Establishing relationships, understanding escalation ahead of time key in campus protests

Abstract

By the time this article publishes, it is likely that we will know who the American public elected as its next president. No matter the outcome, what seems true is that a politically charged group of college students will continue to engage in civil unrest on campus in connection with a variety of issues. What this means for you as a campus safety leader is that you are likely to continue to see protests on campuses nationwide for years to come over a host of different issues. In the wake of the protests in support of Palestine on campuses over the past year, you need to be ready to address — safely, fairly, and in a way that instills trust in your administration among the student body and campus population — these protests in a timely manner.