OSU-Cascades Extends Security to 24-Hour Duty After Two Assaults and Nearby Shooting

Oregon State University's Cascades campus in Bend extended its safety patrols to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, following a surge in local violence. The change in security coverage responds to two reported sexual assaults in university housing and a shooting at a nearby elementary school.

The two sexual assaults were reported on October 8 and October 10 within the campus's only residential hall. University officials stated in a letter to students that the victim did not know the assailant in either case. Both incidents remain under investigation.

The assaults occurred within the same seven-day window as a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, which is located a few miles from the university. Charlie Woekel, president of the Associated Students of Cascades Campus, presented these concerns to the OSU Board of Trustees at its meeting on Friday. He noted that the three distinct events have raised physical, sexual, and emotional safety concerns among the student body.

Student leaders are urging campus partners to re-examine and expand emergency protocols, specifically those related to active shooter scenarios. They are also working to ensure that students are aware of existing sexual violence prevention and response resources on the Bend campus. This push for transparency occurs while national attention remains on campus sexual violence, with recent reports of multiple incidents at the University of Oregon's Eugene campus.

In response to the shooting, OSU-Cascades closed on the Friday following the incident and reopened for classes at the start of the week. Silver Rail Elementary remains closed indefinitely, while the Bend-La Pine School district stayed shut during the closure period. Student Health and Wellness and the Student Counseling Center have opened confidential drop-in sessions for anyone affected by the recent events.

Interim Chancellor and Dean Christine Pollard wrote to students after the assault reports, stating that creating a safe campus community is a shared responsibility. She encouraged the close-knit campus to support one another and provided lists of confidential and non-confidential resources. Board of Trustees Chair Karla Chambers addressed the student body, saying the entire OSU family stands with the Bend community as they navigate the hurt and healing process.

Student employees at the campus Makerspace lab built an engraved memorial shrine, and letter-writing stations were set up for messages of support to the Silver Rail Elementary parent-teacher organization. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 800-656-4673, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers 24-hour crisis counseling at 1-800-985-5990.