Yesterday, we all received an e-mail from President Steger about a threat that came from Italy claiming that March 18th would be the “next April 16th.” I received a plethora of e-mails, texts, and phone calls from students who were worried about attending class. The university receives threats often, and if they acted on every threat, we would have classes canceled more often. However, in my opinion, this one is different. Back in October, there were YouTube threats talking about an attack in the near future at Virginia Tech.
Later, it was traced overseas. However, similar threats have recently resurfaced. This time, students are legitimately being targeted. E-mails that were sent directly to students had some just awful content, describing the unthinkable in detail. Also, some of the recipients of those e-mails had their apartments broken into. In addition, the e-mail was sent out the afternoon before March 18th. The specific day we were threatened. In Steger's letter he warns us that there will be heightened security and that, "an overabundance of caution is appropriate." If we as students should be cautious, we should not be required to go to class.
As a student I am fearful going to class tomorrow, but with attendance, quizzes, tests, and projects, class is required. In my opinion, I think that classes should be optional and that professors should allow safety to be a viable excuse if a student chooses to miss class because of the words conveyed by the anonymous man.
Brandon Carroll, SGA president