Communication breakdown top concern at forum
Ethan Hendricks
Staff Writer
staffwriter3@occc.edu
Problems related to communication breakdowns between college administrators and faculty, staff and students was an issue raised repeatedly at a public forum March 4 on campus.
OCCC President Paul Sechrist moderated the forum, which was designed let everyone speak about the shooter scare Feb. 26.
Audience members discussed the confusion caused by the lack of communication. Several speakers said they were worried this breakdown could cause injury to students in the event of a real shooter on campus.
One speaker noted that students were still entering the college while the theoretical gunman was still on the loose.
Pat Berryhill, Institutional Advancement executive director, said more than 100 people attended. Every person was given the chance to speak.
Oklahoma City Police Department Major John Gonshor fielded questions regarding the accidental gunshot and why the college wasn’t immediately cordoned off when officers arrived.
In a situation like what happened Feb. 26, Gonshor said everyone is calling 911.
“Because of this massive inflow of information, the operators don’t have the time to sift through it all,” he said.
As a result, he said, when police arrived, they went where everyone was running from.
“Our number one priority is to find the shooter and deal with him first,” Gonshor said.
Other considerations are secondary, he said.
The confusion caused by the erroneous fire alarm was another issue raised. An audience member mentioned that students evacuated the building when the fire alarm activated and went back inside when it stopped.
“If there had been a real shooter on campus, people would have been walking right back to him,” the audience member said.
The accidental discharge of a firearm also was discussed.
Audience members voiced their concerns about campus security guards’ training and what would be done to prevent it from happening in the future.
Sechrist said college administrators want to learn from the event.
“Today, what we’re doing is listening to you,” he said. “Each of you has a unique perspective on what happened. I welcome and encourage your feedback, comments and observation.”
Sechrist said administrators want to use the incident as a learning tool.
“We have an opportunity that I don’t want to miss, to help create a safer college, which is always my first priority,” he said.
Some students and faculty complimented their teacher’s or their division staff’s reaction to the scare.
Sechrist said he has heard numerous accounts of how professors knew what to do and had their students organized.
“It wasn’t perfect — we know that — but it’s nice to know there were many people who worked together to secure themselves, protect themselves and do what they thought was necessary to keep themselves safe,” he said.
Sechrist made it clear that safety is his first priority.
“We cannot have learning and teaching if we do not have a safe environment,” he said.
Sechrist encouraged students and staff to continue to speak their minds about the event by sending messages to him through e-mail at safetysuggestions@occc.edu.
