Chancellor offers assistance from Counseling and Testing Center

Chancellor Gilchrist
February 28, 2008

Dear Students, Staff and Faculty, In the course of testing the university’s emergency response system last Friday, we used multiple channels of communication (e-mail notices, text messages, voice mail notices, TV station slides, and announcements on WRVS-FM 89.9) to provide students, staff, and faculty with reasonable advance notice that an emergency drill would be conducted. We also sent a follow-up notice just before the drill began. Unfortunately, those messages did not reach some students and faculty, who therefore were caught by surprise and understandably alarmed during the simulated emergency. I deeply regret and apologize for the confusion and resulting alarm caused by these communication problems. Director Roosevelt Askew and other counselors from the ECSU Counseling and Testing Center are available to meet individually with students, faculty, and staff to discuss any concerns you may have now or in the future. The Center, which is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, is located on the first floor (room #121) of the Ridley Student Center. The phone number is 252-335-3275, and the email address is raskew2@mail.ecsu.edu. For after-hours assistance, you may call 335-3273. In the event of an after hours emergency, the Counseling and Testing Center has a partnership with Albemarle Mental Health and Albemarle Hospital where students can seek assistance. Our goal was to identify ways to make our campus safer for our students, faculty, and staff. I can assure you that the hard lessons learned and important feedback you’ve provided will help guide and improve our future communication and safety efforts for the good of the entire campus community. We will halt all plans for future emergency drills until our internal processes have been thoroughly reviewed and revised as appropriate. Thank you for your understanding. Sincerely, Chancellor Willie J. Gilchrist