Other threats included several "menacing" phone calls made to the law school.
While police do not know if these threats will "materialize," they are taking cautionary actions, requiring all students to have a Husky ID card to enter the building and posting an officer there.
Students shared in a meeting with police and faculty on Monday, however, that they wanted to know more. One student, who received a round of applause, "asked how he was supposed to keep himself safe if he didn't know much about the threat," says an article on SeattlePI.com.
"I think there was a good bit of nervousness in the air and a real sense of wish that more information could have been provided by the campus police," said Hicks after the meeting. "But they ultimately have to make the call."
And nerves are understandable. After the Virginia Tech shootings, where 33 people were killed, students want to feel safe.
"When you think about Virginia Tech and all, is having a Husky card really the differentiating thing that's going to make me and everyone else feel safe?" asked law student Roxanne Eberle.
Student Bar Association President Nowell Bamberger wrote in an email to students on Saturday, "I can assure you that, based on the very limited information that has been shared with me at this point, the administration is taking every prudent action to keep the building, our students, staff, and faculty safe in light of our current situation."
"This is one of those times when I believe that we all must trust that the steps that are being taken are in the interests of our collective security and well-being," he continued.
Police do not believe the threat was made to any specific person. And to ensure safety, the UW "is registering students' cell-phone numbers for an emergency alert system" as well as setting "up an emergency phone number for students and employees to call if they believe they are in danger: 206-685-SAFE," concludes the article.
