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Presidents in Action: Preparing for the Unthinkable

By Judith Dwyer

American college and university campuses have witnessed numerous fatal shootings, the deadliest of which was the April 16, 2007, violence at Virginia Tech. Presidents now face an array of daunting challenges. How does one determine the severity of a threat to kill? When does such a threat justify the decision to evacuate or close a university? What principles ought to guide such a serious move?

I recount one such threat that occurred in April 2008 at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. Although every threat of violence possesses unique features, and therefore must be treated on a case-by-case basis, my experience, and the lessons learned, may help other presidents when confronted with such a situation. . . .

Excerpted from the winter 2009 issue of The Presidency. To subscribe to the magazine, please call (301) 632-6757, or order online through ACE's bookstore.