Campus Safety

A recent "addition to killing" essay written by a student at the Community College of Baltimore in Maryland has shaken the campus and left the student barred from attending classes. The essay, titled, "War is a Drug," refers to an addiction to killing that the student developed after serving in Iraq. Since the essay was published in the campus newspaper, the student, Charles Wittington, has been removed from campus until he receives a psychological assessment stating that he is not a danger to fellow students and staff at the college.

Wittington's Service

Charles Wittington was in the army infantry in Iraq from October 2005 to June 2007, according to a report at CNN. During that time, Wittington survived three attacks from improvised explosive devices, and he had to be medically evacuated out of Iraq in 2007. After Wittington's discharge, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. He also lost a finger in one of the attacks. Currently, Wittington is on medication and receiving counseling to help him cope with the aftermath of his war experience.

Wittington did not find the transition from the armed service to civilian life an easy road. At one point, Wittington went on a drinking binge that resulted in him crashing a car and hurting a number of people. Wittington spent three months in jail for the incident, according to the Baltimore Sun. When he was released, he enrolled in Community College of Baltimore in an

With the H1N1 spreading across college campuses from Washington to Massachusetts, community colleges are taking action to shelter their students from any potential outbreak.As reported by CNN, according to a presidential advisory panel, the potential spread of the virus could contribute to as many as 90,000 U.S fatalities this season. Expected to break out in the fall, experts estimate that 30 to 50 percent of the U.S. population may become infected.

Advisors further predict that schools and shared community areas pose the greatest threats for contamination and contagiousness. To prepare for an array of plausible H1N1-related challenges, community college leaders are avidly planning to confront the virus on campus.

This video reports on how to prevent the H1N1 virus.

Community College Preparation for the H1N1 Virus

As reported by the Gazette News, Prince George Community College (PGCC), located in Largo, Maryland, is one of many community colleges making preparations against the H1N1 virus. Since Prince George Community College enrolls more than 40,000 students, leaders are concerned that the large number of students enclosed in shared common areas can lead to rapid virus outbreaks. To proactively address the H1N1 threats, “The college has a pandemic team in place composed of about nine people from different departments.”

PGCC has developed guidelines to help the school employ specific responses for an array of potential

How safe are you on your community college’s campus? Many students have begun to express concern regarding their safety on campus, especially during off-peak hours.

For example, to take a night course at a community college, students are typically forced to either enter or leave class after sunset. With less light visibility and decreased crowds on campus in the evening, some students feel concerned about violence.

As a result, many students assert that they must take extra measures to ensure that they are well-protected. In light of this argument, some community college campuses are beginning to permit the carrying of personal handguns on campus.

This video looks at the question of students having guns on campus.

The Debate over College Campus Gun Regulations

Currently, most community college campuses do not allow the possession of a concealed handgun on campus. However, according to The Facts publication, college students in the state of Texas, who are above the age of 21, are now permitted to carry a gun on college campuses!

According to reports, in light of the public school and college violence in recent years, many students feel less protected when they’re attending classes. Specifically, upon the violent attacks on the Virginia Tech campus in 2007, many students began to protest school policies to fight for their right to carry a gun for protection. As 32 people were killed in the Virginia

Campus Safety on Community Colleges

To increase campus security and student safety, community colleges across the country are boosting their security efforts. With new technologies for added support, in addition to widespread tools for campus officials and student communication, community colleges are striving to provide all campus visitors with a safe and supportive environment.

Community College Campus Safety Efforts

While each community college campus has its own unique safety and security protocols, most schools provide students with fundamental officers, resources, and security measures.

Located near Detroit, Michigan, Henry Ford Community College provides students with a specific office designated for campus safety. As the school describes,

“Campus Safety is responsible for maintaining and releasing incident and accident reports, key control, issuance of employee and student ID cards, maintenance of the access control system, crime statistics, crime prevention and security awareness programs such as Campus Watch and Safe Walk, as well as overall control of all security and safety operations.”

While Henry Ford certainly provides students with basic theft and safety efforts, their added security awareness programs help foster increased and widespread support.

For example, Henry Ford Community College’s Safe Walk program was designed by both the Student Government and the Office of Campus Safety. It is described as an

“An integral part of a safe campus is the involvement of students in their campus community. Safe Walk student volunteers provide an escort to any student or staff member who requests it. Safe Walk