Utah Board of Higher Education Approves and Releases Campus Safety Task Force Report
More than 25 recommendations advance a unified, systemwide approach to campus safety statewide
The Utah Board of Higher Education (Board) today approved more than 25 recommendations to strengthen safety at Utah’s public colleges and universities statewide, and directed institutional presidents to implement them.
The recommendations, developed by the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) Campus Safety Task Force, build on institutions’ existing safety efforts through consistent policies and practices, shared resources, and stronger coordination with local partners. Presidents will report their progress to the Board by July 2027.
“Students, faculty, and staff should be able to focus on learning, teaching, and exchanging ideas without having to worry about safety,” said Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Geoff Landward. “This report gives our institutions a shared approach to build on the work already happening on our campuses, strengthen collaboration and better prepare for and respond to emergencies.”
The Board established the task force in October 2025, following the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University on Sep. 10. The group brought together representatives from Utah’s public colleges and universities, and local, state, and private sector partners with expertise in campus safety and emergency response.
The task force examined preparedness for human-caused and natural emergencies. Its recommendations address five key areas:
- Behavioral Threat Intervention and Management
- Safety of Events, Facilities and Operations
- Responding in Emergencies – Individuals in the Campus Community
- Responding in Emergencies – Professionals
- Post-Emergency Communications, Debriefing and Continuous Improvement
While campus safety efforts predate the events of September 10, 2025, the Commissioner’s office reviewed the independent external review of the events surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk at UVU and ensured the recommendations were aligned.
The task force also relied heavily on national best practices and evidence-based approaches, including the “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP) and the “Avoid, Deny, Defend” model for active threats from Texas State University. It also worked with the Commissioner’s office to develop implementation templates and resources.
At its Oct. 2, 2026 meeting, the Board voted to approve the report, direct institutional presidents to implement the key actions, and prepare a funding request for the 2027 Legislative General Session to support implementation.
To see the full report visit the new campus safety landing page.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
