Springfield’s Clark State College makes classes remote all week after 2 threats

An aerial view of Clark State College. Image provided by Clark State

An aerial view of Clark State College. Image provided by Clark State

Clark State College, based in Springfield, will close all of its campuses and move to remote classes Monday through Friday as a result of two email threats of a potential bombing and shooting from the weekend.

“Late Saturday,the college received an email threat via the admissions link on our website, which raised concerns about a possible shooting. On Sunday,we received an email of a bomb threat to the Springfield campus,” the school said in an alert. “We took immediate action with the Springfield Police Department and they have ensured our campus is secure and safe.”

Amid political turmoil over Haitian immigration, Springfield has seen threats in recent days to numerous schools, government offices, medical facilities and other groups. Police say they are working with the FBI to identify the sources of the threats, but none of them have turned out to be credible risks to safety yet.

All Clark State classes will be conducted virtually this week, and employees should work from home, according to the college. All activities are cancelled.

The Rhodes Hall Open House event, which was intended to celebrate the $17 million renovation of that facility on Tuesday, will be rescheduled as well.

The school added that if students have questions about procedures for the week, they should contact their instructors.

Clark State’s main campus in Springfield is at 570 East Leffel Lane, not far from I-70 and Limestone Street. They also have facilities in downtown Springfield, in Beavercreek and in Xenia.

“We understand the anxiety that such incidents can cause and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and care,” Clark State officials said, adding that Springfield Police would increase their security presence on campus. “We are working with our wellness team and partners to provide additional counseling services.”

Anyone at Clark State who sees or hears something concerning about safety, is asked to report it to Clark State’s director of risk and emergency management, Johnny Lemen, at lemenj@clarkstate.edu or 937-328-3855.

“We remain dedicated to providing strong academic programs and will work to ensure minimal disruption to our educational environment, but we will always prioritize the safety and wellness of our students, employees and community,” the university said.

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