Oregon Universities to Offer Counseling in Wake of Virginia Tech Shootings

Oregon University System campuses are organizing counseling services for students who may need support today and in the upcoming weeks.

(PORTLAND) - On behalf of the State Board of Higher Education and the Oregon University System, Chancellor George Pernsteiner on Monday expressed his concern and sympathy for the students, faculty, staff, families and campus community at Virginia Tech for the tragic shootings which occurred Monday morning.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this terrible incident at Virginia Tech,” said Pernsteiner. “When incidents such as this occur, it naturally raises concerns for everyone about the safety of students in our own schools and educational institutions. The Oregon University System campuses are organizing counseling services for our own students who may need support today and in the upcoming weeks, and working with local public safety partners to address campus and individual concerns. Each campus has in place emergency preparedness plans for student and campus community safety in the event of any type of crisis. We will continue to monitor the information from local authorities in Virginia reporting about the incident, so that we can use it to help review our own tactical and readiness plans to ensure the utmost preparedness for any incident that may put our students or communities at risk.”

Pernsteiner noted that public safety agencies and educational institutions continue to participate with their community partners to encourage the prompt reporting of suspicious activity or information regarding on campus concerns that students and staff may have.

“Our public safety partners remind us that everyone should work together, whether in our communities or on our campuses, to prevent these horrific incidents from happening, including reporting any information regarding planned acts of violence which students, campus community members, or the public may learn about.”

Law enforcement agencies train and plan for tactical responses to these types of incidents in Oregon’s schools and on its campuses.

For example, training and planning for a tactical response at the Oregon State University campus has been completed; this planning involves the Oregon State Police University Area Command, OSP SWAT Team, Corvallis Police Department and other law enforcement.

The University of Oregon also recently participated in a tactical response exercise with local law enforcement.

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Jimi April 18, 2007 12:11 pm (Pacific time)

I wrote in here before but it didn't get posted.. My comment on this is; send the counselors to where the problem is. Oregonians try to make every disaster about Oregonians. I have lived here all my life and found that this state is very self-absorbed when it comes to nationwide or global wide events. I can't imagine what the students here in Oregon need to talk to a counselor about.. None of them are going to Virginia Tech.. Stop wasting time and money on lame "feel-good" programs. If you want to do some good, send help to those families who lost a child..

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Oregon Universities to Offer Counseling in Wake of Virginia Tech Shootings

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