UNC shooting shows the need for trauma-informed college campuses

On Aug. 28, a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina shot and killed a faculty member. The campus was on lockdown for over three hours while law enforcement officers searched for the suspected shooter. Two days later, the student newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel, published a cover of panicked text messages that students sent and received: “I’m in class everyone is losing it people are literally shaking,” “Please stay safe,” “Barricade the door if you think you can.”

As professors at Temple University, we share the sorrow and horror of such incidents, having experienced our own moments of profound loss. In February, a Temple police officer who tried to intervene in a carjacking was shot and killed in a neighborhood adjacent to campus.

As we reflect on these tragedies, we are drawn back to the need for a proactive approach to trauma response and prevention. Imagine a trauma-informed campus where signs of trauma are recognized early, the impacts of trauma are understood, and parents can trust that their children will be attending an institution that is equipped to support them.

Two-thirds of college students report a history of trauma in childhood. College can involve increased exposure to violence, interpersonal conflict, homelessness, and food insecurity, among other tough experiences. It is estimated that half of all undergraduate students are exposed to a potentially traumatic event during their first year of college alone, which can result in lower rates of attendance and graduation.

Healing on campuses is possible. The college environment can provide a place for students to confront their traumatic pasts, often for the first time. Confidential resources, supportive figures, and physical separation from previous stressors can all help.

But these measures alone are not sufficient. Our country’s colleges and universities have an opportunity to create supportive, trauma-informed environments for all. To do so, we need strategic interventions, policy reform, and an intentional focus on prevention and healing on campus.

To create a trauma-informed campus, university leaders must prioritize safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural, historical, and gender issues at every level. It is not sufficient to address one event, like a shooting, without also addressing the secondary and longer-lasting trauma that can result from that event. The most important thing is to take actions that promote healing and avoid further harm.

Many students turn to friends before seeking formal support. Given this, students should be provided resources to support themselves and their peers who are struggling. In addition, faculty and staff should be trained in how to respond when someone shares their history of trauma, and how to create classroom and campus environments that do not retraumatize students.

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At Temple, some resources — including the Cherry Pantry, a food pantry for students, and the Ambler Arboretum, full of wooded walks and gardens — empower students to care for their own physical and mental well-being. One of us is part of a violence prevention task force on campus that made several recommendations, such as increased community engagement, additional officers patrolling, a central office for mental health, and wellness activities. Evaluation of these efforts is ongoing, and we continue to look for creative ideas of how to create spaces that center on healing.

The very architecture of universities — buildings, green spaces, and neighboring characteristics — also plays a role in supporting students with a history of trauma. Research suggests that gardens and green spaces, dedicated quiet zones, inviting social spaces, natural light, and soothing colors can promote healing and well-being. Universities can also work to create a culture that prevents and minimizes harm by fostering campus spaces inclusive of all identities, being accountable for actions that perpetuate trauma, and building community among students before harm occurs.

Creating a trauma-informed campus is a journey that requires time and dedication. The perspectives and voices of students must be central in shaping the contours of a trauma-informed campus, as they are the experts of their own lived experiences.

Given the ubiquitous nature of trauma and its potential lifelong effects on physical and mental health, universities have a responsibility to recognize these issues and center healing on campus. If we truly believe that our role as educators involves positively influencing students’ lives and creating a healthy campus community, we owe it to ourselves as well.

Laura Sinko and Krista Schroeder are both researchers with expertise on trauma and violence as well as assistant professors in the Department of Nursing at Temple University’s College of Public Health.