October 24, 2001

The following are announcements about steps taken to adjust security measures at the Homewood campus. The university is not aware of any threats against any person or property at Homewood. These measures have been taken strictly as precautions.

1. Level of security staffing raised on Homewood campus

The Security Department has heightened its vigilance and presence on the Homewood campus through the use of extended overtime assignments and by supplementing the normal uniformed patrols with additional contract guards.

Silver Star Security has been contracted to provide eight guards daily, three for both the evening and overnight shifts and two guards for the day shift, seven days a week. Adding these eight uniformed guards on campus every day of the week is equivalent to adding 13 additional full-time equivalents to the Security Department's uniformed force.

Wyman Park Silver Star Security officers have re-emphasized their vigilance of the building interior and parking lots. Additionally, on Oct. 22, the Security Department joined with Residential Life staff in implementing a guest sign-in register at our three large off-campus undergraduate residence halls. Campus security measures will continue to be adjusted as warranted.

2. Heightened mail room security measures:

The Homewood campus mail room has conducted refresh training in the recognition of suspect letters and packages for its staff.

Additionally, each piece of incoming mail now goes through a second handling and examination. The first is during the initial hand sort of mail into each department's individual pigeonhole after its delivery to campus by the U.S. Postal Service. The second examination, added since the national anthrax alert, is performed as each piece of mail is removed from these pigeonholes and before it is bundled and placed into a plastic basket specific to the campus building of destination. Should a suspect piece of mail be found, the Security Department is notified.