Enough is Enough is a critical new collaboration designed to create a new paradigm for peace and safety on the nation’s campuses – elementary through postsecondary – by addressing the societal violence that has contributed to unprecedented violence in some of the very places our students should feel most safe.

At the 2008 NASPA Annual Conference, Dr. Zenobia Hikes, vice president of student affairs at Virginia Tech, told those in attendance what happened and what was learned through the tragedy on her campus, as well as what she thought those of us in student affairs needed to do to chart a course for the future. Dr. Hikes reminded us that none are immune to terror, and that we must all prepare for the unimaginable. Declaring, "Enough is Enough," Dr. Hikes called on us to act with a "fierce urgency" and stem the tide of societal violence before students reach our nation's campuses. (Video of the speech is available by clicking on the player to the right.)

While NASPA has already taken action within its own membership population throught the publication of Safer Communities, the "Enough is Enough" Campaign is the next step, seeking to broaden the scope in addressing the most pressing issue for all levels of education today – the rising societal violence that results in school and campus tragedies.

The "Enough is Enough" Campaign will include administrators, educators, and counselors from secondary schools and institutions of postsecondary education, as well as parents and students. The kind of violence that results in campus tragedies begins – and therefore must be addressed – long before it reaches our schools and campuses.

Of particular importance are the efforts the "Enough is Enough" Campaign will make to create vital linkages to those beyond student affairs and the post-secondary education community who have a critical role to play in stemming the tide of violence.

Preliminary thinking regarding short-term goals for the Campaign include advancing the idea that schools take a more active role in addressing the broader issue of societal violence; proposing research questions for further study; producing model guidelines/best practices for addressing disturbed and disturbing students throughout secondary and post-secondary education; and tracking and addressing relevant legislative issues.

NASPA is putting the "Enough is Enough" Campaign front and center in our priorities for the coming year. We invite suggestions and ideas regarding this important and urgent campaign. Please send your ideas to enough@naspa.org with "Enough is Enough" in the subject line.