Page 32 - College Planning & Management, April 2017

MANAGING CAMPUS VISITORS
But what about group gatherings and protests, which need large open spaces — like those available on college and univer- sity campuses. Colleges and universities have always been focal points to express political and social views, observes Davis from ASIS. The prevalence of protests
appears to be cyclical, driven by the social make-up of each generation — protests were commonplace during the Vietnam era, but virtually unheard of during the ’80s and early ’90s.
“Today’s millennials are a very con- nected generation, with social media and
the Internet providing a quick medium to find like-minded individuals,” Davis says. “As a result, the trend of social rallies and protests has strengthened in recent years. Media coverage has also helped to propel rallies and protests to the forefront.”
How do you manage events such as these, where violence might lurk as close as an outbreak of ill temper? “Most colleges and universities have plans to manage large crowds, especially potentially unruly crowds,” Davis says. “For instance, when events are pre-planned, extra officers,
and in some cases, local law enforcement agencies are called in to help manage the crowd. The goal is to keep the rally as non- confrontational as possible.”
Many schools designate certain areas for rallies and demonstrations, contin- ues Davis. “This affords each group the right to peaceably assemble while helping police and security manage the crowd,” he says.
Today, campus visitors come as individuals, groups and crowds, all of whom present management challenges. The key to effective management seems to be planning for various types of groups that may appear, either spontaneously or by way of a plan. Ask the police for help in setting up plans.
How many security and police officers will it take to manage 50 people? One hundred people? Five hundred people?
Is it a pep rally for a football game or
an angry protest against a controversial speaker? How soon can the police arrive with enough officers to provide effective management?
Considering this, all schools need a ba- sic plan as well as modifications that reflect variations in the goals of different groups. Campus officials must plan to manage individual visitors and small groups as well as pep rallies and, perhaps, large protest movements. And they must create respons- es ahead of time — because there will be no time to figure things out from scratch once a group begins to form. At that point, it’s time to spring into action. CPM
32 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / APRIL 2017
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