Dear Colleagues,
A short blog thought for you in this holiday interstice about the attempted terrorist bombing over Detroit on Christmas, and its implications for threat assessment in higher education. More reports come out each day about this incident, but a central question that everyone is asking is why was this bomber not identified sooner, and why didn't some responsible agency have a closer eye on him?
There are only a few possible answers, all of which have implications for colleges and universities:
1. Responsible agencies did have intel on Abdulmutallab, but did not accurately classify the level of risk the intel indicated. This is a rather unlikely conclusion, though we make sport of constant charges of government incompetence. The risk assessment tools in use by intelligence agencies are sound, and are implemented by some of the world's foremost threat experts. Nothing suggests a misclassification so far. The implications for colleges and universities lie in using informal risk classification mechanisms, "feel-based" approaches, inconsistent measures (we often get this from over-reliance on mental health assessments by different assessors, or using different inventories/scales) or risk rubrics that are not meant to be used for the kinds of risk being assessed.
2. There were reports raising red flags about Abdulmutallab, but they did not provide sufficient intel to be actionable -- to peg him high enough on the risk scale for "no-fly" or any other kind of action/intervention. In higher education, this is a real fear, as well. Someone within our communities is a real and present danger, and we don't know it. We have bits and pieces, but nothing to indicate the impending crisis with any accuracy or forewarning. This reminds us of the need to continue to build and empower cultures of reporting, where the right decisionmakers know what the people on the frontlines know. A culture of reporting exists when all members of the community recognize when they come into possession of key pieces of intel, know who to pass the intel along to, and do so in real time and with accuracy.
3. Nigeria knew, but America or the intelligence agencies of other countries did not. This is the silo effect where communication either does not flow, or is impeded. This is one of the main challenges for any organization, whether it is an intelligence agency, college or university. Some level of communication barrier is inevitable. Perhaps it is reasonable to argue that a report in Nigeria by a father of a remotely radicalized son is not something that should be known immediately by intelligence agencies around the world. There must be hundreds of thousands of such young men, and concerned parents. Yet, when the father of Cho's suitemate learned that Cho had threatened suicide, he reported it immediately, and Virginia Tech's police department took action immediately. To me, it speaks to the value of intel that can come from outside our jurisdictions, campuses, and communities that can bear directly upon our communities. Perfect communication is impossible, but priority communication can help to ensure the flow of critical intel, even if lesser intel may not always get through.
4. Finally, it may be that the red flags raised about Abdulmutallab were sufficient for a watch list or or risk status elevation, but there was insufficient man or womanpower to investigate and make that critical judgment call. This is a persistent detriment in the intelligence world, where no action is taken on actionable intelligence either because the agency has insufficient resources, there is just too high a volume of reports to investigate all of them adequately, or there is a language or other barrier to effective follow-up. It is also a potential hazard for colleges and universities that are experiencing a high volume of reports of concerning behaviors, but do not have the resources to adequately follow-up and investigate. While we may feel this is inexcusable, it happens on many college campuses, and the best band aid is an effective triage system where all reports are follow-up, but some more quickly and with more intensity than others. This brings us back to have a risk rubric we can trust, because we can rely on it for initial triage and ultimately overall threat, too, once we have collected more intel and engaged a preliminary investigation.
Those are my thoughts for now. Happy New Year, and for those of you who, like me, are headed back onto an airplane soon, the vigilance and action of those who engaged Abdulmutallab on flight 253 may have made all the difference. Keep your eyes open, and be willing to intervene when something smells wrong, or like smoke.
Regards,
Brett Sokolow
Monday, December 28, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
VA Tech Governor's Panel Report Revised
Colleagues,
The revised report is posted at this link: http://www.nabita.org/documents/VATechRecordRpt179-09110909final.pdf
Regards,
The NCHERM Team
The revised report is posted at this link: http://www.nabita.org/documents/VATechRecordRpt179-09110909final.pdf
Regards,
The NCHERM Team
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Sexual Assault on Campus
Thought you would want to see this in-depth, investigative, multi-media story about sexual assault on college campuses by Kristen Lombardi and Center for Public Integrity
http://www.publicintegrity.org/investigations/campus_assault/
http://www.publicintegrity.org/investigations/campus_assault/
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Campus Sexual Assault Policy Press Release
PASSING ALONG A PRESS RELEASE...
V-Day and Students Active for Ending Rape Launch Campus Accountability Project: A Demand for Sexual Assault Policy Reform
New York, NY, December 1, 2009—V-Day and Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) are proud to announce the launch of their joint “Campus Accountability Project: A Demand for Sexual Assault Policy Reform.” For the past ten years, both V-Day and SAFER have been helping college and university students organize to fight sexual violence and challenge rape culture on their campuses. By combining forces on the multi-phase Campus Accountability Project (CAP), both organizations hope to empower more students to take an active role in changing the ways in which their campuses prevent and respond to sexual assault, and spark a nationwide dialogue on what schools should be doing to properly educate and protect their students.
Sexual assault on college campuses is a pressing issue. One in four women will survive rape or attempted rape during their college career and rape is the most common violent crime committed on college campuses. Colleges and universities have the power to change these statistics and foster healthy sexual attitudes on campus by implementing comprehensive and easily accessible sexual assault policies and prevention programs. V-Day and SAFER believe that students have the power to hold their schools accountable for these key provisions and to fight for and win reforms when necessary.
The CAP kicks off this winter as V-Day and SAFER invite college students across the country to become part of the movement by researching their school’s current sexual assault policy and providing feedback. Students can register for the V-Day/Safer Campus Accountability Project Database where they will be guided through a thorough policy analysis process, answering questions meant to assess the policy’s thoroughness, inclusivity, and adherence to federal law. Once completed, these analyses will be reviewed by staff and submitted to the Database, creating a powerful tool for student activists and administrators to see how their schools match up to peer institutions and what improvements can be made.
After the first batch of policies have been submitted, SAFER trainers will be available for students who want to make changes on their campus. During the 2010–2011 school year, V-Day and SAFER will review the compiled information to assess the state of the nation’s campus sexual assault policy’s and establish a thorough list of key criteria to effectively prevent, track and respond to sexual assaults on college campuses. We hope to eventually integrate our database into existing college ranking systems, so students and parents have easy access to the information.
Please visit http://safercampus.org/campus-accountability-project or http://www.vday.org/cap for more information.
About V-Day
V-Day is a global activist movement shattering taboos, raising millions and transforming communities to end violence against women and girls. Annually, activists stage thousands of benefit productions of Founder/playwright Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues and other works. Working at the intersection of art, social action, and politics, V-Day empowers grassroots activists to become leaders, turning pain to power. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $70 million, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, reopened shelters, and funded over 11,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic Of Congo, Egypt, Haiti, Iraq, Kenya, Pakistan, and South Dakota. V-Day was named one of Worth magazine's "100 Best Charities" in 2001 and Marie Claire’s “Top Ten Charities” in 2006. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. http://www.vday.org
About SAFER
Started by Columbia University students in 2000, Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) is the only organization that fights sexual violence and rape culture by empowering student-led campaigns to reform college sexual assault policies. An all-volunteer collective, SAFER facilitates student organizing through a comprehensive training manual; in-person workshops and trainings; free follow-up mentoring; our Campus Sexual Assault Policies Database; and a growing online resource library and network for student organizers. Committed to social change through community mobilization, SAFER arms students with the tools needed to mobilize communities and make lasting change on campus. www.safercampus.org
V-Day and Students Active for Ending Rape Launch Campus Accountability Project: A Demand for Sexual Assault Policy Reform
New York, NY, December 1, 2009—V-Day and Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) are proud to announce the launch of their joint “Campus Accountability Project: A Demand for Sexual Assault Policy Reform.” For the past ten years, both V-Day and SAFER have been helping college and university students organize to fight sexual violence and challenge rape culture on their campuses. By combining forces on the multi-phase Campus Accountability Project (CAP), both organizations hope to empower more students to take an active role in changing the ways in which their campuses prevent and respond to sexual assault, and spark a nationwide dialogue on what schools should be doing to properly educate and protect their students.
Sexual assault on college campuses is a pressing issue. One in four women will survive rape or attempted rape during their college career and rape is the most common violent crime committed on college campuses. Colleges and universities have the power to change these statistics and foster healthy sexual attitudes on campus by implementing comprehensive and easily accessible sexual assault policies and prevention programs. V-Day and SAFER believe that students have the power to hold their schools accountable for these key provisions and to fight for and win reforms when necessary.
The CAP kicks off this winter as V-Day and SAFER invite college students across the country to become part of the movement by researching their school’s current sexual assault policy and providing feedback. Students can register for the V-Day/Safer Campus Accountability Project Database where they will be guided through a thorough policy analysis process, answering questions meant to assess the policy’s thoroughness, inclusivity, and adherence to federal law. Once completed, these analyses will be reviewed by staff and submitted to the Database, creating a powerful tool for student activists and administrators to see how their schools match up to peer institutions and what improvements can be made.
After the first batch of policies have been submitted, SAFER trainers will be available for students who want to make changes on their campus. During the 2010–2011 school year, V-Day and SAFER will review the compiled information to assess the state of the nation’s campus sexual assault policy’s and establish a thorough list of key criteria to effectively prevent, track and respond to sexual assaults on college campuses. We hope to eventually integrate our database into existing college ranking systems, so students and parents have easy access to the information.
Please visit http://safercampus.org/campus-accountability-project or http://www.vday.org/cap for more information.
About V-Day
V-Day is a global activist movement shattering taboos, raising millions and transforming communities to end violence against women and girls. Annually, activists stage thousands of benefit productions of Founder/playwright Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues and other works. Working at the intersection of art, social action, and politics, V-Day empowers grassroots activists to become leaders, turning pain to power. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $70 million, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, reopened shelters, and funded over 11,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic Of Congo, Egypt, Haiti, Iraq, Kenya, Pakistan, and South Dakota. V-Day was named one of Worth magazine's "100 Best Charities" in 2001 and Marie Claire’s “Top Ten Charities” in 2006. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. http://www.vday.org
About SAFER
Started by Columbia University students in 2000, Students Active for Ending Rape (SAFER) is the only organization that fights sexual violence and rape culture by empowering student-led campaigns to reform college sexual assault policies. An all-volunteer collective, SAFER facilitates student organizing through a comprehensive training manual; in-person workshops and trainings; free follow-up mentoring; our Campus Sexual Assault Policies Database; and a growing online resource library and network for student organizers. Committed to social change through community mobilization, SAFER arms students with the tools needed to mobilize communities and make lasting change on campus. www.safercampus.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)