According to Huffington Post, there were over 40 school shootings in the U.S. in 2015. These tragedies have prompted a heightened sense of fear among students in many colleges and universities across the country. With this in mind, one would be foolish not to ask whether ENC has the right security protocols put into place to ensure our students’ safety.

ENC is a very open campus––anyone in or out of the community can walk through it whenever they please. This being said, the ultimate question remains, are we adequately prepared as a community to evacuate and respond quickly and efficiently in case of an emergency on campus?

The office of safety and security reassures that measures are already in place.

“Yes, I believe we have the correct protocols in place, although in the safety training business, protocols are constantly tested for improvements and developments in increased security from lessons learned in consulting with colleagues in the industry,” John Gelormini, Security Director for the College, states.

Among the most general safety measures is a surveillance system, though students have noticed that some areas may be lacking in security monitoring.

“New security equipment will always help to improve monitoring; however, they are not the whole answer. Each year we work with ENC to further develop a comprehensive security budget plan and review what is needed most in the coming fiscal year. In the last several years this has included camera coverage in several areas,” Gelormini says.

When it comes to on-campus safety and security, there are numerous resources to which students can refer. Vice President of Student Development Jeff Kirksey says, “We have always had an emergency response plan, and we are constantly updating it. Recently we have updated the quick reference guide for emergency scenarios, and it will be widely distributed later this year.”

There are also a variety of ways that a student can report suspicious activity, such as by calling the Office of Safety and Security or making an in-person report with Resident Directors, Student Development Office, and Security Office.  Students can also submit a report online at www.enc.edu/safety. These resources are not only available to students, but to the entire ENC community.

Students can also sign-up for e2campus to receive important safety and emergency notifications via text message at www.enc.edu/alerts.

Updates won’t happen immediately, but students can be assured that administrative leaders on campus are making use of all available tools and resources to ensure that ENC is prepared and alerted in the case of an emergency.