OSU-Cascades Extends Safety Coverage to 24 Hours After Three Incidents
University leaders expanded security hours following two assaults in residential housing and a shooting at a nearby elementary school within one week.
By Harper Foster ·
Oregon State University’s Cascades campus in Bend has extended its safety coverage to 24 hours a day, seven days a week, following three violent incidents within a seven-day span. The university made the change in response to two reported sexual assaults in campus housing and a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, which is located a few miles from the campus.
The two assaults were reported on October 8 and October 10 at OSU-Cascades' only residential hall. University officials stated in a letter to students that the victim in these cases did not know the assailant. Both incidents remain under investigation. The third event, the shooting at the elementary school, occurred during the same week, heightening anxiety among the student body.
Charlie Woekel, president of the Associated Students of Cascades Campus, presented these concerns to the OSU Board of Trustees during a meeting on Friday. He noted that the three distinct events have left students worried about their physical, sexual, and emotional safety. Woekel said the campus community has remained unified in its response to the events, despite the collective sense of pain and sadness.
Student leaders are also urging campus partners to re-examine and expand emergency protocols, including those for active shooter situations. They are working to ensure that students are aware of available resources for sexual violence prevention and response. As part of this effort, Student Health and Wellness and the Student Counseling Center have opened confidential drop-in sessions for anyone affected by the incidents, whether directly or indirectly.
In the immediate aftermath of the Silver Rail Elementary shooting, OSU-Cascades closed on Friday before reopening for classes at the start of the week. The nearby Bend-La Pine Schools remained closed, with Silver Rail Elementary staying shut indefinitely. Student employees at the campus Makerspace lab built an engraved memorial shrine, and letter-writing stations were set up to send messages of support to the school's parent-teacher organization.
Interim Chancellor and Dean Christine Pollard sent messages to students after the assault reports, describing the creation of a safe campus as a shared responsibility. She encouraged the close-knit community to support one another and provided lists of confidential and non-confidential resources for those affected. Board of Trustees Chair Karla Chambers also addressed the situation, stating that the entire OSU family stands with the Bend community as it navigates the healing process.
The national context includes other recent reports of campus sexual violence, such as five incidents at the University of Oregon's Eugene campus during the first week of classes and ongoing discussion of a 2024 case at Cornell University. Victims of sexual violence can reach the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers confidential crisis counseling by calling or texting 1-800-985-5990.
