FAIRFAX, Va., Aug. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — To help colleges and universities be more safe and secure, the VTV Family Outreach Foundation (VTV) will release on August 13 a new integrated framework for improving campus safety called the 32 National Campus Safety Initiative (32 NCSI). This first phase of 32 NCSI offers institutions of higher education a series of free, confidential, online self-assessment tools to improve comprehensive campus safety programs. Several schools including the University of Florida and George Mason University have already completed a pilot version of 32 NCSI.

VTV, a national non-profit organization founded by the families of the victims and survivors of the Virginia Tech tragedy, will launch 32 NCSI in a ceremony on August 13, 11:00 a.m. at the Center for the Arts on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m.

Using these new tools, colleges and universities will be able to better assess themselves across nine important areas: Alcohol and Other Drugs, Campus Public Safety, Emergency Management, Hazing, Mental Health, Missing Students, Physical Security, Sexual Violence, and Threat Assessment.

“We are providing a revolutionary resource for higher education fueled by the passion of victims from one of our nation’s worst tragedies and driven by multidisciplinary experts,” said Peter Lake, the Chairman of 32 NCSI’s Advisory Council and a professor of law at Stetson University. “Institutions are sometimes criticized for campus safety efforts. For the first time, there is now a tool to help campuses implement effective programs across a wide variety of safety metrics.”

“The tragedy at Virginia Tech remains an incredibly impactful determinant of current best practice in campus safety,” said Jen Day Shaw, associate vice president and dean of students at University of Florida. “The 32 NCSI is designed to bring professionals together with a multi-department team approach that breaks down potential school silos. Institutions will benefit from doing the process together as a team. Institutions will also benefit from the assessment results – determining areas that need improvement, prioritizing those, and utilizing the VTV panel of experts and professional staff to receive resources to address those priorities.”

Institutions signing up for this program at www.32ncsi.org will have free and confidential access to these tools and can become part of a new community of campuses committed to safety.

About VTV
The VTV Family Outreach Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established by the families and survivors directly impacted by the April 16, 2007 tragedy at Virginia Tech where 32 lives were lost. Determined to prevent a similar tragedy, the Foundation advocates for K-12 and higher education campus safety and security. Learn more at www.vtvfamilyfoundation.org and www.32ncsi.org.

SOURCE VTV Family Outreach Foundation