This is a frightening time to be the parent of a student.

School shootings are becoming tragic fixtures of American campuses, from elementary schools to the echoing halls of major universities. With the tragic death of University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson, it's time for students, parents and schools to do their part to keep people safe.

Campus safety is a growing issue across the country. Colleges often provide late-night ride services and emergency phones across campus, but an "it can't happen to me" mentality keeps students from taking full advantage of those services.

N.C. State University recently tested its "WolfAlert" emergency system to send text messages to students' cell phones. The first test was able to send about 10,000 warnings within 16 minutes, officials said. UNC-Chapel Hill has a similar system called "Alert Carolina," but so far only 5,000 students, faculty and staff have signed up for the service.

Parents should pressure their children to join alert systems, and colleges need to look into rules requiring students to do more to protect themselves.

There have been three murders of students at Southern universities in less than a week. Things are scary enough without people deliberately avoiding ways to help themselves.