The campus community has been receiving emails for the past couple of weeks informing students, faculty and staff of a campus-wide “shelter-in-place” drill. The drill will be taking place on Thursday, Feb. 29. In the most recent CNUpdate email from the Chief of Communications, President Kelly emphasized the importance of this drill and ensuring everyone knows what to do in the event of an emergency. 

“As we prepare to participate in this essential drill to keep our campus safe, I want to report back to you on our response to the November incident involving a campus visitor who discharged a weapon outside the David Student Union,” Kelly said. Kelly listed out the initial steps to be taken moving forward with this incident report. The university plans to “Establish a comprehensive University policy regarding weapons on campus,” Kelly said because the current policies are unclear and contradictory toward one another. 

The second step being taken is enhancing “internal and external messaging.” This means that there will be templates established for emergencies, so information can be shared in a more timely manner. Kelly said, “The quick thinking and appropriate actions by our James River resident advisors were amazing. Even so, we want to be quicker with our messaging to all constituents.”

Kelly urges the entire campus community to sign up for the CNU Alert system, so everyone can efficiently receive emergency alerts. He closes off by saying that his message from November remains true:

“Our heroic Police Officers were tested and had to make split-second decisions. Someone was hurt. A building was damaged. Our beautiful campus can seem like a sanctuary, always safe from the forces that darken the outside world. On most days and nights, it is just that. But when we do experience something ugly and menacing, we are protected by our Police and comforted by the countless ways we demonstrate through word and action how much we mean to each other. It’s what Captains do and I am deeply grateful.”