Satyabama University Biology Syllabus and Model Questions for ...

Satyabama University?announces for admission to B.E/B.Tech/B.Arch/BDS courses through Entrance Examination for 2013. Candidates who are interested to join for the mentioned courses in satyabama University can apply now.

Candidates can click here to view the detailed notification for SUEE 2013:?Notification for Satyabama University Entrance Examination 2013

University Conducts Entrance examinations for admissions which is going to be held on?21st April 2013. Candidates who qualifies in the entrance examination will be listed according to the Merit obtained by them and admissions will be issued as per the merit.

Entrance examinations consists Mathematics/Biology-60 Questions, Physics-30 Questions and chemistry -30 questions.

We here provided the syllabus of Biology to provide guidance and reference for the candidates attempting Entrance Examination.

Biology Syllabus:

Unit I: Diversity of Living Organism
What is living? Biodiversity;Need for classification; Three domain of life; Taxonomy & Systematics; Concept of species and taxonomical hierarchy; Binomial nomenclature; Tools for study of TaxonomyMuseums, Zoos, Herbaria, Botanical gardens. Five kingdom classification; Salient features and classification of Monera; Protista and Fungi into major groups; Lichens; Viruses and Viroids. Salient
features and classification of plants into major groups-Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms (three to five salient and distinguishing features and at least two examples of each category); Angiosperms ? classification up to class, characteristic features and examples. Salient features and classification of animals-non chordate up to phyla level and chordate up to classes level (three to five salient features and atleast two examples).

Unit II: Structural Organisation in Animals and Plants
Morphology and modifications; Tissues; Anatomy and functions of different parts of flowering plants: Root, stem, leaf, inflorescence-cymose and racemose, flower, fruit and seed (To be dealt along with the relevant practical of the Practical Syllabus). Animal tissues; Morphology, anatomy and functions of different system (digestive, circulatory, respiratory, nervous and reproductive) of an insect (cockroach). (a brief account only)

Unit III: Cell Structure and Function
Cell theory and cell as the basic unit of life; Structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell; Plant cell and animal cell; Cell envelope, cell membrane, cell wall; Cell organelles ? structure and function; Endomembrane system-endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, lysosomes, vacuoles; mitochondria, ribosomes, plastids, microbodies; Cytoskeleton, cilia, flagella, centrioles (ultra structure and function); Nucleus-nuclear membrane, chromatin, nucleous. Chemical constituents of living cells: Biomoleculesstructure and function of proteins, carbodydrates, lipid, nucleic acids, Enzymes-types, properties, enzymes action. Cell division : Cell cycle, mitosis, meiosis and their significance.

Unit IV: Plant Physiology
Transport in plants; Movement of water, gases and nutrients; Cell to cell transport-Diffusion, facilitated diffusion, active transport; Plant-water relations-Imbibition, water potential, osmosis, plasmolysis; Long distance transport of water-Absorption, apoplast, symplast, transpiration pull, root pressure and guttation; Transpiration-Opening and closing of stomata; Uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients-Transport of food, phloem transport, Mass flow hypothesis; Diffusion of gases (brief mention). Mineral nutrition:
Essential minerals, macro and micronutrients and their role; Deficiency symptoms; Mineral toxicity; elementary idea of Hydroponics as a method to study mineral nutrition; Nitrogen metabolism-Nitrogen cycle, biological nitrogen fixation.
Photosynthesis: Photosynthesis as a means of Autotrophic nutrition; Where does photosynthesis take place, How many pigments are involved in Photosynthesis (Elementary idea); Photochemical andbiosynthetic phases of photosynthesis; Cyclic and non cyclic photophosphorylation; Chemiosmotic hypothesis; Photorespiration; C3 and C4 pathways; factors affecting photosynthesis. Respiration: Exchange of gases; Cellular respiration ? glycolysis, fermentation (anaerobic), TCA cycle and electron transport system (aerobic); Energy relations-Number of ATP molecules generated; Amphibolic pathways; Respiratroy quotient. Plant growth and development: Seed germination; Phases of plant growth and plant growth rate; Conditions of growth; Differentiation, dedifferentiation and redifferentiation; sequence of developmental process in a plant cell; Growth regulators-auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, ethylene, ABA; Seed dormancy; Vernalisation: Photoperiodism.

