DHS partners with colleges to combat gun violence, promote campus resilience

by Shane Henson — April 10, 2013—The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to leverage the insights of students and faculty representing seven colleges and universities competitively selected to participate in its Campus Resilience Pilot Program (CR Pilot), which aims to prevent gun violence and make campuses safer and more prepared. Through the program, DHS will work with the selected colleges and universities to draw on existing resources, collaborate with federal, state and local stakeholders, and identify new innovative approaches to promote campus resilience, says the agency.

The CR Pilot will emphasize the importance of DHS’ Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Whole Community” approach to planning and resilience efforts, and will highlight the needs of various student populations. The selected colleges and universities will help develop and pilot an emergency preparedness and resilience planning program that builds from each campus’ ongoing efforts and facilitated by community engagement, local stakeholders, campus leadership and students, says DHS.

Colleges and universities selected for the CR Pilot are:

  • Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, Connecticut
  • Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington
  • Navajo Technical College, Crownpoint, New Mexico
  • Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
  • Tougaloo College, Jackson, Mississippi
  • University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California