October 25, 2001-Vol33n8: Security measures discussed

Security measures discussed
Guidelines for mail distributed in wake of anthrax threat

By SUE WUETCHER
Reporter Editor

The university has instituted a number of safety measures in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee was told at its meeting Oct. 17.

John Grela, director of public safety, passed out a document that he said was circulated via the department heads listserv and the University Facilities emergency notification listserve outlining the steps recommended by the New York State Department of Health for the handling of mail in light of recent incidents in which the U.S. mail was used to transport anthrax bacteria.

Grela said he's tried to direct calls on campus concerning the safe handling of mail to his office at the 645-2222 emergency number.

"We have people who are fully trained; we have the equipment to retrieve any envelops or suspect packages," he said. "We will also coordinate with the FBI and other local law enforcement."

Public Safety also will transport any individuals who may come into contact with a suspicious package to the Erie County Department of Health for medical screening, he said, noting that any suspect packages would be sent to the FBI, which Grela said would be the "primary point of contact" for UB.

Grela pointed out that campus mail staff has been trained regarding the safe handling of mail, and individuals handling mail at the departmental level should follow the state guidelines.

Grela pointed out that there have been only a few, very minor instances of graffiti and harassing emails in the wake of the attacks. "It hasn't been persistent or escalating," he said.

He noted there had been several "disturbing" email rumors circulating on campus right after Sept. 11 that said that several persons had been assaulted and injured. The rumors were followed back to the source and "nobody had been injured, on campus or off campus," he said.

The statements concerning the assaults were added to the emails—which were directed to mostly Arab students and faculty members—"to add credence and credibility to the emails and just heighten awareness" for these students concerning their personal safety following the terrorist attacks, he said

The heightened awareness following the Sept. 11 attacks has led to increased security at football games and other special events held on campus, Grela said. UB Stadium now is closed four hours before kickoff so personnel can perform a sweep of the facility. Packages also are checked as spectators enter.

"Folks have been very cooperative at all the games. Most people welcome the additional checking," he said.

In other business, the FSEC asked Kerry Grant, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the graduate school, to provide the committee with a comprehensive report on graduate student stipends across the university.

The request came following a plea from Ritesh Patel, president of the Graduate Student Association, for the FSEC's support concerning inequities in these stipends. Patel noted that annual stipends can range from $8,400 for English students to as much as $17,000 for chemistry students. The GSA has proposed that a minimum stipend of $12,500 be set to match what he called the standard of living in Buffalo, as determined by UB, which was about $11,500.

"This is a crisis situation," Patel told senators. "Students are stressed."

President William R. Greiner pointed out that graduate students are represented by a statewide collective bargaining unit—the Graduate Student Employees Union (GSEU)—which he called a "complicating factor" in trying to increase stipends. He said that no funding has been allocated to the campuses to raise the base stipend negotiated by the GSEU and the state.

GSEU represents all graduate assistants across the state, regardless of their location and type of institution.

"I think you probably could find people at the campus level to join the graduate students in asking for an approach to get the collective bargaining unit to focus on raising the floor (minimum stipend) and funding it," Greiner said.

Charles Fourtner, professor of biological sciences, said that stipends originally were not meant to provide a paycheck for students but to provide an "enticement" for a student to enroll in a particular institution or program.

"This can't be resolved until we can sit down and say, 'OK, what can you folks do with your collective bargaining unit to get what you can (from the state) because we'll have to deal with the rest," he said.