Letter to the editor: WSU must educate on campus safety

KATHERINE LOVELL, WSU

In the time that I have attended WSU, which has only been about three months now, I have heard numerous reports of shootings not only here at our university, but around the nation as all of us have. In fact, in the early hours this morning, I had to call 911 because I heard what sounded like gunshots just across the street from where I live.

Now, I have never been one to believe that our amendment that gives us the right to bear arms should be removed; however, in light of the circumstances I previously stated, I do believe that there should be restrictions, as do many Americans around the nation. But what I am most concerned about is that I have not heard one statement from the university that tells students what to do in case of a shooting on campus.

We haven’t had any drill, letters or emails explaining how to act in this situation. Even when I go searching for what to do in this situation, WSU has nothing for civilians to read or learn. And that is something that needs to change.

The community college that I attended prior to WSU had one day that they blocked out to teach us of their precautions and the way that they expected us to act, and my friends that are attending numerous other universities have been taught what to do in the situation, but I feel left in the dark.

When I was applying to colleges and looking at several different universities, one of the perks that WSU boasted was that they have one of the safest campuses in the nation, and yet I don’t feel safe. I believe that WSU needs to be providing this, especially with how frequently we hear of shootings at schools nowadays, and I think that this is a question that we all need to be asking. In the case of any active shooter, bomb-threat or any threat to students on campus, what are we supposed to be doing? Where do we go? How do we keep ourselves and those around us safe?