This week’s incident at the University of Texas at Austin probably hit a nerve for many of us who work in student affairs, because we are often called to assist in responding to the practical and emotional impacts of violence on campus.
Every time something like this happens, I respond in two ways:
- Go into an autopilot sort of mode while responding to what everyone else needs.
- Push aside thinking about it as much as possible, until I crash.
The first way is clearly healthier than the second, but for me at least, both are entirely necessary for maintaining focus. And generally, I have done this well.
During my career in Residence Life, I was called on to respond to a few high-profile emergencies:
- Incidents in the halls in response to the first so-called ArtsFest Riot
- A completed suicide and the follow-up around it
- The aftermath of an on-campus shooting
Dissecting this event is inevitable, and the supposed warning signs that people will parse over and second guess have already begun. I’m not sure what all the answers are, but I’d like to create an opportunity to talk about this, share experiences and process.
So I want to open up the conversation a bit to our readers and listeners. This Friday’s edition of my BlogTalkRadio podcast will be dedicated to discussing Violence on Campus, how to be prepared, how to respond, and how to work through it when you have to push your needs aside and take care of others.
