An Evaluation of Davidson’s Active Shooter Protocol Davidson’s Response to Increase in U.S. Gun Violence

Service, which notifies students and faculty of important safety information.

In November, the University of Virginia lost three of its football players to an active shooter.

Just this past Monday, three people were shot at Michigan State University.

According to the Sandy Hook Promise, twelve children die from gun violence in America each day, and guns currently are the leading cause of death among teens. Davidson is not immune to the danger of gun violence, and recently the active shooter protocol was updated to increase the protection of students and professors.

This past August, Chief Financial Officer Ann McCorvey emailed staff about the newly updated locks on classroom doors in Chambers.

“Our facilities team worked for the past several months installing new hardware on doors, and modifications had to be made for every classroom. We struck a balance between the need to lock the doors in an emergency and preventing them from being locked in non-emergencies, such as students studying in a classroom late at night…” the email states.

Chief Julian Coaxum, head of campus police, explains that the current Emergency Response Plan (ERP) at Davidson includes “police stopping the threat” while also establishing guidelines for “campus-wide communication, service coordination and safety procedures in the event of emergencies and dangerous situations such as fires, bomb threats, severe weather or any situation that could threaten lives or safety within the college community, including active shooters.”

For communication, Davidson uses a program called SSAFER through Banner Self

According to Coaxum “recent mass shootings have not changed the ERP but they have reinforced the value of constant, consistent preparation.” For instance, last December, campus police organized a “crisis event exercise” intended to teach people from both the college and town of Davidson about how to respond in a situation with an active shooter.

Staff members are offered optional training at multiple points throughout the year and students participate in emergency training during orientation. However, many current professors and students admit that they do not know much about the protocol.

Gibby Heiser ’26 feels uninformed about what to do in the situation of an active shooter on campus. She does not remember receiving training during orientation on this topic.

“I think I have seen it on my door before,” she states, referring to a poster with steps on how to respond to an active shooter. Heiser has not participated in mass shooting safety training, yet she feels safe on campus.

“I think Campus Police has a pretty secure presence on campus,” Heiser said. “I have seen the cars and I have seen them in the halls before checking in on people. I think they improve safety, but I don’t think I personally know anything about education.”

Professor of English Dr. Shireen Campbell began thinking about the possibility of an active shooter at Davidson after the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. It came to her attention that her classroom doors did not lock.

“Very recently, within the last two years or even last year, the classroom doors were all changed so that they can lock from the inside,” Campbell said. “And here’s where this is disconcerting news for you, I know we got elaborate instructions about how it works and I know that if I’m teaching, I’m supposed to lock the door but I’m unclear about how I’m supposed to.”

Campbell has an office key, but she is unsure where she would find a key to lock a classroom she is teaching in. While Campbell remembers learning a protocol at some point, she admits that it was almost a “year and half ago,” and she has not been refreshed since.

When discussing safety protocols and training at Davidson, Coaxum emphasized the significance of the SSAFER system.

“The most important step faculty, staff and students can take is to make sure their contact info is correct in Banner Self-Service so SSAFER messages reach them,” Coaxum said. “SSAFER messages convey the most critical information in fast-moving crises like active-shooter situations.”