OSU-Cascades Safety Staff Shift to 24-Hour Coverage After Assaults
University extended patrol hours following two reported sexual assaults and a shooting at a nearby elementary school.
By Pedro Barnes ·
Oregon State University’s Cascades campus in Bend now operates safety patrols around the clock. The shift to 24-hour coverage followed two reported sexual assaults and a shooting at a nearby elementary school. The university confirmed the change in response to the recent incidents.
The two alleged assaults occurred on October 8 and October 10 in the campus’s only residential hall. University officials stated in a letter to students that the victims did not know their assailants. Both cases remain under investigation.
Charlie Woekel, president of the Associated Students of Cascades Campus, addressed the OSU Board of Trustees on Friday. He noted that the three distinct events occurred within seven days of one another. “These three distinct events happened within seven days of each other and have students concerned for their physical, sexual and emotional safety,” Woekel said. He added that student leaders are urging partners to review and expand emergency protocols, including active shooter plans.
The shooting took place at Silver Rail Elementary School, located a few miles from the university. OSU-Cascades closed on the Friday following the shooting and reopened for classes at the start of the week. Bend-La Pine Schools remained closed, while Silver Rail Elementary stays closed indefinitely.
Student leaders organized letter-writing stations to send messages of support to the elementary school’s parent-teacher organization. Staff at the campus Makerspace lab built an engraved memorial shrine. Student Health and Wellness and the Student Counseling Center opened confidential drop-in sessions for anyone affected by the events.
Interim Chancellor and Dean Christine Pollard sent messages to students after the incidents. “Creating a safe campus community is a shared responsibility,” she wrote. She encouraged the close-knit campus to look out for one another. Her messages included lists of resources for those affected by sexual violence.
Board of Trustees Chair Karla Chambers responded to Woekel’s remarks. “I want you to know that the entire OSU family stands with the Bend community,” she said. The university pointed to the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 and the SAMHSA crisis line at 1-800-985-5990 for additional support.
