lock down Drill Resolution of Spring 2023

In Session April 13, 2023

Letourneau University Student Senate

Sponsored by Senators Ko and Chatwick G. Peterson

A Resolution

Relating to the student request for more serious lock down drills. 

Be it resolved by two thirds of the entire LeTourneau University Student Senate  

Short Title

Section A.

This act may be referred to as the "Lock Down Drill Resolution of Spring 2023."

Resolution

Dear Faculty Members,

We are writing to you as concerned students who value the safety and well-being of our campus community. We would like to request that we have more serious lock down drills in case of an emergency situation.

As you may be aware, lock down drills are designed to prepare us for situations where there is an imminent threat to our lives, such as an active shooter, a bomb threat, or a chemical spill. Lock down drills help us practice how to quickly and quietly secure our classrooms, hide from potential danger, and communicate with authorities. While stepping away from the debate about causation, it is difficult not to notice that the relevance of the first of these threats is undergoing a dramatic rise. This results in yet another cause of anxiety and worry in an already stressed student body.

However, our current lock down drills are not taken seriously by some students and faculty members, who treat them as a joke or inconvenience. Many students observe totally different and inconsistent experiences during drills. Some cases still result in students being unaware of proper procedure or even worse, the actual situation occurring.

We believe that we need to have more serious and possibly more frequent lock down drills to ensure that we are prepared for any possible scenario. Lock down drills should still be announced in advance compared to spontaneous drills. We suggest changes such as focusing on best practices during a threat situation, following the protocols strictly and diligently, and engaging in a form of debrief after each drill to identify areas of improvement. We also request to educate the students and faculty members on the importance of taking lock down drills seriously and respecting the safety of others. 

The five to ten minutes spent during a lock down drill can save a lifetime of suffering, which is an impact more than worth the low chances. One criticism against lock down drills is that they interfere with important time in classes. However, this tradeoff can be mitigated with careful foresight. The drill can be sent in advance to faculty so that they can schedule their classes accordingly. Another suggestion would be for certain faculty members to survey classrooms to provide greater accountability to a policy open to a wide variety of enforcement levels. 

We hope that you will consider this request and take action to improve our lockdown drills. We think that this is a vital issue that affects the security and well-being of our campus community. Thank you for your attention and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Student Senate

Effective Date

Section C. 

TBD.

Explanations and Reasoning

Section D.

This resolution is intended to be distributed to relevant personnel in addition to a possible discussion brought to the TFO.