While Florida A&M University gears up for its well-anticipated annual homecoming , campus safety has emerged as a main focus for administrators.
“As hundreds of thousands of Rattlers come into town next week, let us all join together to make sure we’re very vigilant and diligent in terms of making sure we’re safe,” FAMU interim President Timothy Beard said Tuesday evening during a virtual town hall meeting .
Beard held a “President’s Town Hall Meeting” along with his leadership team with a goal of providing better communication to the FAMU community. During the meeting, officials answered questions from the public that were submitted in advance.
One of the questions asked was what the FAMU Police Department is doing to enhance safety measures and increase preparedness while the university expects a large crowd at its upcoming homecoming, with this year’s week of festivities taking place between Oct. 27 and Nov. 3.
Recently, Albany State University – an HBCU (historically Black college or university) in Albany, Georgia – had a shooting incident Saturday during its homecoming weekend in a crowded area near a campus concert, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation . The shooting left one person dead and five injured.