Campus safety has become a top priority at the UW, with the creation of the Safe Campus program and the Violence Prevention and Response Program (VPRP).

“There were a number of events last spring that triggered along a discussion on campus safety, one being the murder-suicide regarding Rebecca Griego, and the other being the events of Virginia Tech,” said Bob Roseth, director of UW News and Information.

Janet Brodsky, who worked with Harborview Medical Center’s trauma unit, was appointed the new program manager for the VPRP. Her job includes coordinating efforts to prevent violence and to educate the entire university community on how to respond promptly to these issues.

“The university as a whole is a huge system, a city in itself,” said Brodsky, speaking to the challenges of her position. “One challenge we face is being responsive to many different communities.”

The Safe Campus program, which encompasses the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses, as well as the UW Medical Center, includes the unveiling of several new numbers that students and faculty can call when issues of workplace and personal safety arise. For the Seattle campus, this number is 685- SAFE.

“I’m not aware of anything quite like it,” Roseth said. “There was not one number where students and staff could do one-stop shopping, so to speak, for violence prevention.”

Brodsky described the new number as a “reporting and resource line.”

“Our job is to gather information and make sure people are informed about what steps they need to take,” she said. “We provide resources and are a steady point of contact for people with safety issues.”

An important aspect of the VPRP is the violence assessment team, which pinpoints emerging threats of violence and follows the threat, alerting and informing people on how to best address the issue.

However, one important caveat, Brodsky said, is when students should use the number.

“If there’s anything that’s an urgent threat, the person should call 911, not Safe Campus,” she said.

UWPD Assistant Police Chief Ray Wittmier said students are not always aware of what constitutes an emerging threat.

“People don’t always recognize their relationships as domestic violence situations. You normally think of marriages when you think of domestic violence, but by definition many of these relationships fall into that category,” he said.

Wittimier said students need to know what the warning flags are in a potentially violent relationship.

“If the partner threatens suicide, or seems like he or she has controlling-type issues, these are things to look out for,” he said. “If you’re experiencing any kind of violent issue, 685-SAFE is a number to call to get referrals.”

Brodsky has noticed a steady increase in the volume of calls since the opening of the line a month ago.

“The university has had things in place before to address potential violence on campus,” Brodsky said. “It has become more clear that a central point of contact is needed so that all of the arms of communication can work together.”

Wittimier also echoed that these precautions have emerged in light of Rebecca Griego’s death last spring.

“She is still very much on our minds,” he said.

[Reach reporter Arla Shephard at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]