The tragic death of Laura Dickinson has altered the future of Eastern Michigan University. Eight months after that fateful December 2006 day, EMU has rethought its safety and security policies, taken several painful and very public personnel actions and admitted its missteps in the handling of the death. Now, with an interim leader in place, the University community is starting to embark on a new, but related course of action.

“As we find ourselves in this period of transition, we need to move forward together, and I underline the word together,” said Donald Loppnow, EMU’s provost and executive vice president. He is leading the institution until a presidential search is completed, which is expected to occur by next summer. “If ever there was a time for cohesion and shared purpose, now is that time.”

Loppnow was named lead the University July 16 by the EMU Board of Regents. At that same meeting, the board also terminated the employment contract of John A. Fallon, III, as president. The board said that decision was not related to the internal handling of the Dickinson death, but irreconcilable differences in governing and leadership philosophies.

As a result of the Dickinson death and its aftermath, the board did take three personnel actions. It removed Jim Vick as vice president of student affairs, whose office oversaw the Department of Public Safety, and removed Cindy Hall as director of DPS. The board also placed a letter of reprimand in the personnel file of Kenneth McKanders, the University attorney.

Those three actions were largely based on conclusions drawn from two reports. The first report came from law firm Butzel Long, hired by the University to conduct interviews, review documents and write an unvarnished account of its findings surrounding EMU’s handling of the Dickinson death. The second report came from the U.S. Department of Education, which focused more narrowly on University compliance with the Clery Act, a federal crime-statistics and notification law governing all universities and colleges receiving U.S. financial aid. The federal review found seven instances of Clery violations. In its response to the federal report, the University did not dispute any of the findings.

Both reviews addressed one fundamental issue in great depth: who knew what and when about the Friday, Dec. 15, discovery of Ms. Dickinson’s body, and how information stemming from that discovery was disseminated, by whom and when. An initial statement Dec. 16 from the University stated that there was “no reason to suspect foul play” in the death. Months later, a medical examiner officially ruled the cause of death as asphyxiation. At that moment, her death became a homicide investigation. A former EMU student, Orange Amir Taylor, III, was arrested Feb. 23 and charged in her death. He is charged with open murder, two counts of criminal sexual conduct, home invasion and larceny in a building; his trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 15.

To promote an open review of the details surrounding the incident, the regents hired Butzel Long, a Detroit-based law firm. Only hours after the firm presented its findings to the board in June, the very same material was released widely to the campus and media. (The Butzel Long report was handled through a committee chaired by Regent Jim Stapleton; other members included regents Gary Hawks and Fran Parker.)

“The report reveals a systemic failure to comply with the federal Clery Act, including the failure to warn the campus of potential danger,” stated Thomas Sidlik, chairman of the EMU Board of Regents, in an all-campus e-mail distributed the day the Butzel Long report was released. “The findings are clear: This University got it wrong. What happened was unacceptable.

“We know that many members in our community felt a breach of trust and deep anxiety because of the University’s failures,” Sidlik’s e-mail continued. “On behalf of the board, I apologize and pledge that the safety of our students, and the well-being of the entire campus community, is of paramount importance.”

One of Loppnow’s top priorities is carrying out a 16-point campus safety and security improvement plan. The recommendations are far-ranging and several already have been accomplished. The plan was created in response to weaknesses in University policies and system illuminated by the two investigations. Among the changes outlined in the plan are reassigning oversight responsibility for DPS to the vice president for business and finance; conducting campus safety and security forums each semester; and providing bi-weekly campus incident report summaries to faculty, staff and students.

In addition to the focus on safety and security, a plan will be announced soon to move the University forward addressing other important goals and strategies, including: strengthening academic programming and scholarly and creative activities; increasing enrollment; enhancing student life through intercollegiate athletics, student organizations, community service and fine and performing arts; improving instructional facilities, including the renovation of the Mark Jefferson Science Complex; preparing for a comprehensive fundraising campaign; improving institutional effectiveness, communication and collaboration among constituents; and strengthening community engagement as well as support from legislative and government agencies.

Loppnow, a 33-year EMU employee, said the events of the past seven months are without precedent in EMU’s history. But with the events has come a renewed focus on the University’s undiminished and underlying strengths. “We will build on our time-tested foundation of exceptional academic programs and outstanding students, faculty and staff,” Loppnow told the University this summer. “EMU is best known for embracing and supporting student learning and development. We will recenter ourselves on those core values. Doing so is absolutely critical at this time.”

For more information, visit www.emich.edu/security/.