Brayden Stivala

Staff Writer

East Stroudsburg University’s first week of the fall semester started out on a rough note regarding campus safety, when on the evening of Aug. 26, students, faculty and families received word of an active threat on the campus.

A month later, the shooting-scare during ESU’s first week of classes still leaves students concerned about who has access to buildings on campus, and whether or not they are safe in classrooms in the event of an emergency.

“Definitely made me feel a little unsafe, especially ’cause anybody can just, like, get into the buildings,” says Faith Troyer.

Troyer, a junior and early-childhood education major, was in an evening class the night of the alleged threat to campus on Aug. 26. Like most classes within her major, it took place in Stroud Hall, a publicly accessible building, in a classroom whose door does not lock from the inside.

In agreement with her classmates, Troyer thinks there should be more restrictions on building access, especially at night.

“It feels like there should only students should probably be able to get into buildings with classes,” said Troyer.

Kevin Nicholas, a post-bacc student in elementary education, and Troyer’s classmate, shared many of the same concerns regarding building access.

“Anybody could come in this building. You know? An old person or a hobo could come in here,” said Nicholas. “I’m serious. I don’t really feel sometimes safe in here… it’s kind of police or security are kind of more concerned about tickets rather than just more patrolling around to see if there’s no sus person around here.”

Students also note that doors in the buildings open outwards, away from the classrooms. This makes it more difficult to block entry into the classroom in the event of an emergency.

After Wednesday evening’s class ended, the ‘secure in place’ was still in effect. At that time, some students followed Alberto Alegre, professor of early childhood and elementary education, into an office that could be locked from the inside.

“There was an alarm sent, and we were teaching math in the room, and we couldn’t lock it. And so I brought the students here to this area and we locked the doors here,” said Alegre. “Then we say, ‘Okay, now that the class is over, we cannot go to our rooms or go back home because this guy is still around. So let’s find a place where we can be safer.'”

Stroud 209 contains faculty offices that Alegre was able to lock during the shelter-in-place. He also noted it was a more suitable room to remain put in a moment of uncertainty, as the layout of the room had better places to hide if the situation escalated.

Additionally, some students have difficulty trusting other campus facilities, including the new University Center.

“Only one of the two doors are working,” says Brian Walker, a graduate student studying communication, “I’m always worried if any kind of emergency broke out or any altercation that transpired where people are forced to run, we’re all using the same door, which permits entry and out. That’s dangerous.”

ESU’s Department of Facilities Management did not comment on the measures it takes to deliver on facility maintenance, and ensure a safe learning environment for students.