The shootings at Virginia Tech have raised questions about campus security in the Jackson metro area.
At Tougaloo College, for example, anyone going in or out of campus has to pass through a single gate. Security guards monitor the gate 24 hours a day, checking to see that each car has a Tougaloo decal. Students who do not have the decal must leave a photo ID with the guard, and guests have to be signed in. Campus security chief Earnest Nanual said guards also keep an eye on surveillance cameras in all campus buildings and make hourly patrols.
Administrators credit the vigilant work of campus security and strong relationship with area authorities for keeping the campus safe.
Security's response time was tested in 2005 when two cars collided at the entrance. Some guns inside one of the cars went off. The Jackson Police Department arrived in seconds, and no one was hurt.
Guns are not allowed on Tougaloo's campus, and security guards search student's vehicles. Administrators said some students complain about the heavy security, but they said the complaints are a small price to pay for what they feel is a safe campus.
