Oakland University (OU) reopened its campus Tuesday after closing Sunday and Monday because threatening graffiti was found in three locations. “We are continuing a very active investigation,” said OU Chief of Police Sam Lucido. No arrests have been made.
OU spokesman Ted Montgomery said the graffiti messages mentioned the date April 14 and were “mildly threatening.” Because they were repeated, the school chose not to take any chances, Montgomery said. On Tuesday the campus, which has about 14,000 students, seemed back to normal, except for numerous police cars patrolling.
“The state police are here, the Auburn Hills police are here, our police are here and there’s a lot of undercover officers around,” said a faculty member who did not want his name used. “At our board meeting this morning, there were people there that I’d never seen. They said it was undercover security.”
On Tuesday evening, a prank was reported in one of the residence halls, which worried some already uneasy students. Chief Lucido and the dean of students met with residents to reassure them of the non-threatening nature of the incident, saying it was just an immature copycat response. About 13 percent of students live in dorms.
Continued – “I trust that enough thought was put into this decision [to close OU] and it was valid,” said Holly Gilbert, a journalism professor. “[But] by closing campus, are we giving in and perpetuating this?”
Many felt the closing was a necessary precaution, while others thought it was a way to protect the university’s image.
“I think it was called for. After Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Columbine, you never know what could happen,” said Darnell Rollins, a pre-med student at OU.
On April 16, 2007, a student shot and killed 32 people at Virginia Tech University and wounded nearly two dozen more before killing himself in the worst school shooting in American history.
Just days before the incident at OU, St. Xavier University in Chicago closed due to similar threats. One student thought Oakland may have felt pressured to follow their example.
“If OU didn’t close, it would look bad because that school in Chicago did,” said Talisha Nelson, a public relations major.
“I think the school closing was a demonstration of business politics,” said English major Michael Harris. “Classes were already closed Monday so students could prepare for finals.”
The increased security helped students feel comfortable returning to campus after the scare.
“It makes me feel safer,” said a student who did not give his name. “But really, if someone walks in with an AK-47 and their mind made up, how can you stop something like that?”
