In May 2007, following the campus shootings at Virginia Tech, College President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., appointed a committee of Providence College administrators to conduct a comprehensive review of the College's Emergency Response Plan. The team, led by Executive Vice President Rev. Kenneth Sicard, O.P., was charged with analyzing and adapting, as necessary, the College's current plan; meeting with external specialists to assess the revised plan; re-educating the entire campus community about notification procedures and how crisis situations will be managed; scheduling simulated exercises to test thoroughly the execution of the plan; and assessing the effective integration of all student support systems.

The task force met weekly through the 2007 Fall Semester. As a result of their recommendations, a number of initiatives about emergency response - particularly in the area of emergency notification and communications - have been put into place. These initiatives are described in the pages included in this section.

Based on a recommendation of the committee, the College has established a new standing committee, the Safety and Emergency Response Committee. All internal members of the original task force were appointed to the new standing committee. They are joined by other members of the College community with broad oversight and responsibilities in the area of student health and safety, and campus life.