Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
We write to you today to remind our community of important safety information. We do this in light of the violent tragedy at Michigan State University, where three promising young lives were cut short, and five other students were critically injured. This is a painful reminder that very few spaces, including college campuses, are immune to senseless acts of violence. On behalf of the entire Orange community, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the Michigan State University community, and to all those who have been impacted by senseless violence in their schools, on their campuses and in their communities.
While tragedies such as these often come without warning, it is critical that students, faculty and staff are aware of safety resources and take steps to prepare in the rare event of an emergency on campus. We are writing to remind you of some of these key resources:
- We strongly urge you to download our safety app, Orange Safe. It allows for easy access to emergency contacts and is another way for our team to quickly communicate in times of crisis.
- In addition, you can stay informed through our Orange Alert notification system. It is important to update your contact information in MySlice for Orange Alert emergency notifications.
- In the event of an active shooter, please know our Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers are trained and prepared to immediately respond to stop the threat and save lives. In addition, DPS trains and works in conjunction with local, state and federal public safety agencies to respond collectively during emergencies. You can access additional resources in the “Active Threat” section of “Emergency Plans” in the Orange Safe app.
- DPS educates members of the campus community on the active shooter protocol known as “Run. Hide. Fight.” You can also access the DPS “Run. Hide. Fight.” video online at any time.
We also know these events can cause feelings of concern and distress, and we want remind you that there are a variety of ways to receive support through the Student Experience Division.
The safety and security of each member of our community is our top priority. We encourage you to review the safety and security procedures and preparation posted on the DPS website. If you are seeking additional information or support to help you or others prepare or respond in an emergency situation, please do not hesitate to contact the Department of Public Safety.
Sincerely,
Allen W. Groves
Senior Vice President and Chief Student Experience Officer
Craig A. Stone
Associate Vice President and Chief
Department of Public Safety