Wittenberg Campus Alert

After consultation with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and the receipt of the additional safety resources we have worked to procure from the city of Springfield, Clark County, and the state of Ohio, Wittenberg resumed in-person learning and operations today, Monday, Sept. 23. Further details are below.

From the Emergency Response Team - Updated 9-23-24

With the decision to resume, students, faculty, and staff can expect the following on campus:

  • Two Skywatch cameras for 24-hour monitoring. One is located on Alumni Way in front of the Student Center, and the other in located in front of the University's Health, Wellness, and Athletics (HWA) Complex.
  • Increased security patrols around campus in partnership with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Police Division, and the Wittenberg Police.
  • Increased foot and vehicle patrols from Wittenberg Police and partnering agencies.
  • Access, if needed, to police dogs and clearing teams should any threats be made toward specific University buildings.
  • Ongoing threat assessments.

Governor DeWine has also ensured that the University has open lines of communication with the Office of Homeland Security, which will assist in monitoring social media for possible threats, as well.

We will continue to take any and all threats to our community seriously and will act accordingly with Emergency Notifications and Timely Warnings via email, follow-up communications, and updates to our Wittenberg Alert website. To date, none of the scores of threats made toward multiple entities in Springfield have proved credible.

The Wittenberg Police Division will continue to be in regular communication with local FBI representatives, the Springfield Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies. We believe the measures we are implementing are sufficient and align with Governor DeWine’s call to resume in-person activities. Andy Wilson, director of Ohio’s Office of Public Safety, has also stated that his office “is confident that between Wittenberg, the Springfield Police Department, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, [his office], and our federal partners, we have adequate resources and expertise in place to protect your students, faculty, and staff."

As an added safety measure, Lee McCartney of the Wittenberg Police Division will be hosting a situational awareness class for the campus community from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, in105 Shouvlin for anyone interested.

The Emergency Response Team will continue to monitor the situation as the safety of our students and employees is the team’s highest priority. 

We once again thank all of our faculty, staff, and students for their ongoing support and partnership during this difficult time in our community.

To report any issues, please use this form or call 937-327-6363.

Campus Safety Tips and Additional Measures

  • Always be aware of your surroundings when you are out and about on campus or in the community,
  • Report unusual activities or suspicious individuals immediately to the campus police, including those outside of residence halls and housing.
  • Threats toward our campus community are unacceptable. We encourage you to report any crime to law enforcement.
  • Be alert of strangers who might attend gatherings at your residence and take action to address their presence by calling Wittenberg Police to respond. 
  • Exterior doors of residential halls and Burb’s houses should never be left unlocked or propped opened.
  • Do not allow others to "tailgate" behind you in gain entry in a secured building or space. If you observed someone who "tailgated", call Wittenberg Police.
  • Close and lock your room door when you are sleeping or studying in your room.
  • Should you become aware of someone unknown who has entered your residence, call 9-1-1 when it is safe to do so.

Campus Resources:

Resources for students are available should any member of our community wish to reach out. If you need immediate assistance, TimelyCare provides 24/7 support for students.

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About This Site

In the case of an emergency or weather-related issues, this site serves as the primary source for information and updates.

Information and Resources

Notifications will be distributed via email and text message to the campus community and to the general public via social media, as appropriate. This page and others in the menu to the right under Wittenberg Campus Alert have been created to provide as much contact information and access to as many resources as possible, should they be needed.

Emergency Notification

The federal government requires institutions of higher education to send an emergency notification when a significant emergency or dangerous situation occurs on campus that poses an immediate or impending threat to health or safety. The Police Division issues these notifications immediately upon confirmation of the existence of such danger or emergency.

Emergency notifications are sent via the mass notification system, Rave, in conjunction with Tiger Safe, which can deliver both text and email messages to University-owned and personal devices. These messages will provide pertinent information including instructions on what to do in this emergency situation. Depending upon how long the situation lasts, you may receive updates to provide further instructions. Once the situation concludes, you will receive an "all clear."

To report an emergency situation, please contact Campus Police immediately at:

For updates, be sure to follow Campus Police on social media:

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