All of us at Southwestern Oregon Community College are deeply saddened by the incident at Umpqua Community College. We want to share our heartfelt condolences and support with the campus, the staff and faculty, students and families, and the community of Roseburg. Southwestern and our sister colleges in Oregon have been proactive in training for campus shooting events. At Southwestern, we continue to take measures with staff and faculty to prepare for such an event. Specifically at Southwestern, the Coos Bay Police Department provided an officer to come to the Coos Bay campus today to support our security department and increase the protective presence. Our own Southwestern Security Staff also is increasing its presence and visibility on campus. We are reaching out to our students, staff and faculty. We’ve encouraged individuals who need to leave work and campus to comfort loved ones to immediately take care of their needs. The Southwestern Counseling department is available and will continue to be available to assist our students, staff and faculty, who need support in dealing with this tragic event at UCC. Community colleges provide access to everyone who seeks learning. Providing that open access, puts us at additional risks for such events, so we take our preparations seriously. All of the preparations and thought, however, do not completely prepare us for what can take place. Community colleges exist to help people pursue education to improve and enrich their lives. Even in the wake of such tragic events as a campus shooting, our mission must continue to carry us forward.
