February 18th, 2008 changed the course of campus security for many educational institutions across the nation. This is the day that Stephen Kazmierczak opened fire on 140 students in a lecture hall at Northern Illinois University. He shot over 21 people, killing five, before turning the gun on himself.

One year later, NIU Chief of Security Donald Grady states that it has adjusted it’s campus police protocol to provide better and more consistent services to an ever-changing campus climate. One big change that Grady has implemented is making sure his officers are embedded in campus life. “They’re dressed like students, they look like students. In fact, they go to class. They are in effect students but they are highly trained, highly qualified, highly capable,” said Chief Grady. This program is dubbed CAMPUS (Community Assault Mitigation Program for University Systems) and likens the same training that federal air marshals receive. Chief Grady won’t relinquish the number of undercover “students” he has on campus but hopes that their known presence will dissuade anyone from wanting to do anything unlawful. “So if we have another response like this(February 18th shooting), the bad guy-the shooter- doesn’t know what class they’re in, he doesn’t know where he’s going to find them,” said Chief Grady.

NIU security officials have also recently adopted a mandate that requires all university officers to get counseling. “When we insist everybody go now the stigma is gone because everybody had to go in there. Now what you say when you’re in there is between you and the psychologist,” said Chief Donald Grady. The purpose of this is to assure that officers are prepared to respond to all potential situations, regardless of how horrific they may be.

Since the attack, the university has been working on new ways to communicate with students and staff including text messaging, adding loud speakers outdoors and creating a system that allows all the loud speakers to be centrally controlled. “The thing about communication in crises that I know is that there is no one technology that is going to solve that problem. It’s communicate, communicate, communicate any way you can,” said John Peters, NIU president. The president also indicates that the University is investing more resources and attention to the mental health services offered onNIU’s campus. He goes on to say that students may not have come forward in the past because they didn’t know where to turn for help. He hopes that the increased awareness of the mental health services may provide students the help that they need before their situation becomes a crisis.
NIU recently unveiled the plans for a new garden that will be placed on campus to serve as a memorial for the five students killed in the shooting. A highlighted feature of the garden will be five sections of granite (the reflection wall) that will each be 10 feet wide, 4 1/2 feet tall and bearing the name of one of the five students. The garden will provide a secluded sitting area that will be surrounded by 20 dawn redwood, white oak, and evergreen trees. President John Peters states, “In contrast to the events that occurred at Cole Hall a year ago today, this will forever be a special place of peace and reflection on our campus. Memorial Garden will honor the memories of the five students we lost that day, while at the same time embracing the resolute Huskie spirit characterized by ‘Forward, Together Forward.’ ”

NIU Facts:

• Located 65 miles west of downtown Chicago
• Total enrollment of 24,397 students (fall 2008)
• Student to Faculty Ratio: 17 to 1
• NIU offers outreach learning centers in: Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford and Oregon