Students at The Ohio State University rely on Buckeye Alerts to stay informed and safe as the new academic year begins.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — As students return to campus, safety concerns remain at the forefront for many families navigating the new academic year.
At The Ohio State University, students like sophomore Rachel Haarman are enrolled in emergency notification systems designed to keep the campus community informed of potential threats.
“Yeah we get Buckeye Alerts,” Haarman said.
The alerts represent a communication lifeline that help provide peace of mind.
“I think when the alerts come out it keeps me in the right mind space and just tells me where I shouldn’t go and what I should do. I think it does keep us a little bit more safe,” said sophomore Dasia Jones.
In university settings, these alert systems often serve as the fastest method for warning people about potential danger, according to safety experts.
“In a K-12 setting, it’s easier to communicate to all of the folks,” said Amanda Klinger, director of operations for The Educator’s School Safety Network. “That’s really different in a higher ed setting. We have folks spread out throughout a campus; there’s a much higher likelihood that you will have students who are not in class at any given moment.”
The Educator’s School Safety Network is an Ohio-based organization that provides training to schools on safety and violence prevention.
Klinger said educational institutions face significant challenges when addressing security concerns.
“Schools and universities are in a really tricky position because we know that the threat of violence in our educational institutions, we know that it’s not an empty threat,” Klinger said.
As the academic year begins, Klinger encourages students and staff to take proactive steps to familiarize themselves with available resources.
“Familiarize yourself with, what are the tools that I have in my disposal? What are the evacuation routes? What are the phone numbers of where I can get help? What are the protocols and what are the systems in place?” Klinger said.
The advice comes as threats — both legitimate and fake — pose challenges for educational institutions across the country.
“Stuff like that happens all the time, so it’s just like whenever that happens, you just kind of have to think the right way and maybe hope it doesn’t happen where you are and prepare yourself,” said one student.
Ohio State officials said they continuously monitor local and national security trends and that students can expect to see increased police presence during the first few weeks of the semester as the university prioritizes campus safety during the transition back for the new semester.
