Sometime later this semester, Brandeis police cruisers will circle residence halls blaring the order to evacuate over their PA systems. Emergency instructions will be broadcast over e-mail and voicemail. Students and professors alike will flee the classroom in droves of disorder. And, for all intents and purposes, the University will be under a terrorist attack.The Office of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Waltham Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), is planning to stage a "mock scenario" whereby the entire university population of students, faculty and staff will evacuate to four designated areas: Usdan Student Center, Spingold Theater, Gosman Sports Center and Coffman Grad Commons Room in the Charles River Apartments.

The effort is being led by University Environmental Safety Officer Bob Elias, who is also on the LEPC. Elias is working with Waltham emergency planning officials on a full-scale exercise involving the city of Waltham, in addition to Brandeis.

The plan, which is still in the works, is not specifically designed with terrorism in mind. "The evacuation plans are for any external occurrence where we would need to evacuate the campus quickly and safely," Elias said.

If a real emergency were to occur, building captains, who are primarily resident advisers, would lead students to the evacuation points. Once there, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority buses would take evacuees from the four "areas of refuge" to safety.

As a resident adviser in Cable Hall, Alex Lo '03 is a building captain who would assist escaping students in the event of an emergency. During the proposed drill, he'll serve in this same capacity.

"I don't think there's a direct need to have this immediately, but I think that being cautious is not a bad idea," Lo said.

Students' opinions on the mock evacuation are mixed. Most did say they see a need for such a drill, calling it "a necessary evil" and "thoughtful."

"I think it's good. This is like a Jewish school -- half the school is Jewish. And, Jews are being targeted," Jason Feinberg '06 said.

Some students, however, disagreed.

"I don't think anyone is going to release chemical, biological or any other weapons on the Brandeis campus. I'll only go if they make me," Max Yarmolinsky '06 said.