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Commentary: Social media awareness campaigns: a vain form of activism See PG. 33
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MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2013
VOLUME 48, ISSUE 25
College mitigates harm of false alarm Carolina Sanchez THE CHRONICLE
A security officer monitors the campus from the Office of Campus Safety & Security headquarters, where the college’s emergency warning system, AlertWave, is controlled. In response to the March 5 AlertWave malfunction that panicked many in the college with a false alarm of a violent intruder, the system will only be used for emergencies, rather than to announce school closings, which was the original message the system was supposed to send that day.
by Tyler Eagle Assistant Campus Editor ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
IN RESPONSE TO concerns gener-
ated by a false alert reporting a violent intruder on campus in March, Columbia hosted the first of two informational sessions April 5 in Ferguson Hall in the 600 S. Michigan Ave. Building to address campus safety issues. As reported by The Chronicle on March 9, AlertWave, the college’s emergency alert system, sent an erroneous message March 5 that
a violent intruder was on campus, causing a wave of panic among students, faculty and staff. The alert was supposed to inform the community of a snow day. The information session focused on the AlertWave system and why it malfunctioned. Alicia Berg, vice president of Campus Environment, and Robert Koverman, associate vice president of Campus Safety & Security, answered questions about the incident and what the college has done to prevent similar mishaps. Berg said she was pleased
with the event turnout and considers the community’s increased interest a silver lining. “Because of the incident with AlertWave, the college thinks it will be getting more interest in our security sessions,” Berg said. “We absolutely want to answer any questions [the campus community] has after the incident.” AlertWave’s manufacturer, Visiplex, fixed the software glitch that caused the false alarm, according to Berg. It is highly unlikely that a malfunction such as the the March
5 incident will occur again, she said. According to Koverman, the malfunction was unique to Columbia’s AlertWave system. The glitch stemmed from a series of default messages that were pre-installed in the system when the college purchased AlertWave, according to Koverman. Berg said the college was surprised to learn that the system had pre-installed default messages. “[The college] is still not thrilled the incident happened, but at least the company reacted promptly,”
Berg said. According to Berg, the administration decided that after the malfunction, AlertWave will only be used to alert the campus of emergencies, such as intruders and tornadoes, rather than school closings. “We thought using AlertWave to notify students about closings was an extra service we were offering,” Berg said. “But ultimately, a system intended for emergencies should only be used for emergencies.” xx SEE SECURITY, PG. 10
Great Chicago Fire Festival launches as Taste gets burned by Elizabeth Earl Assistant Metro Editor ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A NEW FESTIVAL commemorating
the city’s recovery from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 will launch in October 2014, while other city festivals, such as Taste of Chicago, are feeling heat from aldermen. In addition to the creation of art in public spaces, the Great Chicago Fire Festival will feature musical performances and illuminated fiberglass sculptures in the shape of flowers floating down the Chicago River, according to Emily Reusswig, communications director for Redmoon Theater, a large-scale public art group partnering with the city for the festival. The city has already promised Redmoon, which
CAMPUS
Library introduces media:scape • page 4
joins Columbia on many events like Manifest, $100,000 to help plan the festival, according to a March 29 press release from Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office, although plans for the festival will not be solidified until early 2014. “[Redmoon Artistic Director Jim Lasko] was inspired by Chicago’s determination to innovate, to reinvent itself, to literally rise from the ashes of the Great Chicago Fire,” Reusswig said. “He saw this festival as the story of Chicago’s destruction and renewal and the empowerment of that.” The introduction of the new festival falls in line with the Chicago Cultural Plan 2012, an initiative xx SEE FESTIVAL, PG. 39
SPORTS & HEALTH
Soap box in season • page 13
Photo illustration LIN YE
The newly introduced Great Chicago Fire Festival will feature LED-lit flower-shaped fiberglass sculptures floating along the downtown Chicago River.
ARTS & CULTURE
Exploring queer ballroom culture • page 22
METRO
City pushes highway redesign • page 35
INDEX
Campus .......................................................3 Sports & Health ..........................................13 Arts & Culture ..............................................19 Commentary ..............................................32 Metro ........................................................35