New trainings to teach individual preparedness, student support

The Office of Emergency Management, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) 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 during 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 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 re-entering campus.

The goals of these workshops, titled “Returning to Campus: Tips for Supporting Our Students,” are to teach faculty and staff members 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, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and CAPS director, said the workshop is part of a larger effort to support students and widen the “circle of care” for students after the tragedy in April.

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

Register for training through the 2019 HR Catalog and Registration System. Seating is limited for each training session, so registration is required.