Bend Campus Security: 24-Hour Patrols Begin After Week of Violence

Students at Oregon State University's Cascades campus in Bend now have safety staff on duty at all hours. The shift to 24/7 coverage follows two reported sexual assaults in campus housing and a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School a few miles away.

The assaults were reported on Oct. 8 and Oct. 10 in the university's only residential hall. Officials stated in a letter to students that the victim did not know the assailant. Both incidents remain under investigation.

Charlie Woekel, president of the Associated Students of Cascades Campus, told the OSU Board of Trustees on Friday that the three events occurred within seven days. He noted that students are worried about their physical, sexual, and emotional safety.

Student leaders are asking campus partners to re-examine and expand emergency protocols. This includes active shooter plans and better communication of sexual violence prevention resources.

The campus closed on the Friday following the shooting and reopened for classes at the start of this week. Bend-La Pine Schools remained closed, and Silver Rail Elementary is closed indefinitely. Student leaders set up letter-writing stations and built an engraved memorial shrine at the Makerspace lab.

Interim Chancellor Christine Pollard sent messages to students after the incidents. She wrote that creating a safe campus is a shared responsibility and encouraged students to support one another. Her messages included lists of confidential and non-confidential resources for those affected by sexual violence.

Board of Trustees Chair Karla Chambers addressed the community's pain after the shooting. She said the entire OSU family stands with the Bend community. Woekel added that the community has been unified to help one another through the difficult period.