Unit V: Human Physiology
Digestion and absorption: Alimentary canal and digestive glands, Role of digestive enzymes and gastrointestinal hormones; Peristalsis, digestion, absorption and assimilation of proteins, carbohydrates and fats; Calorific value of proteins, carbohydrates and fat (for box item not to be evaluated); Egeston; Nutritional and digestive disorders-PEM, indigestion, constipation, vomiting, jaundice, diarrhea.
Breathing and Respiration: Respiratory organs in animals (recall only); Respiratory system in humans; Mechanism of breathing and its regulation in humans-Exchange of gases, transport of gases and regulation of respiration, Respiratory volume. Disorders related to respiration-Asthma, Emphysema, Occupatonal respiratory disorders. Body fluids and circulation: Composition of blood, blood groups, coagulation of blood; Composition of lymph and its function; Human circulatory system-Structure of human heart and blood vessels; Cardiac cycle, cardiac output, ECG; Double circulation; Regulation of cardiac activity; Disorders of circulatory system-Hypertension, Coronary artery disease, Angina pectoris, Heart failure. Excretory products and their elimination: Modes of excretion ? Ammonotelism, ureotelism, uricotelism; Human excretory system-structure and fuction; Urine formation, Osmoregulation; Regulation of kidney function-Renin-angiotensin, A trial Natriuretic Factor, ADH and Diabetes insipidus; Role of other organs in
excretion; Disorders-Uraemia, Renal failure, Renal calculi, Nephritis; Dialysis and artificial kidney.Locomotion and Movement: Types of movement ? ciliary, flagellar, muscular; Skeletal muscle-contractileproteins and muscle contraction; Skeletal system and its functions (To be dealt with the relevant practical of Practical syllabus); Joints; Disorders of muscular and skeletal system ? Myasthenia gravis, Tetany,Muscular dystrophy, Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Gout. Neural control and coordination: Neuron and nerves; Nervous system in humans-central nervous system & peripheral nervous system and visceral nervous system; Generation and conduction of nerve impulse; Reflex action; Sensory perception; Sense organs; Elementary structure and function of eye and ear. Chemical coordination and regulation: Endocrine glands and hormones; Human endocrine systemHypothalamus, Pituitary, Pineal, Thyroid,Parathyroid, Adrenal, Pancreas, Gonads; Mechanism of hormone action (Elementary Idea); Role of hormones as messengers and regulators, Hypo-and hyperactivity and related disorders (Common disorders e.g. Dwarfism, Acromegaly, Cretinism, goiter,
exphthalmic goiter, diabetes, Addision?s disease).

Reproduction

Reproduction in organisms: Reproduction, a characteristic feature of all organisms for continuation ofspecies; Modes of reproduction-A sexual and sexual reproduction; Modes- Binary fission, sporulation, budding, gemmule, fragmentation; vegetative propagation in plants. Sexual reproduction in flowering plant: Flower structure; Development of male and female gametophytes;Pollination-types, agencies and examples; Outbreedings devices; Pollen- Pistil interaction; Double fertilization; Post fertilization events-Development of endosperm and embryo, Development of seed and formation of fruit; Special modes-apomixis, parthenocarpy, polyembryony; Significance of seed and fruit formation. Human Reproduction: Male and female reproductive systems; Microscopic anatomy of testis
and ovary; Gametogenesis-spermatogenesis & oogenesis; Menstrual cycle; Fertilisation embryo development upto blastocyst formation, implantation; Pregnancy and placenta formation (Elementary idea); Parturition (Elementary idea); Lactation (Elementary idea).

Candidates can prepare for the Entrance Exam as per the mentioned topics.If the candidates know the model questions, they may prepare well for the exam. So, we have provided Model questions for your Reference.

