IUP ISSUES UPDATE, APOLOGY CONCERNING SOCIAL MEDIA THREATS REPORTED LAST WEEK

IUP has released more information concerning a threat that was investigated early last week into a social media threat.

In a letter sent to the university community, officials say that news of the threat first arrived on a social media platform late on Monday, September 26^th that warned of violence.  The initial post did not include a location, but a follow up post had just the words “Jane Leonard Hall” in it.  Students who saw the threat went to the University Police department with concerns that the two posts were related.  IUP Police then consulted with other law enforcement agencies and created and launched a response plan that included increased patrols through Jane Leonard Hall and a thorough search before classes started, along with searches of Leonard Hall and other buildings throughout the day.  Also, a notification went out to the social media company about the need to identify the people posting the initial and follow up messages.  IUP will also pursue all legal avenues concerning the people who made the post.

The university also said that because the threat was deemed not credible, they did not activate the University’s Emergency Notification System, but rather instead sent emails out to the IUP community, which is the official communication channel.  The university also acknowledged that while the main idea was to provide information in a timely matter, the email message sent may have caused confusion and uncertainty.  The university has heard concerns from its community, saying that information should have been communicated sooner, with greater clarity and recognition of the personal impact of the message.  Officials say they want to use what they learned over the last week to improve their outreach efforts.  In the meantime, they advise everyone in the university community to enroll in the Emergency Notification System and make sure they have not accidentally opted out, to not spread partial or unreliable information from social media, and monitor IUP’s official channels and follow directions when given for safety.