Una Riley reports on last month’s Association of University Chief Security Officers annual get-together, this year in Scotland.
Like so many others before it – AUCSO (Association of University Chief Security Officers) emerged as a formal association (in the 1980s) following several years of informal meetings between security managers and like-minded colleagues. Though the idea began in the southern universities, the group quickly expanded to include the north and later Scotland, Wales and Ireland. AUCSO now provides a forum for members to exchange knowledge and to keep up to date with crime trends, legislation and other information related to security services. The AUCSO vehicle is a sound communication model; members can provide advice to each other by picking up the phone, via their ‘email register’ or by visits.
Relaxed
The more formal method is at regional meetings or at the annual conference at universities in the UK and Ireland each spring. But for formal, read the most relaxed and welcoming atmosphere you could wish. The 2008 conference and exhibition was at Edinburgh University where I was presenting one of the workshops. Since I had never attended AUCSO before, my colleague Adam Crawford (his fifth year of attending) tried to explain the lay of the land. I have to say that his description was spot on but I did not equate his depiction with the reality until I was actually there and met the people. What a great bunch of security professionals they are and the venue was awesome. The presentation and workshops were in the McEwan Hall. This impressive building was designed by Robert Rowand Anderson as the University of Edinburgh’s graduation hall in 1874.
Cheers!
As you walk in to the building it just envelops you; lucky students. Ironically, in these days when we read of some students spending their ‘loans’ on alcohol, it was in fact Sir William McEwan, founder of the well known Edinburgh brewing firm (a noted philanthropist and connoisseur of art) that we have to thank for the McEwan Hall; cheers! On arrival at reception we were greeted with cheery smiles from Adam Conn, Chief Security Officer for Edinburgh University, the host and event manager ; and Clare Fentham the exhibition organiser. The conference kicked off with George Blanchflower, chairman of AUCSO and Security Manager of Northumbria University, followed by the welcome by Sir Timothy O’Shea, Vice Chancellor and Principal of Edinburgh University. Over three days we had many speakers, presenters and workshops. These included the keynote speaker; Chief Constable David Strang, QPM BSc MSc Lothian and Borders Police speaking on ‘professionalism’ and Bernadette Duncan MBE. She is Head of Security Services at City University, London and was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to higher education. She is the Project Manager for the AUCSO Emergency Management Project. Bernadette and Lucy Eastthorpe presented on an initiative with the Hefce (Higher Education Funding Council for England) that started in summer 2006 when AUCSO identified a need for further guidance and training in emergency planning and management for its members. Bernadette, who is an Executive Member for London and the South East, submitted a bid for funding to the Hefce under the title of ‘Leadership, Governance and Management’. Hefce were supportive as were other organisations such as the Association for University Directors of Estates (AUDE), the University Safety and Health Association (USHA), the Association of Student Residential Administrators (ASRA) and the Conference of University Business Officers (CUBO). It was agreed that the project would proceed, led by AUCSO but with involvement of the other associations. In January 2007 Hefce agreed the funding, actually for two projects: The first one entitled – ‘A guide to good practice in managing major incidents and emergencies on campus’: This project identifies best practice relating to emergency planning and management in the higher education sector. It includes planning, training and guidance literature and will produce an HE (higher education) sector specific good practice document, sent to HE managers responsible for emergency planning.
Awareness
Dissemination will be on paper and the web with the backing of other associations (AUDE, USHA, ASRA, CUBO) and Universities UK, and through national briefings. The project will also raise awareness, amongst HE managers, to major risks or threats to institutions while providing guidance on minimising risks. The project will run with the second project for emergency planning training, titled: ‘Building capacity to manage emergencies and major incidents’. This project will result in a guide on emergency planning and management plus a new two-day training programme; initially run in London, later nationally, by the Emergency Planning College. AUCSO is becoming recognised by various agencies within the security profession and has many links with police forces at both national and local level. One link is with PAHELO (Police Association of Higher Education Liaison Officers). This is for police officers who work on HE campuses. Sgt Emma Thomson (West Midlands Police) presented a strategy document that she has been working on for some time with AUCSO and PAHELO; a sort of conformation document for campus security officers to present to campus- liaison police officers to ensure and encourage a working relationship on site. This document seems to have had an arduous journey at the various levels of acceptance but is now at the last stage and is about to be presented to ACPO for ratification.
Exchange
My presentation was on the SAAE (SectorGuard Anglo-American Exchange). I spoke once again to Bernadette. She said: “Listening to your presentation on the Anglo-American Exchange has given me an idea. With the five City universities in the world, Hong Kong, Dublin, London, Birmingham and New York, I thought it would be nice if the City universities could also do an ‘exchange programme’. So I am going to talk with Ray Wheatly, who is the Security Manager from Dublin City University and see if we can initially do something on a local basis. I will speak to my Vice Chancellor on return and see if we can just do a simple scheme to begin with.” I asked Bernadette if in the meantime she would be nominating her security personnel for the SAAE. She smiled: "Absolutely…we will look out for the publicity and see if we can identify someone suitable.” AUCSO already have strong overseas links. In the United States is IACLEA (International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators), representing more than 1,100 colleges and universities in 20 countries. It was the same sort of start in Europe. In 1996 AUCSO invited European colleagues to attend a UK conference. By the next year the EACS (European Association of Campus Security) had come about. EACS holds biennial conferences and is an opportunity for AUCSO and Europe to liaise. At the gala dinner I met Alfred Feichtinger, Chief Safety and Security Officer from the University of Zurich, a strong advocate of EACS. I tried to make polite conversation (as one does) and started talking about Euralarm and CoESS and all things European. Alas, in the European world of campus security, neither Euralarm nor CoESS has ever been heard of!
The pipes
At that moment the sound of distant pipes summoned us to dinner; saved by the bagpipes! We repaired to the magnificent Playfair Library Hall, Old College, truly breath-taking! With its barrel-vaulted ceiling, running to more than 190 feet in length, it is regarded as one of Scotland’s finest public rooms, now used to host dinners, receptions and lectures. At the dinner George Blanchflower paid tribute to Adam Conn for such a splendid venue and for all the hard work that it takes to organise such an event. Adam stepped forward, resplendent in his kilt to receive a gift of thanks (I think it was a wee dram) and his lovely wife was presented with a huge bouquet flowers. It was a memorable night and as I mentioned the AUCSO bunch is amongst the nicest lot of people I have met in the profession. On the last day, I once again managed to catch up with George who had been extremely busy and difficult to pin down. I asked him about the future of AUCSO. He said: "We are having a management re-structure of all facilities because we have found that there are so many things going on and so much happening. We need to be closely involved with the various government agencies as well as the security industry at large. To do that on top of the day job that we all have, makes it is just impossible to give the proper time that’s needed to do the AUCSO work and keep all the links going. So we are looking at how we can re-structure to free up some executive time to do the job more professionally and thoroughly.” There is nothing as constant as change and it seemed that no sooner than we had arrived than it was time to go. As I was leaving I met up with Adam Conn, this time minus the kilt (he was suited and booted).
Host
I asked Adam how he felt now the pressure was off, after all the hard work. Adam replied: "It has been a real pleasure to host so many delegates from HE establishments from across the UK. Also our international guests from Canada and America, along with our European friends of course. It has been really enjoyable with lots of inter-change between people and lots of useful transference of information. It’s been great to have the support of all the exhibitors, really professional, high profile companies. I think that it has worked well and we have been lucky with the weather! I have had really positive feedback. Everyone is going home happy and looking forward to next year’s event in York, as am I.” Until next year!
