In the past several months, there has been an increase in the number of unaffiliated users coming to Ellis Library, monopolizing computers and loitering in the large study rooms. As a result, we will be maintaining our usual complement of student security officers, including staffing the North Security desk, rather than reducing their number over the summer.
Although budgets are tight, I feel this additional expense is necessary to ensure that our security level does not diminish over at a time when increased incidents of violence are occurring at campuses around the country. In recent months, Ellis security has had to respond to several serious incidents, including thefts and patrons displaying knives in the building. Ellis Security is taking steps to help make the libraries safer, and we all need to assist Security by immediately reporting any unusual incidents, whether in Ellis or in branch library locations.
This is also a good time for me to request that all staff members update their contact information for MU Alert, the campus emergency mass notification system. In the event of a campus emergency affecting the health and safety of students and employees, the University will immediately activate an emergency mass notification system. This can only be accomplished if all members of the MU community provide up-to-date contact information. I urge everyone to update cell phone and/or text messaging contact information by visiting the following website. It will only take a moment to help keep everyone on campus safe:
Jim Cogswell