February 16, 2018

An important message from President Wilson concerning campus safety

Dear campus community,

Over the past several days, I’ve received a number of emails expressing concern over safety and security at our university. These concerns were prompted by events on our campus and, most recently, by the senseless and heartbreaking tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

At times like this, it is important for us to assess any potential susceptibilities and reaffirm our basic conviction that the safety of our students and campus community is our highest priority.

We must use every opportunity — even unspeakable tragedies like the one that occurred in Florida — to remind ourselves that we all have a responsibility in keeping our campus safe, and we must never relax our vigilance or our efforts to improve our preparedness.

In light of this, I ask that you keep the following in mind:

  • Our efforts to keep Wayne State safe and secure help provide you with an environment where you can pursue your studies and careers with minimal worry. While you should always be aware of your surroundings, you also should go about your work and scholarship with confidence. Our highly trained police force, under the leadership of Chief Tony Holt, does an exemplary job attending to our safety and conducts emergency response drills on a routine basis.
  • We have a number of systems, processes and people at Wayne State working in conjunction with the Wayne State University Police Department (WSUPD) on crisis preparedness. We regularly review these processes and possible scenarios to improve our readiness.
  • While we rely heavily on the WSUPD, we all have a responsibility for our individual and collective safety. If you see something, say something, and the best way to say something is to call WSUPD at 313-577-2222. Program the number into your phone, and don’t hesitate to use it.
  • Please sign up for text messaging at wayne.edu/safety. These texts are used only for emergencies or closures, and they are the quickest way for you to get the critical information you need in the event of a crisis. The emergency texts are supplemented by emails and messaging on wayne.edu, where you can get complete information.
  • The WSUPD will send a message to campus soon with advice on what to do in the highly unlikely event of an active shooter scenario. In the meantime, we ask you to be alert, call the WSUPD if you witness something and sign up for emergency broadcast messaging.
  • If you have a complaint involving unlawful discrimination or harassment, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity at 313-577-2280.
  • To report an incident or share your concerns confidentially, contact the Office of Internal Audit's anonymous hotline at 313-577-5138 or submit an anonymous tip online.

To learn more, visit wayne.edu/safety.

Finally, this is our campus, and we all can contribute to the safety and security of our community. Please take the time to understand the resources at your disposal and your own role in ensuring safety. Together, can keep Wayne State a safe and welcoming place of learning.

Regards,

M. Roy Wilson, President

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