NIU is experiencing a part of history that many wish never took place.

Dating back from the December threats to the most recent threat earlier this week, campus is in a fragile state.

With regard to the most recent threat, NIU personnel have handled the releasing of details the correct way. When the bomb threat was found last week, the university released the information necessary to keep the campus as safe as possible.

No significant details were released regarding this week’s graffiti threat, which was the correct decision. Withholding some information to keep campus safe and secure is not something that the community should be upset about.

To ensure safety, the university has made more correct decisions than negative ones.

In December, it released the necessary amount of details. The location of where the bomb threat was found was released last week. The university must think this week’s threat is not serious enough to warrant the release of specific details, if there are any.

NIU must deal with a multitude of questions every time one of these threats is found. How should the university determine what information to release?

Anything that could ensure campus safety is one way to determine what to release and what to withhold. Copycat threats have appeared throughout the Chicagoland area, as well as nationwide, since the Feb. 14 shootings. Trying to subdue these types of threats is difficult while still trying to inform the public when a somewhat credible threat is found.

Too much information released can cause mass confusion and panic. University decisions on not to release the details can help the campus community be free from a constant state of fear. The campus community is already on high alert.

With threats that have become public, the university has released the information it deems is necessary to best serve the students, faculty and staff.

Media converging on DeKalb are also not in the best interest of the community, which would happen if every detail of every threat was released.

There are many times when NIU and the University Police need to respond to certain requests, but when it’s in regard to a campus threat alert, it’s for the good of the public to leave it to the professionals.

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