By Chris Levister

How safe is your campus? It's a question university officials in California and across the nation, shocked by Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech, are asking. Once again they are taking a fresh look at emergency procedures for handling threatening incidents on their campuses.

Many campus counseling centers reported an increase in students calling for help and some anxious parents contacted universities expressing concern about the safety of their children, even though for many, the massacre occurred thousands of miles away.

Virginia Tech students lifted thousands of candles to a night sky to remember the 32 people killed by a campus gunman.

"Incidents such as these are as tragic as they are rare on American college campuses," said the American Council on Education President David Ward. "Unfortunately it seems no workplace or community institution is immune from random gun violence - whether it is a local school, post office, hospital, shopping mall or place of worship."

"All of our campuses will be reviewing their safety programs and procedures in light of the shootings at Virginia Tech. As we learn more we will apply those lessons as well," said University of California President Robert Dynes. "We take these issues extremely seriously."

On the campus of California State University San Bernardino President Albert Karnig has ordered emergency preparedness personnel to conduct a step by step sequence of Virginia Tech events as if they had occurred at CSUSB.

In addition, Police Lt. Jimmie Brown posted a set of emergency guidelines for active shooter incidents.

"If it's safe exit the building. Notify others. Call for help by dialing 911 from any phone. Take shelter in a room and lock the door. Cover doors or windows. Keep quiet. Stay off the phone and stay put until police can get to you."

Lt. Brown said the University has set up disaster preparation procedures entitled the Standard Emergency Management System.

He said there are processes for emergency evacuation of buildings and the campus itself. Most major campuses have adopted rapid response measures including e-mail messaging to faculty, staff and students; telephone messaging to all campus office phones; recorded emergency hotline messages on the electronic marquee sign at the entrance to campus and announcements over local radio and TV stations.

Brown said the University armed campus police with more powerful weapons after the Columbine High School shooting in 1999.

Police are equipped with automatic rifles and devices to breach doors and are trained to deploy quickly without waiting for an outside SWAT team.

Brown said it's natural for parents to worry and inquire about safety procedures following events like Monday's massacre.

"We try to reassure parents and the public that incidents like the Virginia Tech shootings on college campuses are rare - noting that college crime rates are generally lower than in communities of comparable size. We want them to know we're doing everything to keep students safe." 

Brown says university police welcome inquiries and suggestions from parents and students. "We need every eye and ear, yet we don't want to turn the campus into a prison."

You have to strike a balance, said Jay Serrano a public safety consultant to colleges and universities. "Some campus police departments want fences with one point of exit, metal detectors and everyone wearing badges, but it's just not practical. Campuses, Serrano says are like open books. They are accessible to anyone. We are constantly looking for ways to make them safer while maintaining the learning and social experience."             

CSUSB freshmen Jason Christopher joined a candlelight vigil for the shooting victims at Virginia Tech. He stood in the crowded commons area and stared across the rambling campus. "We're all vulnerable. There's no place to hide.

But for the grace of God - it wasn't us."