Resolution 2023-S8-2001
Resolution 2023-S8-2001
Chief Sponsor(s): Vice President Michael Fernandes, President Matthew Almendras, Speaker of the
House Michelle Zhou
Co-Sponsor(s): Representative Jesse Ghoman, Representative Cody Castle, Director Manasvi Thumu,
Campus Safety Commissioner/Representative Felix Giron
WHEREAS, mass shootings continue to be on the rise throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, at Michigan State University, on February 13th, 2023, there was an active shooter situation
tragedy; and
WHEREAS, students, faculty, and staff should be provided with the proper information and resources in
order to prevent and prepare for instances of violence on campus; and
WHEREAS, requiring active shooter and other important violence preventative modules during new
student orientation would help prepare and disseminate information to students on how to prevent and
react in instances of active shooter situations; and
WHEREAS, student safety is a top priority of the Undergraduate Student Government and the UIC
student population; then
LET IT BE RESOLVED, the Undergraduate Student Government urges the university to adopt
informational active shooter, bystander training, and anonymous reporting tool video modules into their
required new student orientation.
Letter Heading link
Date: March 13, 2023
To: University of Illinois Chicago Community
From: The Undergraduate Student Government
In light of the recent tragedy that befell Michigan State University this year, the Undergraduate Student
Government (USG) has taken proactive measures to continue advocating for the safety of UIC students on
campus. Through the collaborative dialogue amongst USG members and researching other universities on
how to achieve a safer campus, the Undergraduate Student Government calls on the UIC Administration
to implement mandated active shooter training modules, bystander training modules, and anonymous
reporting tool modules within new student orientation.
Our call to action urges for mandated active shooter student training, following a nationwide trend of
universities to require their students to complete active shooter modules. These modules come in various
forms such as through orientation or first-year seminar courses. Arkansas State University,
1 Macalester
University,
2 and the University of California UC Davis
3 all have adopted mandated student instruction
on active shooter situations. Additionally, in direct response to the Michigan State University tragedy,
Quinnipiac University has implemented a new rule that mandates students must complete active shooter
training.
4
Due to the gravity of active shooter situations and dire consequences of unprepared students, USG
believes stating there are online resources available or giving the recommendation to review the material
will not suffice. Voluntary review by students is not effective as stated by Dr. Sheldon Greeneberg in a
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness article, “Advice to students will have little ef ect if not
reinforced. Simply placing information on a college or university Website is inef ective.”
5
And so, the UIC Undergraduate Student Government urges our university to adopt mandatory
instructional modules or training programs to all UIC undergraduate students during orientation that cover
the proper student response to active shooter situations. In addition, USG urges the university to also
implement bystander intervention modules as well as a module on how the UIC ‘Anonymous Report’ tool
works and its benefits to preventing potential violence.
Although this violence is an unfortunate reality, steps must be taken to ensure our university and student
body are properly equipped to handle a potential situation of mass violence. The Undergraduate Student
1. https://www.astate.edu/news/campus-safety-record-product-of-work-awareness-training
1
2. https://themacweekly.com/75405/news/active-shooter-training-added-to-orientation/
2
3. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-15/how-californias-colleges-are-prepared-for-active-shooters-in-wake-of-michigan-state
3
4. https://quchronicle.com/80488/featured/qu-announces-mandatory-active-shooter-training/
4
5. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/article/active-shooters-on-college-campuses-conflicting-a
dvice-roles-of-the-individual-and-first-responder-and-the-need-to-maintain-perspective/7F1BF55B11EC46D3EE7E7DF8EC55654A
5
Government believes that this action is critical to ensuring a safer student population at the University of
Illinois Chicago.
Signed,
The Undergraduate Student Government
result Heading link
Introduced on March 13, 2023.
Executive Ordered on March 13, 2023.
Result: Passed on March 13, 2023.
Relevant Minutes Heading link
N/A