Bend students push for 24-hour safety
Following two assaults and a nearby school shooting, student leaders at Oregon State University Cascades requested expanded emergency protocols and round-the-clock security coverage.
By Emmanuel Obasi ·
Students at Oregon State University's Cascades campus in Bend are requesting structural changes to how the university manages safety.
The call for reform follows two reported sexual assaults in the campus's only residential hall on Oct. 8 and Oct. 10. University officials stated in a letter to students that the victim did not know the assailant. Both incidents remain under investigation.
The timing coincided with a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School a few miles away. Charlie Woekel, president of the Associated Students of Cascades Campus, presented the issue to the OSU Board of Trustees during its Friday meeting. He noted that these three distinct events occurred within a seven-day span, leaving students concerned for their physical, sexual, and emotional well-being.
In response to the alleged assaults, campus safety hours have been extended to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Student leaders are urging campus partners to re-examine and expand emergency protocols, specifically regarding active shooter situations. They also want to ensure that students are aware of available sexual violence prevention and response resources.
OSU-Cascades closed on the Friday following the shooting and reopened for classes at the start of the current week. While Bend-La Pine Schools remained closed, Silver Rail Elementary is shut indefinitely. Student groups established letter-writing stations on campus to send messages of support to the school's parent-teacher organization. Employees at the campus Makerspace lab constructed an engraved memorial shrine.
Interim Chancellor and Dean Christine Pollard sent messages to the student body after the incidents. She wrote that creating a safe campus community is a shared responsibility and encouraged students to look out for one another. Her communications included lists of both confidential and non-confidential resources for those affected by sexual violence.
Board of Trustees Chair Karla Chambers addressed the impact of the shooting on the OSU family. She told Woekel that the entire organization stands with the Bend community. She acknowledged that the healing process will take a substantial amount of time. Student Health and Wellness and the Student Counseling Center have opened confidential drop-in sessions for anyone, whether directly impacted or not.
Source: OPB
