sfsfFollowing the Virginia Tech shootings, Public Safety has announced that all Student Aides, who help man dorm security desks, are to be replaced with regular security guards for the rest of the semester. In an email sent today by Student Aide Coordinator Andrew Ness (provided after the jump), students who work at the desks were told to pick up their paychecks and not to report for duty again.

Some who wrote to Bwog questioned the move, especially because students were invited to apply again for the same positions when Fall semester came around. “They did not provide a correlation between the shootings and exactly why we should lose our jobs,” said one of the students affected. “It’s only bad if we’re randomly killed now, but not in September?”

Bwog posed this question to Mr. Ness, who wrote that he was not at liberty to discuss Public Safety’s plans in further detail. He simply confirmed that, following “the events at Virginia Tech[,] the University is reexamining its security policies to ensure the continued safety of the University community and to maintain our position as the safest Ivy League School.”

UPDATE, Wednesday, 11:12 AM: Assistant VP for Strategic Communications and Planning Rosemary Keane assures us that no students will lose their jobs–all will be reassigned to jobs in Housing and Dining.

– CJS

Dear Student Aides,

I have some unfortunate news to pass along to all of you. In the wake of

the Virginia Tech shootings, University Officials have decided that

effective immediately, student aides will *NOT* be working in the

dormitories for the remainder of the year, including reading week and

finals period. I repeat, your work commitment to Public Safety for this

semester ends today (4/17). From this point on the dormitories will be

filled with Public Safety Security Officers. My apologies for the late

notice and I regret any trouble this may cause you.

You have a paycheck available this Friday April 20, and hours from

yesterday and today will be reflected on the paycheck available Friday

May 4.

Thank you all for your diligence and hard work this semester. You’re [sic]

work greatly benefits the University. I would encourage all of you to

reapply this upcoming fall. Thanks again, and if you have any questions,

don’t hesitate to email me.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ness

Student Aide Coordinator

Public Safety, Columbia University