Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

When the Unthinkable Happens

  • 06/01/17

An important component of an institution’s safety plan must include what students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus should do in the event of an emergency. This plan is applicable to active shooter/attacker situations, but also other situations as well, including the release of chemical, biological or radiological material or severe weather; any situation that poses an immediate hazard or threat.

“Sheltering in place” is a common response plan to emergent hazards. This should not be interpreted as “stay exactly where you currently are,” but instead as a procedure to determine the safest place to position yourself as quickly as possible during a hazardous situation.

As with other campus safety plans and procedures, it’s important to develop (and practice) guidelines for responding to emergent threats. Communicating your plan to the campus community is vital. Making information available on your institution’s website is one of the best options for sharing guidance for these situations. Although your plans need to be tailored to the geography and existing architecture and infrastructure of your campus, it may be helpful to review what other colleges and universities have in place when reviewing, planning and revising your own.

Here are some examples:

California State University, Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
“Shelter in Place, or Run/Fight”

Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
“Shelter in Place”

University of New Hampshire
Durham, NH
“Emergency Guide”

Wesleyan University
Middletown, CT
“Shelter in Place”

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Vanderbilt to Partner with ABM for Campus Preservation and Modernization

    Vanderbilt University recently announced that it has selected ABM Performance Solutions for a preservation and modernization project at its New York City campus, according to a news release. ABM will deliver its end-to-end ABM Performance Solutions (APS) model to manage critical operations during renovation and maintenance.

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Cal Poly Humboldt Starts Construction on Healthcare Education Hub

    California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt in Arcata, Calif., recently announced that work has begun on a renovation project that will turn the Stewart Building into a new Healthcare Education Hub, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction Inc. for construction services.