Two years later, U.S. citizens are still vigilant. On the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the nation is in the grip of heightened security and color-coded threats. Although it is nearly 200 miles from the site of the World Trade Center, Syracuse University is no exception.

The biggest change in SU’s preparedness to face terrorism since the attacks has been in the amount of information at the university’s disposal, said William Ferguson, deputy director of the Department of Public Safety. The department has computers directly connected to the New York State Office of Public Security and the New York State Police Information Network. Both feed the department with updates on threat levels and specific threats.

Since the attacks, the department has received 204 alerts over the system, the most recent on Aug. 19, Ferguson said Tuesday. The number of alerts rose initially with the start of the war in Iraq, but has since been relatively stable.

While there have been no threats specific to SU, some of them have been directed at colleges and universities in the United States. Because the threat alerts are law-enforcement sensitive, Ferguson could not disclose the details of any recent threats, but said the alerts included both physical terrorist attacks and cyber threats.

What happens when a threat pertaining to universities comes across the network depends on the nature of that threat, Ferguson said. In addition to notifying patrol officers and other law enforcement agencies, Public Safety alerts other university departments that may be affected. Parking and Transit Services may be asked to alert its booth attendants, and the Office of Design and Construction may be notified of danger to any ongoing construction projects.

Carrier Dome management also receives updates on terrorist threats. As one of the largest on-campus sports venues in the country, the Dome has always had a sophisticated emergency plan, said Dome manager Pat Campbell.

‘We’ve always had an emergency preparedness plan, but after 9/11, it’s much more focused,’ Campbell said.

Since the attacks, the Dome has increased its staff substantially and placed limits on what can be brought inside to games. The evacuation plan has remained largely unmodified, Campbell said, adding that no major changes have been made to deal with the threat of chemical or biological weapons.

While the Dome implements its own security plan to protect fans on campus, the Division of International Programs Abroad prepares itself to protect students on SU campuses overseas. DIPA’s safety plan for its six centers worldwide has already been put to the test with the closing of the Zimbabwe center due to political unrest, and the cancellation of last spring’s Hong Kong program due to the SARS epidemic, said James Buschman, associate director of DIPA.

‘We have emergency plans at all the sites,’ Buschman said. ‘In all cases, we look to get students to safety.’

DIPA has developed a variety of plans to move students away from cities or countries that are threatened by terrorism, collaborating with private bus companies and airlines to move them to undisclosed locations. In extreme cases, DIPA is prepared to move all the students in a program – both SU students and those from other schools – back to Syracuse to finish the program, Buschman said.

‘First we think about how we keep our students safe, and second we think about how we can protect their investment in their credits,’ Buschman said.

Students can supplement DIPA’s security plans with their own measures to stay safe while abroad, Buschman said. He advises that students not ‘act American’ by traveling in large groups or speaking loudly in English.

On SU’s main campus, Ferguson suggests that students familiarize themselves with the latest news on the nation’s terrorism alert levels and report any suspicious activity on campus to Public Safety.

‘Just being aware of your surroundings and being aware of what’s going on in the world is necessary,’ Ferguson said.

Published on September 10, 2003 at 12:00 pm