Last week, students at UW-River Falls experienced heightened security. The university received a written threat in September stating, “Beware the Ides of October, the time is night and the bullets will fly,” according to a Star Tribune article. The Ides of October refers to Oct. 15.

A couple weeks ago UW-Eau Claire issued a practice test of its emergency notification system.

In the case of emergency, Eau Claire will post a message on the university homepage, Facebook and Twitter and issue a pop-up message on all university computers. The university will also send voice messages to all campus voice-over Internet protocol phones, send an email to all campus email addresses and notify all cell phone numbers and non-university email addresses registered through e2Campus, Eau Claire’s emergency notification system.

All Editorial Board members at The Spectator agreed Eau Claire is not prepared for an emergency.

One member said they do not feel prepared. When Eau Claire did a test of the emergency notification system the member did not receive an email. The member did sign up for the emergency notification system, but said they were likely just one student who didn’t know what was going on among many.

The same member said constant notifications dull down the urgency of the emergency. The member said there is a fine line between overly prepared and nonchalant.

Another member said all students should be on the emergency notification system.

In defense of the university, one member said they will “give props” to the university for having the blue safety poles and the emergency notification system. Even with these efforts, the member said it is not enough.

“I don’t know what it would be,” the same member said about a complete emergency system.

Another member said no matter what kind of emergency notification system is in place, random acts could happen, like past school shootings.

One member wondered how students would react if security was stricter, such as implementing metal detectors at building entrances.

“I don’t think we have the ability to plan as much as we would like,” the same member said. “What if a shooter doesn’t send a letter; what if someone just has a break?”