The fatal shootings at Northern Illinois University last week were shocking yet familiar. For the second time in 10 months, a student with a record of mental-health problems went on a killing rampage at a large public university.
Ever since a disturbed student murdered 32 students and professors at Virginia Tech last April, college administrators nationwide have been pumping more money and resources into efforts to prevent a similar tragedy on their campuses. But they cannot keep up with the rising demand for mental-health services. And disagreements over exactly how to handle at-risk students have stymied college’s efforts to allocate their limited resources.