*The following letter was sent to faculty, staff and students on Nov. 29, 2016 and was republished with permission from the Office of the President at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.Dear Members of the A&M-San Antonio Community:Yesterday, reports revealed that 11 Ohio State University students were victim to an on-campus attack that have left many, myself included, saddened and stunned. Let us keep Ohio State University and its community in our thoughts. All of us in higher education are living through a complex period in our society and I encourage you to practice our collective commitment to excellence and creating opportunities for all.Attacks on university campuses have recently made headlines at an alarming rate, and as the president of Texas A&M University-San Antonio, it is imperative that I remind our University community to stay alert and be prepared should a campus incident ever ensue. Campus safety is and will remain of utmost importance at A&M-San Antonio.Today, I echo Ohio State University’s president Michael Drake sentiments when he said yesterday, “We prepare for situations like this, but always hope never to have one.” Our University is continuously taking steps to keep our campus safe, and I encourage everyone to take individual steps to remain alert and to learn what actions to take in the case of a campus emergency.If you have not done so, I strongly encourage you to register for JagE Alerts, A&M-San Antonio’s emergency notification system. This gives the University the ability to communicate health and safety emergency information to you during an emergency through SMS text messages, Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s email, Emergency Alert System radios, computer alerts and classroom alerts.As we reflect on the events that occurred at Ohio State University, let us continue a proactive approach in ensuring an inclusive academic community and safe campus.
Editor’s Note: Jaguar Student Media regularly invites the Office of the President and other members of the A&M-San Antonio campus community to submit articles and viewpoints. To submit content, please call 210-784-1051 or visit us in the newsroom in the Central Academic Building, Room 320.
