Campus Safety and Security Expert Dr. Gary J Margolis Presents Views on Emerging Trends in Campus Safety at KASA Annual Meeting

Managing Partner at Margolis, Healy & Associates Advises College Auxiliary Services Professionals on Role in Higher Education Safety and Security

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Margolis, Healy and Associates, LLC

May 26, 2010, 08:43 ET

GEORGETOWN, Ky., May 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Margolis, Healy & Associates, LLC, (MH&A) managing partner, Dr. Gary J. Margolis, led an educational session on emerging trends in university and college safety and security at the fifth annual gathering of the Kentucky Auxiliary Services Association (KASA) last week on the Georgetown College campus in Georgetown, KY.

Dr. Margolis advised KASA attendees on their critical role in ensuring safety and security on college campuses. He spoke of MH&A's unique, proprietary methodology and multidisciplinary approach to safer campuses, which includes a comprehensive review of physical security systems; policies, procedures and education; and response capacity.

"Auxiliary services operate programs on and off campus and have a special relationship with students," Dr. Margolis said. "In building a safer campus environment, it is essential to do a thorough assessment of emerging trends and issues on our campuses, and to understand the perception of safety and fear of crime. It is equally as important to review security technology systems and physical security for academic, administrative, residential and multi-purpose facilities. It is important to have the appropriate emergency management systems in place to respond to the myriad of critical incidents facing our campuses."

Dr. Margolis emphasized that education is vital to a safe and secure campus environment, and should include programs on workplace violence; violence against women crimes; and drugs, alcohol and weapons.

"Finally, response capacity must be considered in a world where crisis is not an if but rather a when," Dr. Margolis said. "A crisis will eventually occur. With the lives and well-being of students at stake, having the optimal capacity to respond through mass emergency notification, evacuation plans and all hazards emergency management will mean the difference between success and failure."

Dr. Margolis explained to KASA attendees that MH&A serves its clients through the development of a Risk Tolerance Profile, which helps institutions identify the range of realistic threats and vulnerabilities they face, and then implements a decision-making process to determine which require prevention, mitigation and/or response plans. Without such a process, Dr. Margolis pointed out, universities and colleges face the daunting task of giving equal attention to all perceived and real threats.

"Our process recognizes the range between high impact/low probability and low impact/high probability events. The Active Shooter tragedy (high impact/low probability) and the iPod theft from the library (low impact/high probability) each require different strategies," Dr. Margolis said. "Our team of professionals brings a diverse set of skills and expertise to client institutions ranging from large public universities to private institutions, community colleges and K-12 school districts. As active practitioners, we have on-going, first-hand experience in services we provide."

Dr. Margolis and MH&A managing partner, Steven J. Healy, and their team have personally managed or have been integrally involved with scores of critical incidents on college campuses ranging from violent crime to natural disasters (including the 9/11 tragedy and its impact on the schools in NYC).

"We help institutions of higher education and K-12 school districts develop and implement a threat assessment capacity that fits within their unique cultures and that is effective in both preventing violence and helping persons in need," Dr. Margolis said. "We ensure that strategic security plans are meeting the unique needs of the campus' community."

About Margolis, Healy & Associates

Margolis, Healy & Associates, LLC (MH&A), is a professional services firm specializing in higher education and K-12 safety and security. With more than 15 years each of providing consulting services to clients in the education, public and private sectors, Dr. Gary J. Margolis and Mr. Steven J. Healy have quickly positioned MH&A as a leading professional services firm for safety and security needs at universities, colleges and K-12 school systems. MH&A provides a range of services to help keep campuses safe and secure, prepare for natural or man-made disasters and violent incidents, or respond to crises. The firm's services include: