Guskiewicz pledges to do ‘everything possible’ to maintain campus safety

Following UNC”s second lockdown in 16 days, UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz spoke to the news media – and made a promise to the university community.

“We’re going to do everything possible to reassure everyone who visits this campus that this is a safe place to be,” Guskiewicz said.

Guskiewicz acknowledged criticisms the University received about its response to the August shooting.

“We heard that many of the community members wanted to have more frequent updates through different means of communication, and we acted on that already, and were able to put that into play today,” he said.

He also expressed sadness over the toll the lockdowns have had on the UNC community.

“Imagine the stress, the trauma, and the anxiety that a second lockdown in 16 days has caused for our students, our faculty, and our staff,” the Chancellor said. “This pains me as a member of this community now for over 28 years, and I’m committed to everything possible to maintain the safety of those who work, learn, and live here at Carolina.”

UNC leaders say the university has learned from these lockdowns and will have a stronger response to future emergencies.

Part of that response includes hiring a new “director of threat assessment who will start in October,” according to Media Relations. The position will report to the associate vice chancellor for campus safety.