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Statement from President Julie Sullivan on Sept. 17 Bomb Threat

This morning’s bomb threat was both frightening and frustrating. It is frightening any time the safety of our students, faculty and staff is threatened. And it’s frustrating because this is the third bomb threat our university has received since April. Each of these threats interferes with our students’ learning experiences and disrupts our operations.

We are grateful for the rapid response from Public Safety, law enforcement and the University Action and Response Team (UART). No suspicious objects were found during the search of the four buildings identified in this morning’s threat, and operations are returning to normal. I want to assure you the safety of our students is our top priority, and we take every threat seriously.
St. Thomas and law enforcement are actively investigating both this morning’s incident and prior incidents. Please know that actions are ongoing, even if we are unable to publicly share details.

When an event such as today’s occurs, we activate our emergency plans and respond immediately. Read the statement summarizing today's response and sequence of events here.

Our plans include protocols from the Department of Homeland Security and coordination with law enforcement. Students also are encouraged to create a personal safety plan. Finally, as a reminder, counselors and campus ministry are available to anyone who needs support.

Please remember that many people in our community will be feeling the impacts of today’s events. Please take the time to care for one another as one St. Thomas community.

Sincerely,

Julie H. Sullivan, Ph.D.
President