Candidates can click here to view the model questions of Biology:?Model Questions of Biology ?for Entrance Exam conducted by Satyabama University

For Details:

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Source: http://www.examsworld.in/exam/2178/satyabama-university-biology-syllabus-and-model-questions-for-suee-2013/

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Spain: Unemployment Rate Jumps To Record 26 Percent

MADRID (AP) ? Spain's unemployment rate shot up to a record 26.02 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012, leaving almost six million people out of work, the National Statistics Institute said Thursday.

The rate rose from 25.02 percent in the third quarter as the country's recession deepened.

Over the year, 691,700 more people lost their jobs, the institute said, adding that there were now 1.8 million households in which no one was employed.

Spain is in the throes of its second recession in just over three years following the collapse of its once-booming real estate sector in 2008.

Battling to reduce a swollen deficit and avoid a bailout, the year-old conservative government has made major financial and labor reforms and applied severe austerity measures such as cutbacks in wages and spending as well as tax increases.

The austerity measures are aimed at lowering the deficit, but are hurting the economy in the short-term, while the reforms will only help growth in the longer-term. That means the economy will suffer more before it recovers.

The central bank this week estimated that the recession deepened in the fourth quarter of last year, the economy shrinking by 0.6 percent compared with the previous three-month period.

It was the sixth consecutive quarterly contraction. The economy contracted by 0.4 percent in the third quarter.

The bank estimated economic activity was down 1.7 percent in the fourth quarter from the year-earlier period and down 1.3 percent for the whole of 2012.

The statistics institute will announce official economic growth figures on Jan. 30, while Europe's main statistics office Eurostat unveils its estimate on Feb. 14.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/spains-unemployment-rate_n_2539905.html

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It's All about the Angle | Live Write Thrive

Having spent my entire childhood at the feet of my screenwriter mother, I read more TV scripts than books while growing up, as there were piles of them around my mother?s office, and I?d often curl up on the couch and read one after school. I also spent many hours on sound stages and on location watching many of her TV episodes being filmed. Okay, I will confess I liked to sit in Peggy Lipton?s chair during the shooting of Mod Squad, and if we were outside I wore my mirror shades to be in sync with the dynamic threesome I admired (I rarely saw Clarence Williams III ever take his shades off?indoors or outdoors).

I spent many hours wandering in and out of sound stages at Fox, MGM, and other studios where my mother, for a time, had an office. I?d sneak into M.A.S.H. and watch the banter Alan Alda tossed around as he operated on a fake body in the surgery tent, or mosey on over to Battlestar Gallactica. I had fun going on location and even spent a week in San Francisco on the set with Rock Hudson (MacMillan and Wife), since my stepfather was the director of that episode, and got to watch some cool stunts involving cable cars (no, Rock didn?t do his own stunts!).

Influenced By TV and Movies

I say all this to make the point that growing up in a home that centered around writing and directing for television greatly influenced the way I approach storytelling. Ever since I learned the alphabet, I wrote stories. I even pitched my first script idea at age twelve to the producer of The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Do you remember that show? (Okay just so you know, Stephanie Powers starred in it, and Ian Fleming was the consultant on the show and suggested the idea, but it only ran twenty-nine episodes before being canceled for low ratings. Maybe if they had bought my idea and wrote that script, it wouldn?t have failed. Hmm, I wonder . . .) I still have my very polite rejection letter?my first of many! It did help that my mother was a staff writer on the show and had ?an in.? However, they didn?t buy my idea. But you can be sure of one thing?even at age twelve I presented my idea to the producer in a way he could easily visualize it as an episode. My young mind was already programmed to write cinematically.

So when I began writing novels decades later (although I promised my mother I would never be a writer, but that?s another story), it was only natural for me to construct all my scenes visually, the way I might see them play out on film. In fact, I couldn?t imagine writing any differently. I?m not surprised when I continually get comments from readers like, ?I could so picture this book as a movie? or ?this novel would make a great movie.? I believe they say these things not so much because they think my books are brilliant but because I write cinematically. Every scene is structured either consciously or unconsciously with a series of camera shots, so the reader will see the scene play out the way I see it.

