Once again, the University of St. Thomas has received a bomb threat. Once again, classes were canceled. Once again, multiple buildings across campus were evacuated. Once again, St. Paul police were brought in. Once again, campus life was interrupted. And once again, students are expected to return to normal.

We are sick and tired of “once agains.”

St. Thomas received a bomb threat at 7:45 a.m. Tuesday. Twenty minutes later, the emergency was revealed to the campus. This is the third bomb threat in the past five months. The university decided to close down only the “affected” buildings (those that were being searched), leaving us to wonder how all the buildings weren’t affected. This is particularly frustrating when the bomb threat was classified as a “generalized” threat. It was unclear why certain buildings were evacuated and not others as any indication of threats to specific locales were withheld.

Meanwhile, on St. Thomas’ Facebook page, worried parents were outraged when only the classes in affected buildings were canceled. The university responded in a comment: “All classes are canceled until further notice. Please stay tuned for more information.” The comment was later deleted with no explanation.

The university’s response to today’s bomb threats is frustrating. While it was important to get frequent texts and email updates on the situation as it developed, details were lacking. When details are withheld, rumors and exaggerations become the bitcoin of the realm.

The university seems to be stuck in a gray area of assessing these threats. Even President Sullivan said in an email to the St. Thomas community that the situation was “both frightening and frustrating.”

The university takes the threats seriously enough to evacuate and give notices. However, as selected evacuations were occurring, the student populace wandered campus while K9 units and bomb squad personnel searched buildings. Displaced students, unlike last spring, were given no direction as to where they should wait. Classes continued in other buildings. Elsewhere, some professors, lacking any concrete information and growing concerned for student safety, canceled or let their classes out early.

The entire situation is exasperating. These threats occur and disappear, investigations happen and their findings are not always communicated to the campus.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m., the all-clear was sent out; evacuated buildings re-opened and classes resumed in the afternoon. A couple hours later, St. Thomas released a statement summarizing the morning’s events. It included that multiple threatening calls were made, explaining why four buildings were evacuated. But again, this information only reaches students after the threat has passed.

The university, as expected, announced that counselors are on hand for students. Counseling may be helpful, but most important, the university must be clear and communicative with the campus. Students’ safety and security depend on it.

True Dabill can be reached at dabi7280@stthomas.edu.
Maddie Peters can be reached at pete9542@stthomas.edu.