The aftermath of September 11, 2001 prompted the reexamination of the nation's defenses and vulnerabilities in light of new realities. Every sector of society, particularly those who protect the well being of communities, required change. Safety and security operations on the nation's college and university campuses are no exception. The nation's academic institutions, through tradition, culture, and expectation, epitomize the open and accessible nature of a free and democratic society. Currently, though, colleges and universities are among society's most vulnerable and exploitable targets for individuals and organizations seeking to cause harm and fear. In October 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), supported a project conducted by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Community Policing Institute (MARCPI) to assess and document existing community policing strategies in colleges and universities. Based on input from focus groups held nationwide and findings and needs that emerged during the project, the scope was expanded to include a national summit on campus public safety. The National Summit on Campus Public Safety was held November 29 to December 1, 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland. The summit planning committee and the COPS Office selected the delegates for their expertise, national stature, and commitment to excellence in campus safety. The delegates provided a diverse perspective and included representatives from campus police and security agencies, major professional associations, college and university administrations, student organizations, and federal agencies. Three points of focus arose during the summit that drew prolonged discussion and ultimately led to consensus among the delegates. The three points were the following: (1) Overcoming the fragmentation that inhibits innovation, partnerships, and professionalism in the field of campus public safety. At present, there are no organizations or professional associations that represent the majority of campus public safety agencies or foster a collective interagency/interjurisdictional approach to campus safety issues; (2) Creating a national agenda on campus public safety to guide relevant future endeavors of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, business and industry, and professional associations; and (3) Establishing a national center for campus safety to support information sharing, policy development, model practices, operations, and research. The 25 recommendations that resulted from the summit are grouped into three categories: (1) Promote collaboration; (2) Operate a safe campus; and (3) Strengthen operations and administrative functions.