In the wake of last week's massacre at Virginia Tech, college students around the nation have voiced concern about the state of their own security. If an attack this horrific could take place in a Virginia hamlet, what can be said for universities nestled within larger urban areas? On Monday, the University of Wisconsin System addressed these concerns by announcing a statewide campus safety plan.

Most encouraging about this proposal is the provision for a "formal threat assessment" that will analyze the current state of campus security. The UW System intends to apply lessons learned from the Virginia Tech shootings and devise a comprehensive strategy to combat similar forms of domestic terrorism.

But there is more to creating a safer campus environment than making a speech and forming a committee. The 2007 Commission on University Security plans to solicit input from the UW community to ensure that the plan is palatable for all interested parties, and the UW System is taking steps toward that end. UW-Madison Police Chief Sue Riseling has been tapped to chair the commission, and UW System President Kevin Reilly is asking a broad range of campus groups from university relations to the United Council of UW Students to submit nominations. These steps will help guarantee that any eventual strategy will be truly comprehensive and logistically feasible for an entire campus.

It seems the tragedy in Blacksburg has inspired progress in Wisconsin, and we laud the UW System for taking quick action to provide a concrete plan during a sensitive time. Scrupulous planning will ease the minds of a concerned community and could also save lives.