Utah Board of Higher Education votes to create task force on campus safety

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Utah Board of Higher Education voted to create a task force to evaluate campus safety at public colleges and universities across the state.

On October 2, the Utah Board of Higher Education (UBHE) voted unanimously for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education to establish a task force that will look at current security measures on college campuses and make recommendations to better the safety of students, faculty, and staff.

This decision comes after conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was murdered on Utah Valley University Campus in Orem, and a string of hoax threats have plagued colleges and universities across the country, though the Board did not explicitly link this decision to any recent events.

“Ensuring the safety of our campus communities is paramount,” UBHE vice chair Jon Cox said. “This task force will provide valuable insights and actionable recommendations to strengthen our collective efforts to safeguard these vital public spaces.”

The Board said that this task force is part of their ongoing efforts to proactively address safety concerns and put best practices into place on all campuses.

Commissioner of higher education Geoffrey Landward said, “We must ensure that our colleges provide spaces where our students can learn, where our faculty can teach and research, and where communities can gather to exchange ideas and enjoy the beauty of our campuses safely.”

According to UBHE, the task force will be made up of a variety of stakeholders, including campus security professionals, law enforcement experts, administrators, and representatives for faculty and students.