2008 Woodie Awards
Apathy or alarm
Discussion of emergency procedures arises after last week's emergency alerts
Holly Meyer
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: News
A potential threat on campus generated a variety of reactions from the university community, causing reactions from apathy to alarm.
"There were some concerned people," Director of Public Affairs Greg Conroy said.
On Thursday, Oct. 18, SIUE Police released a safety alert to university members via e-mail to be on alert and cautious for potentially armed senior John L. Hubbert. Another safety alert issued later said Hubbert was more of a danger to himself than the campus. He was located off campus at 4:30 p.m.
"I think we were very quick to react by gathering information in order to ascertain the location of the individual," SIUE Police Chief Regina Hays said.
Conroy said he received eight phone calls from parents on Thursday.
"Two of which were distraught," Conroy said. "They were demanding that we lock down the campus. One woman threatened to call Channel 2."
Conroy said the two upset parents had just heard bad information. Many people thought the student was armed and on campus.
"The other parents were very calm," Conroy said. "They wanted to know the facts."
Conroy said the chancellor's office also received a few phone calls from concerned people.
Not all of Conroy's calls came from parents. He said he received a phone call from the Art & Design Building. A teacher with her class said they were not going to go anywhere until Conroy told them everything was okay.
Marcia Maurer, dean of the School of Nursing, said the School of Nursing locked the outer door that gives access to offices, conferences and labs. Notes were left on the doors with directions for students to go to the main office if they wanted to access the locked rooms.
"I could have ignored it," Maurer said.
Maurer's main concern was the School of Nursing is close to the School of Business and Hubbert is an economics major.
"Let's make this area as secure as it can be in case he does show up," Maurer said.
"There were some concerned people," Director of Public Affairs Greg Conroy said.
On Thursday, Oct. 18, SIUE Police released a safety alert to university members via e-mail to be on alert and cautious for potentially armed senior John L. Hubbert. Another safety alert issued later said Hubbert was more of a danger to himself than the campus. He was located off campus at 4:30 p.m.
"I think we were very quick to react by gathering information in order to ascertain the location of the individual," SIUE Police Chief Regina Hays said.
Conroy said he received eight phone calls from parents on Thursday.
"Two of which were distraught," Conroy said. "They were demanding that we lock down the campus. One woman threatened to call Channel 2."
Conroy said the two upset parents had just heard bad information. Many people thought the student was armed and on campus.
"The other parents were very calm," Conroy said. "They wanted to know the facts."
Conroy said the chancellor's office also received a few phone calls from concerned people.
Not all of Conroy's calls came from parents. He said he received a phone call from the Art & Design Building. A teacher with her class said they were not going to go anywhere until Conroy told them everything was okay.
Marcia Maurer, dean of the School of Nursing, said the School of Nursing locked the outer door that gives access to offices, conferences and labs. Notes were left on the doors with directions for students to go to the main office if they wanted to access the locked rooms.
"I could have ignored it," Maurer said.
Maurer's main concern was the School of Nursing is close to the School of Business and Hubbert is an economics major.
"Let's make this area as secure as it can be in case he does show up," Maurer said.
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