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news
CSULB evacuates
in wake of attacks
By Ben Dimapindan
Online Forty-Niner
As everyone nationwide
collectively watched the television in utter disbelief of
the apparent terrorist attacks that ravaged the World Trade
Center buildings and the Pentagon, Cal State Long Beach officials
simply would not take chances on the safety of students yesterday,
according to Toni Beron, CSULB vice president of public affairs.
With the students'
best interest in mind, California State University Chancellor
Charles Reed issued the closure of all 23 CSU campuses yesterday
and the University Police, acting under a heightened sense
of security, evacuated the entire Brotman Hall area after
a suspicious vehicle was spotted.
"The University
Police were called in and they felt that the best precautionary
measure was to evacuate," Beron said. "The bomb
squad came in and inspected the vehicle. They found no bombs
or explosives of any kind.
"It was a
false alarm, but given the circumstances of the news that
happened today, precaution was really the best way to go."
In the event of
a campus emergency that would require students to be informed
that the university is suddenly being closed, University Policy
is designed to spread the news swiftly and efficiently.
Once an official
from the Office of the Chancellor notifies the vice president
and deans, they will send personnel to visit each class and
tell students they can go home, Beron said.
The news of the
university's closure seemed to proliferate quickly, especially
since a sea of people flooded from the buildings toward the
parking lots shortly before noon Tuesday.
"Some lady
came into class and said 'campus is closed. Everyone needs
to leave,'" said senior ceramics major Brandon Beukelman,
who was walking hurriedly to his car. "I was coming from
the art department [heading toward Lot 11], and everybody
seemed to be leaving fine and orderly."
In addition, officials
were very pleased with the way that students responded when
asked to calmly proceed away from the classrooms.
"Students,
faculty, staff were wonderfully cooperative in leaving the
campus," Beron said. "They cleared the campus very
quickly too."
Also, in case any
student becomes overwhelmed or extremely distraught over the
abhorrent events that transpired yesterday, the Department
of Counseling and Psychological Services offices, which are
located in Brotman Hall, can offer assistance and support
through discussion sessions.
"We're trying
to get ready for anyone who might come in," said Clyde
Crego, director of Counseling and Psychological Services.
"Some students are starting to not know how to deal with
their feelings. The are not panicking, but are in shock like
the rest of us.
"All we can
do is be ready to provide anything necessary," he said.
"We can just go hour by hour, day by day."
Jamie Rogers
contributed to this story.
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