Events Seek to Address Potential Violence

10/06/2015 

In the wake of recent shootings at Umpqua Community College in Oregon and Northern Arizona University, SUNY Cortland will hold a series of educational events aimed at preparing the campus community to survive a similar act of violence.

“Unfortunately, we live in an age in which tragedies of this type have the potential to occur on any campus,” President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. “Colleges and universities are special places that promote openness and freedom of discourse. Our campus is a major corridor and people are moving through it all the time.

“We see strangers here every day, but there are things we can do. It will take constant vigilance and cooperation, but we can help protect our campus from this type of unlikely, but extremely tragic, attack.”

So far, three events have been scheduled for this month: two training sessions for faculty and other campus community members and a seminar on recent college campus shootings by Distinguished Service Professor Robert Spitzer, an internationally respected expert on gun laws.

Additional education sessions on topics ranging from campus security measures and emergency communication to personal safety in the event of campus violence are being scheduled.

Bitterbaum also is urging all members of the College community to review the information provided about active shooter incidents on SUNY Cortland’s emergency webpage.

Students, faculty and staff should be sure to watch the video on that page. It is also imperative that everyone who has not already done so sign up for early warning messages through the New York Alert system.

The three events scheduled so far are:

• “Guns and Safety on College Campuses After the Umpqua Shooting,” the seminar is an exploration of what can be done to deter these types of events. Led by Spitzer, who has authored five books on gun policy, the talk will be at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge.
• Active Shooter Training, presented by the University Police Department and the Human Resources Department, will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, in Corey Union Fireplace Lounge. The program is geared toward faculty and staff, but all members of the campus community are invited.
• Active Shooter Training, presented by the University Police Department and the Human Resources Department, will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in Brockway Hall Jacobus Lounge. The training is geared toward faculty and staff, but all members of the campus community are invited.

Information on additional events will be publicized when details are available.