In wake of the incidents at UNC Chapel Hill, HPU implements new active shooter video

With recent active shooter emergencies occurring at college campuses across the United States, High Point University has initiated safety measures to educate students and faculty on how to respond in the event of such an emergency. The university has recently released an active shooter training video that is required to be shown in all classes. 

 

“Well we want to make sure that our students are prepared in case of an emergency,” said Debra Duncan, Chief of Police and Security at HPU. “So we did the video just to give a synopsis of what to do in case of an emergency, or in case of an active assailant.” 

 

This training video, which lasts a total of five minutes, contains information on how to react if an active shooter entered the university's premises. 

 

Since assuming this position two years ago, Duncan has overseen various security measures implemented to guarantee the safety of all individuals on HPU’s campus. 

 

“My priority is the security and safety of all the students, faculty, and staff on campus, and I believe that the best way to ensure that is to make sure that everyone is informed,” Duncan said. “Whatever can happen anywhere else can happen here. We just want to bring that level of awareness up.” 

 

Nahed Eltantawy, the Associate Dean of the Nido R. Qubein School of Communication and a professor of journalism, acknowledges the importance of not only the video, but also the mandatory training that all faculty must attend. 

 

“This is like a first step, but at least it brings awareness to students. It makes them think,” Etantawy, who has been at High Point University for the past 15 years, said. “It keeps in your mind: Where is the closest exit? What is the best thing I can do? At least it puts these ideas in the minds of both students and faculty.”

 

In the wake of the recent UNC Chapel Hill shootings still fresh in the minds of HPU students, safety and prevention training have become the top priority. Sloan Wood, a junior Media Production major, voiced her thoughts on the gravity of the situation. 

 

“The video made me feel sad and scared that it was required to be shown in every class,” Wood said. “I do think the method of mandating the video in class was necessary because of the recent events of the shooting in Chapel Hill.” 

 

Lexie Purvis, a junior at HPU, also commented on the harsh reality of the steps students must take to prioritize their safety. 

 

“In a sense, yes I feel more prepared. That being said, I think no amount of training can actually prepare someone for an active shooter,” Purvis said. “Does that mean training is unnecessary? No. I just think that when you are in a state of panic, training kind of goes out the window.” 

 

A downside of the mandate issued by the Provost, which requires all faculty to show this active shooter prevention video in class, includes complaints from students who have grown tired of the repetitiveness of the video. 

 

“If you’ve got three classes then you’ve got to see it three times. My argument is it’s less than five minutes,” Duncan said. “You’ll miss something maybe the first time you see it. If you see it a second time then you know you may see something or hear something you didn’t pick up the first time.” 

 

Harry Goldenstein, a sophomore at HPU, has watched the video a total of four times in his classes. He understands the importance of the training but questions the lack of psychological side effects addressed in the video.

 

“This video only shows the physical side of what to do when a school shooting happens. A side of these experiences, that no video I have seen touches on, is the mental side of this,” Goldenstein said. “One second you’re learning in class, the next every decision matters. The video needs to explain how to stay calm and listen if this situation were to ever arise.” 

 

While both the negatives and positives of the active shooter training video have been extensively discussed, one thing remains certain: with societal violence on the rise, HPU must confront these challenges head-on while creating an environment where students and faculty feel safe. 

 

“It’s sad, but we’re living in times where this has become a necessity,” said Eltantawy.