Newsweek article reveals Virginia Tech incapable of good internal communications.
In the April 30th issue of Newsweek in the article devoted to “Making of a Massacre” numerous examples were made describing not one but just about all of the bureaucratic offices could not effectively communicating with one another. For anyone that has worked for a college or university it just might not surprise that body of people. The reason? Colleges and universities are based upon the military model of leadership. It is top down command. Lateral communication is possible but not easy. Upward communication is hard. As an institution grows in size the compartmentalization typically becomes more pronounced. If you need an image, just think of a lumbering battle ship with all of the water tight compartment doors bolted shut. It is just the nature of the organization construction that creates these walls.
I will assert here that the military model might be wrong for a modern college and university campus. The military management model serves the leadership, not the customer.