New campus trainings teach individual preparedness, student support

The Office of Emergency Management, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and the Dean of Students Office are sponsoring new trainings to help faculty and staff learn how to proactively survive an intruder situation, and to ease the transition for students on campus following the April 30 incident.

Community Active Assailant Response Training will be offered throughout the upcoming months to the University community. This training is similar to the ALICE active shooter workshop, but on a larger scale.

These trainings will empower attendees to make informed decisions during a crisis when circumstances may be unclear. Participants will also engage in a practice exercise to physically apply the strategies they learn during the session.

Chris Gonyar, director of emergency management, encourages all employees to register for one of the sessions because the skills acquired can be used outside of the workplace. “You learn tools that are universally applicable, and you can use them in malls, movie theaters and airports — not just on a college campus,” he said.

Creating a ‘circle of care’

In response to faculty concerns about students’ emotional health, CAPS will offer several workshops on creating a comfortable environment for students reentering campus titled Returning to Campus: Tips for Supporting Our Students.

The goals of these workshops are to teach faculty and staff how to facilitate conversations about the shooting, identify students who may need support, refer students to campus resources and build a caring community in which students feel comfortable seeking help.

David Spano, director of the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services, said the workshop is part of a larger effort to support students and widen a “circle of care” for students after the tragedy in April.

The workshops will take place throughout the the beginning of the fall semester.

If you are interested in registering for training, please visit the 2019 HR Catalog and Registration System to sign up. Spots are limited for each training session, so registration is required.

Story: Katie Turner