York ensuring fewer exam disruptions

Gleb Polstvin
Contributor

With the season of mid-terms and finals exams fast approaching, the university’s administration is getting ready to test new security measures
to prevent bomb threats and false fire alarms on campus.
After reviewing the relatively high number of bomb threats and fire alarms pulled during official examination periods during the past five years, York administrators formed the University Task Force (UTF), according to UTF chair Joanna Duklas, associate vice-president of enrolment management and university registrar.
A UTF report released April 13, 2010 recommended moving examinations
into a centralized location that could be easily secured in case of an emergency.
Duklas said the university is considering holding some December
exams in the Rexall Centre, located near the Tait McKenzie gym. According to Tiffin, the cost of that project currently remains unknown.
The UTF report lists a number of fire alarms and bomb threats during
the past five years. The highest amount of bomb threats, 15, were called in during the 2005 exam period.
The report estimates that each bomb threat costs York a minimum of $10,000.
Other recommendations put forward by the task force involve installing cameras at the fire alarm stations, locking down buildings, creating more detailed evacuation plans and developing the capacity to track down phone calls made in regards to bomb threats.
York’s Committee on Academic Standards, Curriculum and Pedagogy,
headed by Rob Tiffin, vice-president students; Patrick Monahan,
vice-president academic and provost; and Gary Brewer, vice-president finance and administration, were the ones who issued the special UTF report, which highlights priorities and possible policies which will refine security measures.
Gayle Mcfadden, a second-year political science student, said it’s “tough to say what the university should do without the invasive measures, like the video cameras, tapping the phone lines.”
“You’re prepared to have an exam at a certain time, and suddenly
something blows out of proportion and you’re totally not on time for your exam and it throws everything off,” he said.
Faculty members and department directors are trying to identify
courses that might be at risk and are looking into where the incidents
have occurred repeatedly, said Tiffin.
According to the report, the strategic approach taken by UTF is to make York community members aware of the harsh penalties.