EAST LANSING, Mich. — Following the shootings at Berkey Hall and the Union building, Michigan State University made sweeping changes to campus security.
One month after the shooting, nearly all buildings were locked by 6:00 p.m. instead of 11:00 p.m. MSU also installed locking systems within 1,300 classrooms on campus— giving professors the ability to lock down their space from inside when needed.
The university partnered with Security Risk Management Consultants to evaluate how security staff responded to the shootings and to find what faults the system had. That after-action report was published in October, finding the MSU reponse was “appropriate, timely, and correct.”
MSU After-Action Report by WXMI on Scribd
The report recommends new locks for about 800 doors on campus. MSU says about 82% of those locks have been installed.
The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety says they continue to add more surveillance cameras to campus to eliminate blind spots in the camera system. Cameras have been added on academic buildings along with green light phones available for emergency calls.
Starting in the fall, fans at Spartan Stadium, Munn Ice Arena, and the tennis center had to pass through metal detectors.
MSU Alerts, the university's mass notification system expanded to include a new phone app. Alerts that go out by email, text, and phone calls now also push through the SafeMSU app. Existing outdoor sirens and the green light phones will also sound tone-based alerts.
Michigan State launched a new security operations center in partnership with East Lansing Police. The 24/7 facility is still awaiting a permanent space, but it already helps direct security staff during any events and responses to on-campus incidents.
Students and staff are now required to complete active violent intruder training.
