University Responds to Sniper Attacks

Dear Members of the University Community,

I understand and share your concerns resulting from the recent series of sniper attacks that have taken place in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia. My heart goes out to the victims of these senseless tragedies and their families.

The University of Richmond's relatively secluded location miles from a major highway and the visible presence of our highly trained campus police force creates a relatively safe environment for our students, faculty, and staff. In addition, our campus police force is one of only a few university police departments in the country that is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

While we have not experienced any problems on our campus, the University has taken the following steps to increase security:

University police have added additional manpower around the clock and are conducting additional patrols of campus.
University police have asked Facilities personnel, including groundskeepers, maintenance crews, and housekeeping staff, to assist them in monitoring the activities of visitors on campus. We believe that the nearly 200 Facilities employees, many of whom are equipped with radios, can provide valuable assistance in keeping the campus safe.
University police are communicating with local city and county police departments on a regular basis and are being kept up-to-date on the latest developments involving the sniper investigations taking place throughout the region.
The University's Emergency Response Team will continue to meet as needed to review security plans and make any changes to our current strategy.

As an added precaution, I strongly encourage each of you to increase your awareness of your surroundings, both on and off campus, and to exercise due caution at all times. If you notice any suspicious individuals on campus, please call the University Police Department at 289-8715 immediately or simply pick up one of the "blue light" emergency phones located throughout the campus.

For any members of the University community who may be suffering from stress as a result of these attacks, please make use of the confidential counseling services the University offers through the Counseling and Psychological Services office. Students and parents, who have questions or advice about safety measures on campus, should contact Dr. Leonard Goldberg, vice president for student affairs, at 289-8615 or lgoldber@richmond.edu.

At this time, the campus is operating as normal and all classes and events are scheduled to take place as planned. You may want to check the Athletic Department Web site at www.richmondspiders.com for the latest information regarding the status of all upcoming sporting events.

As a campus community, we have weathered difficult times before and have risen to meet those challenges. In the days ahead, I trust we will be able to reach out to one another for support, take appropriate precautions, and move ahead with our daily lives as best as we possibly can.

Sincerely,

William E. Cooper
President