I?m very familiar with the camera shots used?and and as I mentioned before, you really are too. If you?ve watched a few TV shows or seen a few movies, you?re already familiar with what I?m going to share with you. What you don?t yet know, possibly, is how to transcribe what you see on the screen to the words on your pages. So I?m going to deconstruct movie technique by examining the camera shots one by one, and showing examples in novels in which the writer has effectively used a particular camera angle (or multiple angles) to create a supercharged scene. And later in the year, we?ll look at other cinematic techniques that involve shapes, colors, framing, sound, and other effects.

Varieties of Camera Angles for Specific Effects

Screenplays are structured through the use of camera direction, which becomes all-important to telling the story. The choice of camera angles within a scene affects the mood, focus, and emphasis of the story being told, and directs the viewer to pay attention to particular elements unfolding. The right camera angle will give the best impact: you wouldn?t film a huge explosion using a Close-up but rather a Long Shot encompassing the wide scope of action. Writers, too, should think about not just the character POV (point of view) of a scene but the camera angles. Don?t leave it up to the reader to figure out what is important to notice. Put on your director?s hat and think what shots will focus on what?s important. By using these filming techniques to point your reader?s attention where you want it to go, you will get the results you want.

This week, go through some scenes in your current novel and think about how you would shoot them. Note places where you might need to get up close to see some important small details. Find other places where you would want to give a more panoramic or faraway view of what?s unfolding. Try to start thinking in ways you might shoot your scene rather than ?tell? it. You might even want to print out your pages and highlight all the passages that are narrative and telling rather than showing, then consider where you might position a camera to film the action.

Source: http://www.livewritethrive.com/2013/01/23/its-all-about-the-angle/

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Is it really ?Kids These Days? or Have Kids Always Been This Out of ...

Photo Credit: zalouk webdesign via Flickr

After having a recent discussion amongst some girlfriends, it really got me thinking: is it a generational thing or a rite of teenage passage that has kids acting like they?re downright crazy? When I was a teenager, I admit I did a lot of stupid things I wasn?t supposed to do. Sometimes I got caught and sometimes I didn?t. But I was deathly afraid of my parents, so there was no way I was going to outright disrespect them to their faces. But I had friends and acquaintances that I would witness talking back to their parents, disregarding their authority, and just being downright nasty towards them. I never had a taste of alcohol until I was almost a junior in college, and never smoked as much of a cigarette in my entire life. But I knew of friends, and friends of friends, who did those things. When I think about kids/teens doing any of these things today, I think back to when I was their age, and remember people doing some of the same things. So is it really just ?kids these days,? or have kids always been out of control? Let me paint the picture for you, and then you can tell me if you think I?m wrong?

One of my girlfriends brought up a situation with a friend?s son who got left out in the cold (literally) for coming home past curfew. Curfew was 11:00 p.m., and he decided to show his face at 12:20 a.m. at which time he rang the bell, knocked on the door, and nobody let him in. It?s winter, so it?s definitely cold outside. However, before he left, the mother said something to the extent of, ?When you come home past curfew, don?t even bother knocking on the door because you will not be allowed back in.? So this reinforces my belief that not following the rules is a common occurrence for this young man. Apparently, he thought his mother was bluffing when he decided to stroll on back to the house at 12:20 a.m. He kept blowing up everyone?s cell phones in the house, and leaving messages explaining how cold it was outside (he wasn?t dressed appropriately for the weather), and how he was sorry and should?ve gotten home on time (uh?ya think?!).

Now, if this had been my first time hearing of this type of behavior exhibited by this person, I probably would?ve had some sympathy for him. But it wasn?t. This is the same kid who up and left last summer to spend a week at the beach with his friends after his mom told him he could not go. This is the same kid who decided to throw an underage drinking party in the rec room of his uncle?s condo building (unbeknownst to the uncle). This is also the same kid who swore up and down he would do better, behave, change, and prove everyone wrong once he started college. However, his mom received notice that he?s in jeopardy of losing his scholarship and failing his freshman year. So my response to this situation was in agreement with the mom choosing to let him stay outside?all.night.long. When she left for work the next morning, he was still sitting on the porch (you can judge if you want, but I laughed?yup, I sure did).

