2022-2023 Initiatives: 5 Minutes, 5 Days - Student Safety

Status: In-Progress

Point of Contact(s): Olivia 'Vi' Whitmarsh

This initiative, called "5 minutes, 5 days," seeks to create a baseline understanding of the plans and policies that have already been established at UWT for active shooter scenarios, and to build a stable action plan for what would happen in the aftermath of a campus shooting.

The name of the initiative is significant because it refers to the critical moments that follow an active shooter situation. The first 5 minutes are crucial for ensuring that everyone on campus is alerted and prepared for the situation. The following 5 days are equally important for ensuring that the UWT community has the resources and support needed to recover from the trauma of such an event.

January 24th 2023 Update:

The goal of the "5 minutes, 5 days" initiative is to establish a baseline understanding of the plans and policies that are already in place at UWT for active shooter scenarios. The initiative seeks to identify areas where preventative measures can be taken to reduce the risk of an active shooter event, ensure that all students, staff, and faculty are prepared to efficiently handle an active shooter situation, and address existing policies that may need to be modified to protect marginalized communities on campus.

The initiative also aims to build a stable action plan for what would happen in the aftermath of a campus shooting. The beginning thoughts for the first 5 minutes are focused on determining how UWT's emergency notification system will efficiently alert all students without fail, provide support for all students including those with mobility issues, and support from emergency services. The beginning thoughts for the first 5 days relate to how the university would respond to support the students. Vi would like to see a mental health response from the Psychological & Wellness Services (PAWS), an address by the university beyond an email, and a planned student-led mourning and action.

The "5 Minutes, 5 Days" initiative is still in its early stages, but the ASUWT is committed to working with university officials and community partners to create a comprehensive plan that will keep the UWT community safe and supported in the event of an active shooter situation. 

February 21st 2023 Update:

During the remainder of the academic year, Vi aims to collect the required data to convince the university administration to recognize the critical nature of their cooperation with the 5 Minutes, 5 Days initiative. As part of this effort, Vi is currently conducting a survey to evaluate students' perspectives and concerns about the safety of the University of Washington Tacoma on and around campus. The survey has already seen great results, but more data is necessary to have the best impact.

The survey is still open, and we encourage all students to participate. Your feedback is essential in ensuring that the university has a comprehensive understanding of what measures need to be taken to ensure the safety of everyone on campus. The survey can be found here