OCTOBER 23, 2024 • VOLUME 95 • ISSUE 8
The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929
Quinnipiac Athletics announces partnership with Planet Fitness By ALEXANDRA MARTINAKOVA Editor-in-Chief
Women’s basketball season preview p. 12 TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE
Public Safety’s ‘Shelter in Place’ drill hopes to prepare students for emergencies By CHLOE GRANT Contributing Writer
In recent weeks, Quinnipiac University’s Department of Public Safety has enacted a new “Shelter in Place” drill directive. These drills aim to take action against external dangers that may pose a threat to those residing on campus. In the detailed universitywide email statement from Public Safety, details regarding what they are advised to do in the event of a “Shelter in Place” drill were as follows, “Get inside and stay inside” or if operating a vehicle to pull over and “Stay inside such vehicle.” In said statement, Public Safety also claims there will be a shelter in place drill conducted nearing the end of the month in ways of a trial for everyone residing on campus. “The “Shelter in Place” drill is going to be a drill that helps both the community kind of understand what the expectations are during certain events that may happen like a tornado or some other weather related type of event,” said Chief of Public Safety Tony Reyes. “Or a safety event that might happen because of an intruder or active shooter, anything involving police presence.” Reyes is responsible for the implementation of new policies and procedures among all three of Quinnipiac’s campuses. He previously worked for the New Haven Police Department and maintained that position for 21 years until transferring to Quinnipiac. Reyes said that the reasoning behind the recent implementation of the “Shelter in Place” drills and Public Safety’s prominent efforts to ensure order among the Quinnipiac community in the event a shelter in place drill may be necessary. “We want to do a drill about that so the community knows what they expect from us in terms of communication and also what we expect from them in terms of their response when they receive that communication from us as well,” Reyes said. “I think it will just have everyone prepared to know what to do in the situation in case anything ever does happen,” said sophomore
health science major Nicolette Diserio. Reyes continued to elaborate on how the drills initially came to be and their gradual progression over the past few months. “These drills are a part of our emergency management plan to educate the community better and improve our communication and things like that,” Reyes said. “We were already planning on doing this in October so the actual drill itself was not accelerated by that, but certainly the urgency of it is timely and I think it’s all a part of it and we realized it was perfect timing in terms of the community’s mindset around what happened during the bomb threat.” Junior medical microbiology and immunology major Lillia Stone thinks it could be a productive concept, however is skeptical on the timing of the drills. “I think it’s a good idea,” Stone said. “I think it could potentially take time out of classes, and that could be a problem if it’s not necessary. But I think if it’s just a general day, with not a lot going on, it could make sense.” Stone’s worries may pose a potential concern among other students at Quinnipiac as well. “We’re just seeing where the deficiencies are, so that we can work together to respond to that,” Reyes said. Reyes also went into detail about his and
public safety’s duty on campus to ensure a safe and comfortable community for all of its inhabitants in addition to the steps they will take to do so. “From a public safety standpoint, we want to make sure this is all in line with the overall safety and we want to make sure we’re doing these things in a safe manner,” Reyes said. Additionally, Reyes explains the importance of the actual response, both by the community and by public safety — as well as why notifying the community is crucial when such drills may ensue. He emphasized on the importance of the community’s response and how preparation in the event of a shelter in place drill is crucial to its execution. Reyes discussed how following the trial drill, Public Safety aims to gather critical feedback regarding the community’s response, as well as debriefing what their perception was and what they learned. “These mental and physical drills that we do, they have value,” Reyes said. “It’s hard to see them when you’re going through the motions, but they do pay dividends when something happens.” In the eyes of Public Safety, the “Shelter in Place” drills are certain to ensure safety among inhabitants at Quinnipiac for the foreseeable future.
ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL
Quinnipiac University Athletics announced its partnership with Ignite Fitness Holdings, a local Planet Fitness franchise, to “better support the health and fitness goals of university students, staff and alumni,” according to an Oct. 16 press release. Ignite Fitness is a full service personal training and nutrition coaching facility, interested in “singular client focus” that “allows to give every client the personal experience they need with the right amount of direction, accountability and motivation to maximize results,” according to the franchise’s website. “Planet Fitness is committed to helping Quinnipiac students, staff and alumni achieve their health and fitness goals and we’re thrilled to have them join our Quinnipiac Athletics family as we continue to expand our ties to the local community in Connecticut,” said Greg Amodio, Quinnipiac director of athletics in said press release. Nicholas Solari, associate athletic director of athletic communications, said the department does not comment further on the matter. This partnership will include “a special offer for (Quinnipiac) students, faculty and alumni to sign up at Planet Fitness locations in Connecticut for $0 down on the PF Black Card with no commitment and one month free.” Members are encouraged to contact their local locations for additional information. Ignite Fitness has two locations in Connecticut, one in West Hartford and one in Avon. Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the U.S. by number of members and locations. They pride themselves on “spreading its unique mission of enhancing people’s lives by providing an affordable, high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment,” according to the company’s website. “We are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of our members, supporting folks on their journey to better health, and serving our local communities,” said Mike Shapiro, vice president of operations at Ignite Fitness Holdings in the press release. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to work closely with such a prestigious, respected university, and look forward to joining Quinnipiac Athletics in their mission to help the Bobcats achieve their health and performance goals.” Planet Fitness will be featured across the university’s athletic properties and “have a strong presence” in the form of tabling, sponsorships and informational initiatives during Bobcat Weekend Oct. 25-27, according to the press release.