The University of Washington administration has innovated the campus security infrastructure into one of the most advanced systems at a public university in the country, UW representatives say.

Since the murder of Rebecca Greigo last April, University officials formed an advisory committee on violence that evaluated security on campus and created new ways to increase safety.

Some of the SafeCampus services include implementing loud speakers into the emergency phones strategically placed across campus, SMS text messaging security alerts to students' cell phones, a security guard night walk and the relocation of 13 sex offenders living in the surrounding University District.

"We know that the perpetrators of the violence are not by and large our students," said Norm Arkans, director of media relations. "Students are a magnet for younger people out in the community who are looking for trouble."

It's a changing of the times for college campuses across America. Violence prevention has become the highest priority after the massacre at Virginia Tech and the murder of Rebecca Griego.

"We are in an open environment and that's part of the pride of a university, but then we have the challenge of how do we make it as safe as possible without totally closing down the campus," said UWPD Chief of Police Vicky Stormo.

The UWPD is starting a campaign to advertise some of their new safety programs. Posters will be placed throughout the campus that market the safe campus Web site, violence prevention contact information and the night walk program (685-WALK).

The violence advisory committee and the UWPD created a new communication plan to make sure students, staff and faculty are notified of an emergency situation with accurate information. This plan includes a student online registration Web site (washington.edu/alert) for emergency alert text messages, loudspeakers in the emergency phones and loudspeakers in the fire alarms inside campus buildings. The system will be fully implemented by the end of fall quarter.

Violence at night is a major concern for students living north of 45th Northwest Street. Several reported incidents of assaults and robberies last year indicated to UW officials that the safety of students off campus is also a priority.

Last spring quarter, junior Amy McCaslin was walking to her University District house with three other girls at 10 p.m. from a Cinco de Mayo party. Police searched for the men, but were unable to locate them.

"The guys got out of the car and they knocked me down on the ground and then took my purse ... and sprinted away," McCaslin said. "My first instinct was to run after them."

The UW administration has also decided to relocate 13 convicted sex offenders living in five safe houses north of Northeast 45th Street Several people have been questioning whether the relocation of these individuals is necessary for increasing security.

"I can guarantee you if we had an incident, just one is all it takes, we would be having a different conversation here," Arkans said. "You would be asking me how long have you known that these houses existed and why didn't you do anything about this."

The Washington governor's office is backing the UW's decision, and the registered sex offenders will be relocating by the end of the month.

"We don't want to wait for the first incident to say it isn't a good idea to house this level of concentration of people up here," Arkans said. "We think it is prudent and preventative not to have a concentration of level 2 and level 3 sex offenders, living right in the middle of this unique and youthful student community."

[Reach reporter Shanelle Smith at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]