Colleges and universities are committed to fostering campus environments where students and employees feel safe to learn, live, and work. At the same time, institutions grapple with the difficult reality that violence — including mass shootings, sexual assaults, and other serious incidents — still sometimes occurs even in places intended to be safe and educational. Addressing these risks with care and preparedness should be an essential part of campus operations.
Andrea Barton Stolpe (2026) studied this question.