university's comprehensive plan to ensure the safety of those on our campus. As an example, we are presently planning crisis response training for employees. Such training will also be included in future freshman orientations and a separate session will be planned for upperclassmen. We are adding components to our emergency notification systems, to include such items as a public address system for inside buildings and outdoors. Email notification is already in place. The Parents' Association has allocated funds for some television monitors that can offer emergency warnings.
Perhaps, most importantly, our Safety and Security officers know our students, a benefit of being a small campus community. We are also instituting a tip line to be used by those who wish to report erratic behavior. This line will be a tool used by counselors to intervene with help to individuals. It is an important step in our prevention plan.
Our prayer, the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi , provides an important context in times of duress. It is our foundation of faith that we know through love, justice and understanding comes peace.
I wish you peace.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Vinciguerra
President
