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Reflecting on last night

October 9, 2015
NIU President Doug Baker

NIU President Doug Baker

Last night our community was tested by a cruel hoax. The bomb threat, which temporarily shut down campus, was one of several this week made against colleges and universities in the region. It resulted in a great deal of inconvenience and frustration for our entire university community.

In light of those events, I want to underscore three key points.

First and foremost, I want to thank you, the students, for your cooperation in relocating to the Convocation Center and other safe locations outside of campus. Coming together as a community in these circumstances demonstrates your care, concern and commitment to one another.

Second, I want to acknowledge that too many messages were sent last night. Our goal was to make sure that every single student knew exactly what was going on at all times. Unfortunately, some texts and emails were sent multiple times while others were delayed. We realize that this created confusion and frustration. We learned from this experience and are already making changes that will improve the system.

Third, I want to stress the need for all students, staff and faculty to sign up for emergency notifications. Despite the issues encountered last night, this event underscores the importance of clear and open communication during a time of crisis. We want and need for each student, faculty and staff member to sign up for these alerts so that they have the best possible information to guide them when trouble arises. We are committed to streamlining and improving that process so that information is provided in a more focused and efficient manner going forward.

You can sign up for emergency notifications through MyNIU. Family members also can receive updates if you provide their mobile phone number(s) in MyNIU. Complete directions are available online.

Again, thanks for your cooperation last night. Have a good (and safe) weekend.

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Doug Baker
President