College campus safety, a hot topic following September 11th, is now being reexamined on at least two continents. This renewed emphasis is a reaction to the deaths of three professors in the Oct. 28 University of Arizona shootings and of two economics students the previous week at Monash University, outside Melbourne, Australia. In both cases, guns legally possessed by the suspects were brought into academic buildings and then used to kill members of university communities.Tuscon, Ariz.
On Oct. 28, failing University of Arizona (UA) Nursing College student and Gulf War veteran, Robert Flores, 40, walked into an instructor's office and fatally shot her. A few minutes later, armed with five guns, he entered one of his nursing classrooms, in which about 30 students were taking a midterm exam. He allegedly asked his two instructors, "Are you ready to meet your maker?" before shooting them. Police said each victim had been shot at least twice, including in the torso and the head.

After all of the students had fled the classroom, Flores proceeded to shoot himself. Students frantically called 911 on their cellular phones and ran from the building, as police attempted to close off the crime scene, the Arizona Republic reported.

Melbourne, Australia
One week before the Arizona shooting, a Monash University student allegedly walked into an upper-level economics tutorial session and opened fire, killing two and injuring five others. Huan Yan Xiang, 36, has been charged with two counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.

Economics professor Brett Inder told the Age, a Melbourne newspaper, that he was meeting with a colleague in his office when he heard gunshots. At first, he locked his door and called security, but then decided to go to the tutorial room to assess the situation.

Inder found the suspect, whom he had previously taught, being subdued by another student and Dr. Lee Gordon-Brown, the tutorial's professor. They had pinned the alleged shooter against the wall as the students fled the room. Gordon-Brown had been shot, and Inder took his place in detaining the suspect. He helped remove additional pistols strapped to the suspect's waist. Then, those remaining with the suspect waited for university police to arrive.

Campuses react
These recent campus shootings followed similar incidents at Virginia's Appalachian School of Law in January, the University of Arkansas in 2000 and San Diego State University in 1996. Each of these schools have revamped their safety policies following the shootings. Similarly, both Monash and UA have newfound security concerns.

Inder explained to the Justice how he felt new security measures should be dealt with in light of the shooting incident at Monash. "I do not favor any further steps towards campus safety at the 'acute' end - metal detectors, etc.," he said. "In my opinion, better procedures for dealing with students' welfare and other concerns about students' well-being (are) the best preventive measures we can take. This was an isolated incident, and we do not want to create a culture of fear by having a much stronger, more visible day-to-day security presence."

Eric Brooks '04, a Brandeis student who is currently studying abroad at the University of Melbourne, spoke of heightened awareness of security at Melbourne-area university campuses. "It's just a little more scary to go on campus these days. We all are not as carefree walking around campus as we used to (be) - it's hard not to feel the need to look over your shoulder now. It may be irrational to think that something bad could happen again . But, this is life and death we are talking about here," Brooks said.

Vijay Pottathil, a UA senior, echoed Inder's sentiments about increased security measures. "I do not see metal detectors as a solution. That is a proximal solution. In order to address violence in general, we must seek the root cause of violence," he said.

Commander of UA police, Brian Seastone, said more time is needed to examine the incident before changing UA security policies. "It's too soon after the incident. We always look at each incident and see what, if any, changes are necessary," Seastone said, adding policy changes are not always needed, because some crimes cannot be prevented that way.

At Brandeis, Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan discussed the University's own security plans. "After September 11th, some suggested we change the atmosphere of the University into a prison camp, which we could do, but that would give into our fear, and give the terrorists what they want," Callahan said. He said he did not feel the Monash and UA shootings would directly affect Brandeis' public safety measures. "We have maintained a proactive stance about public safety and a business-as usual attitude.

Shooter made threats
Flores had previously threatened to blow up the UA Nursing College building. He was not disciplined, however, because his instructors never reported his threats to campus police, the Arizona Republic reported.

Brandeis Professor Jacob Cohen (AMST) said he was once threatened with extreme violence. "It was in January 1969, during the occupation of Ford Hall, I received a bullet in the mail," he said. "Many people smiled when I told them about it. I learned then that the only way I could persuade some people that I was in danger was to get shot."

Cohen added that he informed campus police of the threat, but said they were not surprised, and "as far as I know, did nothing." He said he feels "students should be encouraged to be alert to threats by classmates and urged to report them."

Callahan said the Brandeis police department would take action if a threat were made. "If something were brought to my attention, we (would) act immediately, even if it is at 2 a.m.," he said.

Inder told the Justice that he never feared his own students before the Monash shootings, and "I think that is still the case, although I and my colleagues have agreed that we need to be more alert to how our students are going emotionally, and always try and speak to them in supportive and encouraging ways."

Inder said that while he handled the situation with common sense, "I had no input on procedures for dealing with (such) crises. This is one area we can work on in the future." He added, "Some general input on dealing with an emergency would help . and staff could have a little input on recognizing students who may be showing signs of being "at risk," and knowing what procedures would be appropriate when they have concerns about a student."

Weapons and emotional health
Flores sent a 22-page suicide note and justification for the UA shootings to the Arizona Daily Star, a Tuscon newspaper. The letter was postmarked the day of the murders. In the letter, Flores explained, "The instructors will make statements to the effect that I was unbalanced. I informed them that I was not sleeping well, gaining weight, had little energy, difficulty concentrating, feeling sad. These are all hallmark pearls of depression." He added, "One instructor asked why I didn't go to the student health center. I replied that it cost money and I would get kicked out of the (nursing) program if I was candid."

Despite his emotional difficulties, Flores was a gun owner with a concealed weapon permit. Max Little, a UA graduate student said, "Unfortunately, gun control and background checks could not have averted this tragedy, because Flores had no criminal background or mental health history."

Inder explained in the Monash shooting, "the person arrested for the shootings was a licensed gun owner, licensed to own seven guns." But, he added in Australia, it is not legal to carry a firearm in public.

The Monash shooting not only affected the University but Australian politics as well. The Canberra Times reported Prime Minister John Howard has decided to push for stricter gun control policies following the incident. These changes include restricting the amount of ammunition gun owners can buy in one purchase.

The UA shooting, however, has as of yet had little, if any, effect on American gun control policy. Just two days following the incident, Charlton Heston made his previously-scheduled appearance at a Tuscon NRA meeting.

Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer said at Brandeis, "Weapons aren't allowed on campus to start with. Short of sealing the campus and having an armed (guard) in every classroom, it would be hard to prevent an incident like (the UA one)."

Campus recovery
The Monash and UA communities are attempting to recover from the tragic shootings. Students and professors at both schools have said they feel it is important to remember the victims and to support their families in a time of grief.

"All of us at the University of Arizona are profoundly saddened by the tragic events of (Oct. 28)," Little said. "We will miss our three slain Nursing professors."

Inder spoke at a Monash memorial service. After eulogizing two fatally shot victims, he said, "for many of us, the events . will remain indelibly in our memories." He said campus unity should be emphasized in light of the incident. "May the legacy of (the) tragic event be a University where each of us . can truly experience safety, welcome, support and understanding," he said.

"May this increasingly be a university that is much more than a place to work and study. A place we can call home.