So in this debate discussion I had with my girlfriends, it was insinuated that the mom was wrong for leaving him out in the cold. That maybe after a couple of hours, he should?ve learned his lesson and have been let back in the house. We also discussed the fact that kids don?t understand things like curfew until they get older and become a parent themselves. I have so many questions. Why didn?t he call his friend to come back and get him? Why didn?t he walk to the metro and either camp out there, or take it to a friend?s house? My thing is this: when you have young men like Trayvon Martin getting shot at for just being a young black man that ?looks suspicious?, you have really got to do better. You can?t continue to act as if you can roam the streets all hours of the night, and not have the potential for serious consequences. Thankfully, nothing serious happened in this case, but that is the reality of the world we are living in.

BMWK ? Do you think this situation is specific to kids being raised in this generation? Was the mother right for leaving her son out in the cold until morning, or should she have let him inside the house?

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About the author

Christine St.Vil helps moms across the country feel good and have self-care without the guilt. Through her coaching and training, she?s taken her corporate background and is helping people fulfill the most exciting position of all: a stay-at-home mom. Christine is a wife and proud mother of three.

Source: http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2013/01/is-it-really-kids-these-days-or-have-kids-always-been-this-out-of-control/

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Cameron promises Britons straight choice on EU exit

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron promised on Wednesday to give Britons a straight referendum choice on whether to stay in the European Union or leave, provided he wins an election in 2015.

Cameron ended months of speculation by announcing in a speech the plan for a vote sometime between 2015 and the end of 2017, shrugging off warnings that this could imperil Britain's diplomatic and economic prospects and alienate its allies.

Cameron said Britain did not want to pull up the drawbridge and retreat from the world but that public disillusionment with the EU is at "an all-time high".

"It is time for the British people to have their say. It is time for us to settle this question about Britain and Europe," Cameron said. His Conservative party would campaign for the 2015 election promising to renegotiate Britain's EU membership.

"When we have negotiated that new settlement, we will give the British people a referendum with a very simple in or out choice to stay in the European Union on these new terms; or come out altogether. It will be an in-out referendum."

Cameron said he wants Britain to claw back some powers from Brussels, a proposal that other European countries reject. Britain would do an "audit" to determine what powers Brussels had that should best be delegated to member states.

Sterling fell to its lowest in nearly five months against the dollar on Wednesday as Cameron was speaking.

Whether Cameron will ever hold the referendum remains as uncertain as the Conservatives' chances of winning the next election due in 2015.

They trail the opposition Labour party in opinion polls, and the coalition government is pushing through painful public spending cuts to try to reduce Britain's large budget deficit, likely to upset voters in the meantime.

Cameron's promise looks likely to satisfy much of his own party, which has been split on the issue, but may create uncertainty when events could put his preferred option - a looser version of full British membership - out of reach.

The move may also unsettle other EU states, such as France and Germany. European officials have already warned Cameron against treating the bloc as an "a la carte menu" from which he can pick and choose membership terms.

The United States, a close ally, has said it wants Britain to remain inside the EU with "a strong voice".

The speech could also exacerbate rifts with Cameron's pro-European Liberal Democrat junior coalition partners.

Cameron said he would prefer Britain, the world's sixth biggest economy, to remain inside the 27-nation EU but he also made clear he believes the EU must be radically reformed. It was riskier to maintain the status quo than to change, he said.

"The biggest danger to the European Union comes not from those who advocate change, but from those who denounce new thinking as heresy," he said.

If Britain left the EU, Cameron said it would be "a one-way ticket, not a return", adding however that he would campaign to stay inside a reformed EU "with all my heart and soul".

"WAFER THIN" CONSENT

Cameron said the euro zone debt crisis was forcing the bloc to change, and Britain would fight to make sure new rules are fair to countries that do not use the common currency. Britain is the largest of the 10 EU members that do not use the euro.

Democratic consent for the EU in Britain was now "wafer thin", he said, reflecting the results of opinion polls that show a slim majority would vote to leave the bloc and the rise of the UK Independence Party that favors complete withdrawal.

"Some people say that to point this out is irresponsible, creates uncertainty for business and puts a question mark over Britain's place in the European Union," said Cameron. "But the question mark is already there: ignoring it won't make it go away."

