Q&A with Larry Northcutt

LARRY NORTHCUTT A discussion of how ETBU Campus Security embraces new challenges in the world of COVID-19 No one would have been able to predict that the ETBU Family would not be able to return to campus the week following Spring Break 2020. But as the novel coronavirus swept the nation, it quickly became apparent that it was no longer safe to allow faculty, staff, and students to congregate on campus. However, not all University personnel left campus to hunker down Q&A Q&A WITH safely in their homes—there were those few who remained behind the scenes and gates, endeavoring to keep our campus as safe and healthy as possible. ETBU Director of Security, Compliance, and Accountability Larry Northcutt was responsible for planning and implementing a strategic course of action for ETBU Security amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Here, Larry speaks about the challenges that have presented themselves as well as the successes new safety protocols have brought forth for the University community.

When COVID-19 started to catch steam around Spring Break, we had to make some tough decisions among our administration to ensure our campus community was as safe as it could be. Our goal was to assure the ETBU Family that we had their best interest and health in mind during every decision we made to protect them from COVID-19.

One of the first things we decided to change was how people were able to access campus. If you have been around ETBU, you know that there are a myriad entrance points into our campus. It was our goal to control access for health screening, so we formulated a plan to block all points of access except for the entrance off of East Avenue. Once we established this plan, we then set up a main checkpoint, where our University Security Officers, who have been on the grounds since Spring Break, started checking people in on March 16. We worked closely with our administration and health care experts to create an approved list of those who were screened by the Health and Safety Task Force and cleared to enter. This gave us a measure of control so that only people who had been reviewed by our health care experts were granted access to enter campus.

Additionally, all buildings were secured with only a select few doors being accessible. Our officers have worn masks and safety glasses throughout the process to be a model for safety awareness and health promotion. We also staffed additional officers on duty 24/7 to help with patrol and anything that our campus community needed during the initial months of the health crisis.

The ETBU Family has been outstanding in their support of the safety actions we implemented. Sometimes change can be extremely hard for people, especially when it happens overnight, like it did with our campus access protocols. Our University Community did not balk at the measures and remained fully supportive. From students to faculty to staff, they were all respectful and understood why we needed to implement our health and safety checkpoint.

The time commitment increased at first for our officers because we went from working 16 hour days to 24 hour days. When we first started the check point, we had officers who were willing to completely change and increase their time commitments in order to fulfill our security needs. These officers did this without complaining and maintained the highest of professional standards. It has been amazing watching these officers adapt and overcome during a very difficult time. With the way this pandemic changes rapidly, we are sometimes forced to change protocols on a daily basis. Our officers continue to receive new protocols and implement them without hesitation. They have been true professionals during this entire process.

The University Family has been the biggest encouragement for our officers. The support they have given during this crisis remains unmatched. They provided coffee, donuts, snacks, prayers, and words of encouragement. Little actions like these go a long way in encouraging the officers who continue to work diligently to keep our campus safe. It has been encouraging to watch these officers work because they have maintained strong work ethics, showed up to serve every day, and adapted to an ever-changing environment. They are one of the main reasons the campus continues to effectively and efficiently operate, and they deserve to be recognized.

University Security opened up some of our entrances during the day for normal operation but there will continue to be a checkpoint at night, which is going to help monitor traffic going in and out of campus after hours. Security is maintaining the increased staffing on duty at all times, which allows for more ground coverage and faster response times. More lighting was installed this summer around ETBU, as well as perimeter security fencing with gate controls. Rapid-scan temperature stations have been set up around campus to allow individuals to check their temperature should they suspect illness. All of these measures are significant steps in continuing to keep our University as safe and secure as possible for the University faculty, staff, students and guests.

Larry Northcutt exemplifies servant leadership. Because every day for as long as I’ve known him, but especially as we have approached this very difficult situation over the last several months, Larry was on the frontlines. He never asked his team to do something he wasn’t willing to do, he frequently was available late at night, and on weekends. Larry was on call with ever-changing instructions and always responded in a way that kept us as safe as we possibly could be.

EMILY PREVOST ASSOCIATE PROVOST AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR Hilltop Summer 2020 25OF RELIGION AND LEADERSHIP