Following a recent shooting on campus that left two men dead, South Carolina State University has announced a series of new security measures.
The investigation into the shooting remains active and is being led by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The incident occurred in the HBCU’s Huigine Suites, a student housing complex; however, neither the perpetrator nor the two victims were affiliated with the university.
As a result of the incident, the university has implemented various structural and policy changes to ensure only authorized people come on campus. These changes include a 9pm visitor curfew, visitor identification requirements, and increased student housing inspections, both scheduled and random. The HBCU also plans to review its campus safety staff coverage levels, retrain gate officers, increase patrol visibility in residential areas, and strengthen coordination with local law enforcement.
“We will conduct the appropriate internal and external reviews,” said President Alex Conyers. “We will continue to evaluate ourselves. We will continue to hold ourselves accountable.”
He continued, “I will continue to hold those who work for me accountable, and I fully expect the board of trustees to continue to hold me accountable. We owe that to each other. We owe it to our students — especially our students.”
Additionally, President Conyers recently requested $8 million from South Carolina state lawmakers to upgrade the university’s security infrastructure, according to a report from WRDW/WAGT. The requested funding would go towards perimeter enhancements, such as fencing, gates, and cameras.
