Responding to the November 3 Campus Safety Incident

The November 3 incident caused widespread fear and confusion across Grounds. In the hours during and after the lockdown, many students reported unclear or delayed communication, uncertainty about whether the threat was still active, and a lack of guidance on when it was safe to leave their location. These concerns quickly surfaced through conversations with peers and were later documented through a Campus Safety Feedback Form distributed by Student Council.

In response, I co-sponsored Resolution FR25-17: A Resolution Calling on the University to Enhance Emergency Protocols, Communication Systems, and Classroom Safety Across Grounds in Response to the November 3rd, 2025 Lockdown, which was brought forward to formally address the issues raised by students during and after the lockdown. The resolution focused on several key areas, including the need for clearer emergency communication, consistent guidance for faculty and instructors during crises, and more accessible safety information for students before emergencies occur. It also called attention to classroom safety infrastructure, citing student reports of rooms without functioning interior locks, including a classroom in Campbell Hall that had to be secured with a belt during the incident.

The resolution further urged the University to strengthen RA training and first-year orientation materials around emergency preparedness, and to distribute clear, standardized visual materials outlining protocols such as “Run, Hide, Fight” across academic and residential spaces. These recommendations were grounded directly in student feedback and aimed at improving preparedness rather than reacting only after a crisis unfolds.

On November 18, the resolution went to a vote and passed in Student Council. It was subsequently transmitted to the President’s Office, Provost’s Office, UVA Emergency Management, University Police, Housing & Residence Life, and the Office of Student Affairs. During that meeting, I spoke publicly about the importance of clear communication and functional classroom safety infrastructure in moments of crisis. Those remarks were later featured in The Cavalier Daily, situating the resolution within a broader campus conversation about safety, trust, and institutional readiness.

The process reinforced the role of student governance in translating lived experience into concrete policy recommendations, particularly during moments that test confidence in the systems meant to protect the University community.