DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970 | ""Iowa '70: Riot, Rhetoric, Responsibility?"" Page 19

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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970

""Iowa '70: Riot, Rhetoric, Responsibility?"" Page 19

15
[photo]
FIREWATCH!
University personnel have been taking special precautions to safeguard campus buildings. Because of suspected arson at Old Armory Temporary, the many rumored bomb threats, and the presence of picket lines, "building observers" have been operating in buildings on campus.
Duties of building observers were outlined in a confidential memo issued by the Office of Space Assignment. However, decisions about specific procedures for the selection of these observers were left to individual department heads.
Building observers - sometimes simply two faculty members, sometimes a more cojmplex organization such as three faculty members and three students - have been following one of two procedures, depending on the time of day.
Buiding Obstruction Reports have been made from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Entrances of buildings have been watched "to identify obstructive picketing tactics," although observers were told not to take any action to remove the obstruction. Instead they were asked to call their building coordinator, who would have further instructions.
During the hours from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. observers have been making fire and security watch. Buildings have been patrolled continuously, observe ers watching for fires, unauthorized occupants, or other "conditions which are obviously or potentially represen a danger to personnel or property." Telephone numbers were given to them in case of any of these situations.
According to the Assistant Director of Housing, Gerald Burke, residence halls have also been taking special precautions. "Each building has set up its own system," he says. "I just asked them to supervise their halls in an effective fashion."
Procedures in the dormitories vary, from two advisors making continuous tours of the building checking in corners, ashtrays andother likely spots for bombs, and checking for suspicious individuals, to simply one advisor on call in her room in the event of any trouble.
"We have occupied structures," remarked Burke. "Everybody is an observer, so we're probably better protected than other buildings that are unoccupied but which have locked doors."

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15 [photo] FIREWATCH! University personnel have been taking special precautions to safeguard campus buildings. Because of suspected arson at Old Armory Temporary, the many rumored bomb threats, and the presence of picket lines, "building observers" have been operating in buildings on campus. Duties of building observers were outlined in a confidential memo issued by the Office of Space Assignment. However, decisions about specific procedures for the selection of these observers were left to individual department heads. Building observers - sometimes simply two faculty members, sometimes a more cojmplex organization such as three faculty members and three students - have been following one of two procedures, depending on the time of day. Buiding Obstruction Reports have been made from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Entrances of buildings have been watched "to identify obstructive picketing tactics," although observers were told not to take any action to remove the obstruction. Instead they were asked to call their building coordinator, who would have further instructions. During the hours from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. observers have been making fire and security watch. Buildings have been patrolled continuously, observe ers watching for fires, unauthorized occupants, or other "conditions which are obviously or potentially represen a danger to personnel or property." Telephone numbers were given to them in case of any of these situations. According to the Assistant Director of Housing, Gerald Burke, residence halls have also been taking special precautions. "Each building has set up its own system," he says. "I just asked them to supervise their halls in an effective fashion." Procedures in the dormitories vary, from two advisors making continuous tours of the building checking in corners, ashtrays andother likely spots for bombs, and checking for suspicious individuals, to simply one advisor on call in her room in the event of any trouble. "We have occupied structures," remarked Burke. "Everybody is an observer, so we're probably better protected than other buildings that are unoccupied but which have locked doors."