The events of Wednesday afternoon has many UTM students asking “What if this happened to us?”

Rick Hatler, director of the Office of Public Safety, said that if this were to happen at UTM, the university’s emergency re-sponse plan would go into effect. The plan was revised after the Sept. 11 tragedy. Hatler said that UTM’s emergency response plan covers anything from man-made disasters to natural disasters.

Hatler said that the most important thing students can do is to be alert to the behavior of others. Also, students should contact an authority figure if they see someone in mental distress.

While the students at Dyersburg State were being held hostage, chaplains were with their families in a nearby building offering counseling. Dr. Jennifer Levy, staff psychologist in the UTM Counseling Center, said that although the center does not routinely stay open for after-hours services, an exception would be made for such a critical circumstance. Levy said that the Counseling Center would respond to any crisis situation on campus. The Counseling Center currently has two licensed psychologists on staff.

In a campuswide e-mail, Chancellor Nick Dunagan said, "We know what to do in an emergency situation, but each situation has its own particular circumstances that will require an on-site evaluation and subsequent action. Our Department of Public Safety and the Martin Police Department have, in fact, trained on hostages-in-classroom situations. Our first priority is to protect our students, faculty and staff from injury."

One UTM student said the incident hit a little too close to home.

Judith Hill, a senior Communications major from Union City, said, "My little brother is enrolled in the math class that was taken hostage. Luckily, that was his first day to skip class. I'm not promoting skipping class, but I'm very relieved and grateful that that day was the day he chose to skip."