Zach Perrier
Viewpoints Editor
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio –– Wittenberg University announced on Tuesday, Sept. 17 that classes would be held remotely and that all campus events would be canceled due to threats made toward the campus.
The University originally posted on its website an alert which stated that an email threatening a shooting was sent that “targeted Haitian members of our community.” Later that day, a second email was sent which contained a bomb threat. The alert, sent by Wittenberg Campus Police on Saturday, Sept. 14, also mentioned a “local campus” that received a threat but did not specify which campus received the threat.
On Sunday, campus police remarked that “No other threats have been reported toward Wittenberg,” but noted that “Increased patrols will continue on campus throughout the day.” Later on Sunday, students were notified that classes would be remote on Monday. On Monday night, remote learning was extended to Sunday, Sept. 22.
As of Tuesday, the updated alert made no mention regarding the Haitian community. All of the alerts also gave the campus community information regarding their personal safety.
Wittenberg, a university with about 1300 students, sits in Springfield, Ohio, about a half-hour drive from Dayton. Springfield has become the center of debate and discussion around immigration in the United States after thousands of Haitian migrants moved into the city, straining Springfield’s resources. Wittenberg, as well as Springfield’s city hall and school system, has been under greater surveillance due to similar threats.
During President Anne McCall’s Framing Our Future campus address Tuesday Sept. 17, she addressed concerns for The College of Wooster, due to its proximity. “We’re not far up the road, it’s a different part of Ohio but there’s not an ocean between us,” said McCall. “We’ve been in close contact with local law enforcement, state law enforcement and the FBI, and all of the information that we have thus far is that … there is no reason not to function normally.”
This is a rapidly developing story that was written on Tuesday, Sept. 17. The Voice will continue its coverage of events in Springfield and Wittenberg University in a timely manner to ensure that our coverage is accurate and beneficial to the community at-large.
