Saturday morning's bomb threat at LaFollette Complex was not handled properly. Students were not informed of the situation until after the threat had subsided.
The police handled the situation well and did their jobs effectively, however, the university's lack of communication to students is unacceptable.
The decision to not evacuate LaFollette is understandable and was the right thing to do according to protocol, but students must have information about why they can't leave their residence hall and why nobody can enter.
Lack of information causes more panic than frightening information. Students are adults and capable of handling the truth about what is going on around them.
The text message alert system is going unused. If a bomb threat at a residence hall is not severe enough to prompt a message, when will this service ever be used?
Resident assistants could have been told details about the situation and then called an impromptu floor meeting to discuss what was going on if the university wanted to avoid using the text message alert system.
Ball State seemed ill prepared to handle such a severe situation, and the process for instructing students about safety concerns needs to be reevaluated.
Student safety and well-being is the first priority of the university. When students are deprived of information their well-being is not being protected.
Students inside LaFollette received phone calls from people outside telling them the building was facing a bomb threat. They saw dozens of emergency vehicles, police and SWAT teams. Students were concerned and afraid. They asked for answers, but they were denied information they rightfully deserved.
That cannot happen again.
The university needs to tell students what is going on when their safety could be in question.
Mass hysteria and panic are much more likely to occur when people do not have any information about what is going on around them.
The university needs to learn from this situation and handle it differently in the future. Students need to be informed about what is going on in their homes.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
