Office of the President

Thanks to all for responding to today’s incident

Aug. 20, 2020

Dear Members of the Brandeis Community,

As you know, this morning a bomb threat was called into Brandeis University. I would like to thank all of you, whether or not you were on campus, for your patience as we responded to this troubling incident. All of us are already on high alert for safety risks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but our community demonstrated today its ability to manage multiple crises, even the unexpected.

Upon hearing of the threat this morning, we implemented our comprehensive emergency response protocols and directed all individuals on campus to shelter in place as the threat was assessed and investigated. Since the "all-clear" signal was given earlier this afternoon, operations on campus have resumed, including student move-in to the residence halls and COVID-19 testing at our two sites.

I would also like to thank the Brandeis University Police Department, the Waltham Police and Fire Departments, and state and federal authorities for their rapid, effective, and firm response to this incident.

Brandeis has experienced incidents like this before, and it's likely that we will face similar challenges in the future. The way we responded today should give us all a sense of confidence about our abilities to address threats and protect our community.

Be safe and well,

Ron