Avoiding a referendum would make an eventual British exit more likely, not less, he said.

"Simply asking the British people to carry on accepting a European settlement over which they have had little choice is a path to ensuring that when the question is finally put - and at some stage it will have to be - it is much more likely that the British people will reject the European Union."

Asked after the speech whether other EU countries would agree to renegotiate Britain's membership, Cameron said he was an optimist and that there was "every chance of success."

"I want to be the prime minister who confronts and gets the right answer for Britain on these kind of issues," he said.

Cameron's speech has been marked by long delays and was postponed from last week due to the Algerian hostage crisis.

(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Peter Graff)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cameron-promise-britons-straight-choice-eu-exit-075348579--business.html

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Step Into The Stereotypes Of Amsterdam

The Netherlands capital city of Amsterdam is a thriving metropolis and one of the world?s most visited cities. If you are planning a trip to the city, but are unsure of what you should do there, why not have a little fun and spend some time learning about what it is stereotypically known for? Why do they wear clogs? When was the windmill first used there? Also, be sure to incorporate all your senses on your adventure and taste the phenomenal cheeses and smell the beautiful tulips. It is definitely recommended that you stay in a city hotel, Amsterdam is quite spread out and staying in hotels close to the city-centre allows for the easiest access to public transportation.

Beyond the clich?s

In order to know why a stereotype exists it is always important to learn about its origin.

Clogs: The Dutch have been wearing wooden shoes, or ?Klompen? as they are referred to, for approximately 700 years. They were originally made with a wooden sole and a leather top or strap tacked to the wood. However, the shoes were eventually made completely out of wood to protect the whole foot. Wooden shoe wearers claim the shoes are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The first guild of clog makers dates back to around 1570 in Holland.

When making clogs, both shoes of a pair must be made from the same kind of wood, even the same side of a tree, so that the wood will shrink at the same rate. While most clogs today are made by machine, a few shoemakers are left and they typically set up shop in tourist areas near any city hotel. Amsterdam also has a clog-making museum, Klompenmakerij De Zaanse Schans, which highlights the shoe?s history and symbolism.

Windmills: The first windmills are said to have existed in Holland from about the year 1200. Today, there are currently eight remaining windmills in the capital. One of the best to visit is De Gooyer, which was built in 1725 over the Nieuwevaart Canal. Its location in the east of city?s downtown area means it is easily accessible from any city hotel. Amsterdam loves its beer and it even has a brewery right next door to the windmill. So while you are enjoying a historical site you can also enjoy a delicious ice-cold beer ? what more could you ask for?

Cheese: It?s impossible to take a trip to Amsterdam without sampling some of its magnificent cheeses. According to the locals, the most flavourful cheeses are available at the Wegewijs Emporium. With over 50 international cheeses and 100 domestic cheeses, you will certainly have a wide-variety to select from.

Tulips: The tulip craze in Holland began around 1635 and was actually referred to as Tulpenmanie, which translates to ?tulip mania.? Tulip bulbs became the fourth leading export product of the Netherlands following gin, herring and cheese.

While in the city the best place to see and buy the most remarkable tulips is the Bloemenmarkt (flower market) along the Singel canal. The country is very proud of its gorgeous flowers and beautiful displays can be found inside any great city hotel. Amsterdam is truly a wonderful city to visit and it certainly deserves to be known for so much more than its stereotypes, however, exploring them can make for a wonderful experience!

About the Author:
Looking for a city hotel, Amsterdam? Roberta Stuart is the Travel Manager for Worldhotels, a company offering the best rooms in a selection of unique four and five star hotels around the world.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Step-Into-The-Stereotypes-Of-Amsterdam/4394398

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Today's School Security - American School & University article

Apr 1, 2012 12:00 PM, By Mike Kennedy (mkennedy@asumag.com)

Improved technology and more effective prevention programs help schools and universities provide safer learning environments.

