News Reporter
Rumors started flying when Dr. Workman, a physics professor at CMU, cancelled his class last Thursday.
“He [Prof. Workman] said that there was a hearing to get a restraining order because the physics department had a stalker,” Caroline Ching, a sophomore enrolled in Workman’s PHYS 111 course, said. “He actually said if there was an adult male asking about the physics department to not say anything. At first I thought he was joking, but I guess it was serious.”
Though she didn’t know much about the specifics, Ching felt confident the university had responded in an effective and timely manner.
“We [Ching’s physics class] were made aware at about the same time it was happening, so only about a week prior to Thursday,” Ching said.
Due to the sensitivity of the issue, the physics department declined comment, but CMU’s Vice President of Student Affairs John Marshall was happy to clarify.
“When dealing with students, we have a variety of tools in our toolbox we can utilize,” Marshall said, summarizing university policy. However, the individual in question is a non-student in the community.
“In this particular case, we became aware of just totally unacceptable behavior both in and around the classroom environment, and so we got law enforcement involved,“ Marshall said. “Unfortunately, when you’re dealing with some individuals, you have to be a little bit more firm. In this particular case, we felt that his behavior was such that we proceeded with actually using a legal venue to prevent him from coming back to campus.”
When asked whether the university had made any kind of public announcement to inform students, Marshall said it wasn’t necessary. “It all happened within a real tight time frame. As soon as we became aware of it, we were able to contact this individual and put a stop to it.”
As of last Friday, the court and law enforcement were still waiting for the other party to appear before court.
Students like sophomore Audrey Ludlam felt discomforted by the university’s decision. “I believe that the campus hasn’t had much policy at all recognizing when there’s dangerous people on campus,” Ludlam said. “They’ve given me no reason to believe that I’m safe.”
However, freshman Madi Hopkins makes an excellent point in defense of the university. “I feel like if they told everybody, there’s the possibility of hysteria,” Hopkins said. “So I feel like, if the problem can be contained, like it was with the physics department, then it doesn’t need to be publicized.”
Marshall wants to reassure the students and community at large that, “This is a free and open place, but it needs to be a safe place, and we’re going to do everything in our power to ensure that’s the case.”
If students ever feel unsafe on campus, Marshall advises that the first call be to campus police (970-242-6707). If there’s something less urgent, students can also email safety@coloradomesa.edu.
cferganc@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
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