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Early last week, news broke that another school shooting occurred in Roseburg, Oregon at Umpqua Community College. Ten lost their lives and another seven were injured, leaving the community shaken. We asked some Grand View University students about their stance on the situation and what precautions are or should be implicated on the GVU campus to keep our students informed on situations like this.

Q: Do you think school shootings are becoming a norm in America?
Nate Johnson: “I think it’s more like the media just like reports more and more on it. I think bad things happen everyday, but with the media now people can tweet right away so you see it. Where like, 20 years ago you’ d get the evening news once a day.”
Briana Schoolfield: “I really do, it’ s happening everywhere and not just schools but churches and grocery stores.”
Bailey Barnett: “Yes and no. People are stupid, but I wouldn’t say that it’ s a norm.”

Q: What would your reaction be if something like this happened at Grand View?
Tucker Ksiazek: “At first I’ d be worried about my own safety. I’ d also feel bad for all the families affected, including the shooter’ s. They did lose their son.”

Briana Schoolfield: “I’ d feel very unsafe and it’ d kind of make me want to go home.”

Q: Do you feel safe on the GVU campus?
Bailey Barnett:“Yes, I see campus security driving all over campus. Also, the mass text messages help.”
Tucker Ksiazek: “I feel safe. Campus security is great and help from the faculty is always available.”
Briana Schoolfield: “I feel safe at Grand View. It’ s small enough that you’ d be able to look at someone and realize it’ s one of those situations.”

Q: What can Grand View do to make the students more comfortable on campus or bring more awareness on campus?
Allison Pollpeter: “I think it would be a good idea to bring it up in Freshman orientations. And then maybe have meetings about it, so people are aware.”
Cami Schwartz: “It’ s probably smart to be aware of that when you never know what could happen.”
Briana Schoolfield: “I have night classes and I think it’ d be safer to have them in the closer buildings. Once, when I was walking back from class someone stopped and asked if I wanted a ride and I was like ‘ No….I don’ t know you!’”

Kent Schornack, head of counseling and student leadership on Grand View’ s campus said that if any students have concerns, they can approach the counselors. The students can talk through their concerns and the counselors can walk them through the safety precautions [located within the student handbook] that Grand View offers for a specific situation, in a timely matter.

“Students are encouraged to report concerns right away,” Schornack said. Schornack said because of the size of the Grand View campus, many students are aware of how easily they can connect with the staff and resources. That accessibility gives students a feeling of comfort. Though comfortable, Schornack said that students need to stay alert when it comes to possible situations.
“No campus is completely safe,” Schornack said.