As the war in Iraq gets underway, the nation continues to be on high alert for terrorist attacks. The newly created Department of Homeland Security upgraded the nations’ terrorist alert to code orange for the second time this year on Monday, and Georgetown implemented increased security measure to address the upgraded threat.

The university sent out several e-mails advising students about the heightened alert and the steps being taken to address the escalated security level. The university’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) has further restricted access to the campus and enhanced security for commercial traffic. The ERT met Thursday to discuss the university’s response to the start of war, but at press time no new measures had been publicized.

“The university will alert people via broadcast e-mail or voice mail if the country’s status changes in regard to the homeland security codes or if there is any new information to be communicated, university spokesperson Gloria Lacap said.

Additionally, all Georgetown students studying abroad will remain there for the time being, even those in Turkey. “We’re in close contact with faculty members on-site, we’re monitoring the situation very closely and we’re in contact with the State Department and the U.S. embassy in Istanbul,” Director of the Office of International Program Dr. Michael Vande Berg said. “At this point we’re confident that there is no reason to pull them out.”

The university also distributes the State Department’s public announcements and travel warnings to all students studying abroad via e-mail. The State Department’s latest travel warning, which is considered the highest level of warning, was issued Wednesday.

“Due to heightened tensions and increased security concerns resulting from the current situation in the region, the Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer non-essential travel to Turkey,” it reads. “U.S. citizens in Turkey should consider departing.” Nevertheless, the university is confident that all Georgetown students will remain safe.

The Georgetown main campus has an extensive strategy that will be activated in the event of an attack. Five senior administrators are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If an attack occurs, the Department of Public Safety will notify one of these point people to coordinate any response to the incident. There are 14 emergency support teams, ranging from academic through international affairs, which will be called on depending on the event and the resources required. In addition, the university maintains constant contact with the District police while constantly monitoring the airwaves.

The ERT is prepared to provide food and water as well as emergency materials to students, faculty and staff on campus. These materials are stored in different buildings throughout campus. It is also implementing a plan to make such emergency materials available to students who live off-campus.

The university is constructing a campus alert system that will communicate with students in the event of an emergency. Over the next few weeks, as the ERT builds the communications system, students will be expected to learn signals and how to respond. Concerns about communicating with students in case of a breakdown in the telecommunications infrastructure and how to communicate with students who live off-campus were not directly addressed as of press time.

Facilities Manager Bob Robinson said that the administration was in the process of preparing a document that would address security and preparation issues in greater depth. “These are complicated questions,” he said, “and we’re still working on some of the aspects.”

Some students, however, have not noticed any visibly enhanced security, and view the Department of Homeland Security’s coding system as primarily propagandistic.

Mike Wilson (COL ’05) said he understood the point of warning people, but viewed the university’s response as designed primarily to make people feel better. “I think the university is handling it better this time, though,” he said, in reference to the last time the alert level was elevated. Sporting a plastic bag for a shirt, with “Code Orange” written across it, Wilson said that he thought warnings about duct tape and gas masks were “ridiculous and ineffectual.” Wilson was among the students who slept out in the rain in Red Square to protest the war.

The administration advises students to carry essentials, such as medicine and phone numbers, with them at all times in case an attack occurs. Student identification holders will be distributed to all the students sometime in the coming weeks so that GOcards will be readily accessible in case of an emergency. Further advice on how to prepare for an attack is available on the emergency preparedness Web site at https://www.georgetown.edu/svp/preparedness.html.

President DeGioia’s will hold a conversation to discuss the events of the year with students on Monday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. in McNeir Auditorium.