- In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk shooting, Utah Valley University officials are examining ways to make emergency response notification system on campus "more robust."
- Utah State University announces that the Sept. 30 Turning Point USA campus gathering will be an indoor ticketed event.
- USU is working with local, state and federal public safety organizations to ensure "appropriate security" at upcoming gathering.
As Utah Valley University officials continue to investigate and review campus security and communication protocols in the aftermath of last week’s Charlie Kirk shooting, Utah State University is busy preparing for its own Turning Point USA gathering.
On Wednesday, USU announced that the venue for the Turning Point USA event has not yet been finalized — but it’s being planned as “an indoor ticketed event.”
“USU is not affiliated with the speakers or the event,” according to a school release. “As with all third-party events, USU does not endorse the viewpoints or perspectives presented by speakers. Rather, USU’s role is limited to facilitating a safe and secure venue where students’ and speakers’ free expression can occur.”
Even prior to the Sept. 10 shooting on the UVU campus in Orem, USU’s Department of Public Safety began working with local, state and federal partners “to ensure appropriate security measures would be in place in time.”
“Given the heightened concerns, USU’s department of public safety is continuing to collaborate with these partners to ensure appropriate safety measures and protocols are in place,” according to the release.
The USU release added that its public safety department has “robust security plans” for campus events — including those without heightened safety concerns.
“These measures include comprehensive threat assessments, detailed security planning, deployment of diverse safety resources, effective crowd management, close protection for the speaker, clear communication and coordination, and readiness for crisis response.
“USU Public Safety employs rigorous protocols for major events year-round — including athletics, commencement and high-profile speakers. These protocols are data-driven, scenario-based and multi-tiered.”
Campus communication review continues at UVU
In the hours and days following the Kirk shooting, some UVU students were upset at what they believed to be an inadequate, unreliable and conflicting emergency communication response.
“Us students at UVU felt unsafe in the way the events were handled today, and we are begging for stricter lockdown policies to be put in place to ensure that nothing like this happens again in the future,” wrote UVU student Ava Beck in an email on the day of the shooting.
Beck has since launched an online petition calling for UVU to create stricter lockdown policies to be implemented.
On Wednesday, classes resumed at UVU for the first time since last week’s shooting.
UVU leaders are not publicly addressing specific concerns regarding the school’s emergency communication response in the shooting’s aftermath, saying their investigation and security reviews are ongoing.
In an email to the Deseret News, UVU spokesperson Ellen Treanor said students are elemental to the school’s communication efforts.
“If you have concerns, speak with the officers on site. (Students) are part of our safety network. If you ‘See something, Say something.’ For immediate needs, please call Campus Police Dispatch at 801-863-5555. For tips, please call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
UVU President Astrid Tuminez said Wednesday that she’s grateful for the community’s patience and understanding “as I and my leadership team have focused our energies, our time and all of our effort on the safety of our students, professors, staff and the larger UVU family.”
In an interview with NBC, Tuminez said the school’s emergency response notification system “is definitely under review and we are looking at how to make the communication system simply more robust. … All of our energies, our resources, our time are focused on safety and security.”
The school president added she is certain “that we can help our students feel safe again and that they will feel confident that their dreams remain valid for an education.”
USU’s emergency communication system in place
In its Wednesday missive, USU said it is continuing to test its own emergency communication systems — including its Aggie Alerts system — for campus/student notifications and lockdown procedures.
Aggie Alerts function as USU’s direct line “to critical safety information” — dispatching notifications and direction to cellphones and other devices about ongoing safety issues and threats.
Through Aggie Alerts, “an emergency notification is sent when a significant emergency or dangerous situation poses an immediate threat to the health and safety of the campus community.
“A significant emergency could include an impending and dangerous weather event, an active shooter or terrorist attack, or a gas leak.”
Aggie Alerts are also dispatched whenever a safety concern arises that could affect the campus community — including closure of the university due to severe weather or, say, information about infectious disease spreading in the surrounding Cache County community.
Anyone can sign up for Aggie Alerts emails and texts by texting “usucommunity” to 333111.
Contributing: Caitlin Keith