College students and citizens all across Virginia remember the pain and raw emotions they felt on April 16, 2007 as the tragedy at Virginia Tech unfolded. In the weeks and months following the terrors at Virginia Tech, many elected officials, school administrators, students, parents, and individuals pointed fingers at failures in campus safety on our college campuses. Mark Obenshain, a concerned parent and state senator from Harrisonburg, was intent on seeking a meaningful response to ensure that the commonwealth of Virginia was doing everything in its power to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.
In 2008, Obenshain sponsored Senate Bills 538 and 539. The first (SB 538) mandated that college campuses “establish a comprehensive, prompt, and reliable first warning and emergency notification system for students, staff, and faculty.” This bill has had a huge impact in ensuring the safety of college students throughout the commonwealth. As a student at the University, I witnessed these notification systems firsthand in the fall of 2011 when an earthquake struck central Virginia, a bizarre event that caused confusion and panic. The emergency notification system that had been installed because of Obenshain’s bill efficiently communicated all pertinent information to students, faculty and staff.
The second bill (SB 539) required the governing boards of Virginia public schools to establish both threat assessment teams and committees that seek to provide education and violence prevention. These two institutional improvements ensure that our college campuses are constantly adapting to the new technologies and methods, so that they can be implemented in safety protocols. These two bills, both of which were passed with bipartisan support, have no doubt improved the safety of all students on Virginia’s colleges.
However, Obenshain’s work doesn’t just extend to college campuses. Obenshain is a man that is driven not on personal ambition, but rather the desire to make a better Virginia for all people — whether Republican or Democrat; conservative or liberal; young or old; gay, straight or bisexual; black, white or Hispanic; Christian, Jewish or Muslim. Few elected officials in today’s society hold this trait, and Obenshain has devoted his entire adult life to public service. His work in combating online sexual predators, sex trafficking and elder abuse has helped make Virginia a safer place.
Finally, Obenshain has always supported legislation that aims to get Virginians back to work by providing Virginians with equal opportunity to find good-paying jobs. Obenshain understands that in order for college students to be successful, they need jobs upon graduation. He has consistently supported legislation that ensures the government is able to create an environment that is conducive to job growth and expansion. A recent study by The Opportunity Nation coalition discovered that almost 6 million young people aged 16 to 25 were either out of a job or not attending school. That number represents 15 percent of the youth population in America. Obenshain understands that for young Virginians to be successful, they need a good education and solid jobs waiting for them upon graduation.
With two college-aged kids, Obenshain understands the needs of college students in today’s ever-changing society. He’s worked hard to make their lives safer and will continue to do so once elected Virginia’s next attorney general. As college students, we need an attorney general who comprehends the needs of our generation. Vote for Obenshain for attorney general on Nov. 5. He’ll be an attorney general for all Virginians.
Matt Wertman is a fourth-year Architecture student and the chairman of the College Republican Federation of Virginia, which includes chapters at thirty of Virginia’s college campuses.
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