As we near the end of a very stressful week, our campus is getting back to normal. There were no new threats overnight, and we continue to pursue the identity of the individual(s) who posted the original intimidating message as aggressively today as we did when it was posted last weekend. We will continue our efforts until a resolution is achieved. Please know that many investigative actions are occurring behind the scenes and are not visible to the general community. To protect the integrity of the investigation, specific details will not be released, since doing so could compromise the ongoing case. Investigators have spent countless hours collecting, vetting, and following up on tips, leads and information, and the social media companies involved are cooperating with UAPD on this matter. We are taking these posts with the utmost seriousness. We are collaborating with state and federal partners and are working to make sure students are reassured with a strong uniformed presence. Through the years, we have added additional sworn officers to the University of Alabama Police Department. UAPD now has 76 sworn officers and 17 key staff. Four additional officers are currently in training. We also have a force of 49 uniformed security assistants who provide a physical presence on campus, extending the eyes and ears of the police department. In addition to trained personnel, UA has strategically located surveillance cameras around campus. Through our internal and external PA system, our University Relations staff and UAPD can send announcements to specific buildings, to a group of buildings, to every building on campus and across the entire campus outside. The reality is that information can now be sent via social media to hundreds of thousands of people instantly. That is what happened on Sunday evening and, because of the panic that instantly ensued, a student in Tutwiler called her dad in Birmingham and told him that people dressed as clowns had entered Tutwiler Hall with guns. UAPD was notified at this point and responded within one minute to Tutwiler. Once UAPD had determined that this information was not true, they were able to talk directly with the student. She indicated that she saw something on social media that made her think that this had happened. Unfortunately, the next 24 hours were full of the same type of rapidly spreading rumors and speculation. One rumor was followed by another rumor and, in the end, none of the rumors were substantiated. For our students and especially for the parents of our students, the original social media post and the subsequent flurry of rumors that circulated via social media created grave concern. I fully understand and I share the anxiety this generated. Since Sunday evening, UA’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Policy Group has met continuously to proactively manage the University’s response. University Relations has communicated regularly with students, parents and the University of Alabama community. We set up a call center so parents and others could obtain information. Our interim vice president of Student Affairs and two UAPD officers met with students at Tutwiler to try to answer their questions. And, Student Affairs staff met with a variety of student groups to do the same thing. Residence hall assistants have been checking on students and helping address their concerns. The Provost’s office continues to work with deans and faculty to ensure that faculty are providing support and are working with students. The president of our Faculty Senate sent an email to the faculty asking them to support students and help them use this as a learning experience. I want to encourage students who are concerned about their safety to go to myBama and sign up for Rave Guardian, an app that will immediately alert UAPD if a student becomes concerned about his/her safety. Additional information about safety can be found in the Safer Living Guide at police.ua.edu/images/saferlivingguide.pdf. Also, students can call the University Police directly at 205-348-5454 if they have any information pertaining to this case or during an emergency situation. Please be assured that the safety of our community is our top priority, and we will continue to work diligently to preserve it. Thank you for your care and concern and for being a partner with us as we all work together to achieve this imperative. Judy Bonner President
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 23:10:33 +0000
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