Security cameras at Wells Community Academy High School, Chicago, have stepped up safety efforts. Photo: CPS Office of Safety and Security

The month of April has a grim track record for deadly violence on school and university campuses. On April 20, 1999, students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, armed with guns and bombs, launched an attack on teachers and fellow students at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colo. They killed 12 students and one teacher, and wounded 23 others before committing suicide. On April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho carried out the most deadly shooting spree on a U.S. campus when he shot 32 people to death on the Blacksburg campus and then took his own life.

Now, April 2012 has a chapter in that disturbing legacy. On April 2, One L. Goh, a former student apparently embittered about his experience at Oikos University in Oakland, Calif., returned to the campus. He allegedly began shooting; a secretary and six students were killed, and three others were wounded.

Outbreaks of violence at education institutions typically do not rise to the horrific levels of Virginia Tech, Columbine or Oikos. But incidents that threaten school security?bullying, hazing, online harassment?take place in every month of the year and may occur in any classroom or campus from coast to coast. Schools and universities have taken numerous steps over the years to create safer learning environments, deter violence, detect troublesome behavior before it becomes life-threatening, and put plans in place to respond to emergencies. The efforts won?t eliminate violence and criminal behavior from schools, but every incident that befalls an education institution provides administrators with another opportunity to see what lessons can be learned to make the learning environment safer for students, staff members and visitors.

Keeping watch

Over the years, violent episodes have occurred at some education institutions when an intruder has been able to get inside a school. In response, schools have taken steps that make it more difficult for people to enter facilities without permission and make it easier to detect those who do get inside.

The federal government?s "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2011" says that in the 2009-10 school year, 99 percent of public schools require visitors to check in or sign in. Some schools have systems that conduct an immediate criminal background check on visitors before they are allowed in.

Other steps schools are using to maintain control of who is in their buildings:

?Controlled access to school buildings during school hours: 92 percent.

?Controlled access to school grounds during school hours: 46 percent.

?Students required to wear badges or photo identification: 7 percent.

?Faculty and staff required to wear badges or photo identification: 63 percent.

?Use of security cameras to monitor schools: 61 percent (at high schools, the figure rises to 84 percent).

?Random metal detector checks: 5 percent.

?Daily metal detector checks: 1 percent.

Caught on video

The likelihood of getting caught is a factor would-be troublemakers take into account before engaging in out-of-bounds behavior. On a spacious campus, in a large facility, where hundreds or thousands of students may go about their business in relative anonymity, school security staff may find it difficult to monitor all the potential trouble spots or those tempted to create problems.

The widespread availability of inexpensive, more powerful video technology has enabled education institutions to even the playing field in the battle for campus safety. People who know their actions may be recorded on a surveillance system may decide to rein in their inappropriate impulses, and many schools and universities have blanketed the inside and outside of their facilities with cameras so that few areas are beyond the reach of the watchful eyes of security officers.

The ability to transmit video images over an education institution?s computer network and to record images digitally rather than on bulky and space-eating tapes has made it possible for schools to monitor more locations in real time, gain access to images from remote locations, and track down archived video more quickly.

The extent of video surveillance on some school campuses has made some privacy advocates uneasy, but education administrators who have placed a high priority on campus safety have seen that the surveillance has improved the climate for learning in schools.

In Chicago, the school district began using security cameras in 1999 and now has more than 7,000 analog cameras in 268 of its more than 600 schools. In 2010-11, officials decided to step up security at one of its more crime-plagued high schools. After numerous high-definition cameras were installed at Fenger High School, administrators reported that misconduct cases declined 59 percent compared with the previous year, and the number of arrests dropped by 69 percent. The dropout rate at Fenger dropped from 19 percent to 5 percent.

Those numbers prompted officials to install the high-definition system at 14 more high schools that officials say have high numbers of misconduct, arrests or reports of crime. The system, now in place, has between 50 and 80 high-definition security cameras at the 14 schools.

"We need to provide instructional supports to help teachers and principals drive student growth in the classroom, and building a safer learning climate goes hand in hand with those efforts," says Chicago Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard. "We hope that (the) high schools benefitting from these security cameras will experience similar results to those that helped move Fenger in the right direction."

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Source: http://asumag.com/security/modern-school-security-201204/index.html?imw=Y

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