5
“To address the various issues related to campus security, the Task Force was subdivided into
three subcommittees. Today, we are fortunate to have with us the directors of those three subcommittees
and a law enforcement veteran with significant security expertise, who has worked closely with the Task
Force this past year.”
Chairwoman Hightman said, “I would like to mention the Task Force’s role and responsibility.
“The Illinois Board of Higher Education’s role: Last fall, the Illinois Board of Higher Education
staff, on behalf of the Campus Security Task Force and the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, coordinated a
series of regional training sessions to help Illinois colleges and universities prepare for and respond to
crisis situations of all types. Overall, 199 individuals representing 90 colleges and universities and seven
agencies across the state participated in the training sessions. The Illinois Board of Higher Education also
helped develop and administer the mental health survey that went to schools this winter.
“The schools’ roles: Over the past year, colleges and universities have been involved with the
Task Force in security-related activities as they have served on Task Force committees, attended
emergency planning regional training sessions, and participated in the mental health survey, an IBHE
expenditure and security needs analysis, and a soon-to-be-released, Southern Illinois University incident
preparedness survey. The results of the expenditure and security needs survey will likely be discussed in
a subject matter hearing for the House Higher Education Appropriations Committee in the near future.
So, hopefully, President Peters, that will help address some of the concerns that you raised.
“I would also like to mention that the Illinois Community College Board is hosting a Homeland
Security Emergency and Response Institute in Bloomington at the Doubletree Hotel later this week and
that several of our speakers today will be serving as speakers at that important event.”
V. Campus Security Task Force Panel Presentation:
Michael Chamness, Chairman, Illinois Terrorism Task Force
Jennifer Welch, Policy Director, Illinois Attorney General’s Office
Lorrie Rickman Jones, Director, DHS/Division of Mental Health
Ron Ellis, Security Training & Emergency Planning Instructor
At the conclusion of the Task Force Panel Members’ presentations, the following discussion took
place:
Chairwoman Hightman said, “What is the future of the Task Force?”
Mr. Chamness said, “We always understood that if there were new emerging threats or new
situations we had not addressed, that we would get the same group of experts together, and by that, I
mean the people who make up the three committees from all over the state of Illinois because it is a good
working relationship. We now have a foundation to work from. Given what has happened at Northern
Illinois University, the threat at Western Illinois University, and the things that have happened, including
a tornado warning during a basketball game at Southern Illinois University Carbondale about a month ago
that required evacuation of people in the stands down to the lower level, I think it will be a working
group. I do not think that we plan on continuing to meet monthly or weekly like we have, but that we will
meet on an as-needed basis.
Dr. Carroll said, “I just want a clarification on the ability of staff, professors, etc. to report
