WolfAlerts have been advertised as NC State’s Emergency Notification System. The system was developed to inform students, faculty and staff about emergencies, crises, crimes and other activities defined by the Clery Act.
Yet time and time again, the University has shown that WolfAlerts are nothing but a ploy to make parents and incoming students feel comfortable coming to a new city and environment. When in actuality WolfAlerts are an underused and underdeveloped system that has on numerous occasions caused chaos.
The most recent event was on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 31, chaos reigned over NC State. NC State’s University Police sent an email (who even reads their emails on a Sunday) telling students to avoid Katherine Stinson Dr. and Pullen Dr. due to police activity. What they failed to state was what the police activity was. With that vague message, rumors began to spread like wildfire.
You would think that with the amount of school shootings in the US that NC State would have the mind to update it’s students in order to eliminate the fear that comes with uncertainty. But no, of course not, why would they do the bare minimum expected of them?
“Everyone get inside if you aren’t already…There’s an active shooter by Watauga.”
“Someone was making bomb threats and shooting threats.”
These are just some of the rumors that spread. As more and more false information came out, fear and anxiety filled our community. If WolfAlerts are for emergencies then why was there not one sent to it’s students? The only WolfAlert that was sent on the situation was one that stated that the Police had completed their sweep and that there was no threat to campus.
Another situation was on Mar. 21, 2019, when rumors ran through campus about a then current student actively driving to campus to shoot up the school. Students ran from all directions, seeking shelter while calling their parents and loved ones in fear that their lives were in danger. NCSU students were on their social media accounts asking for more information. They were in their resident housing groups seeking direction and calling NC State’s police department begging to know what was happening.
Not one WolfAlert was sent about the situation. Hours went by before the University Police finally sent an email stating that there was no current threat to campus and the rumors spread from the misinterpretation of a Snapchat post. The student who made the post had recently trespassed on campus and had been criminally charged for having several “assault-style” guns while parked on Dan Allen Deck.
Students are pissed at the university’s carelessness and lack of assertiveness. Transparency is intrinsic in a relationship and without it trust falls. Students were told that when they came to campus that there were systems in place to make them feel safe. We all know that wasn’t true but dang can y’all slow down with the continuous disappointments.
