Rougeau President Discusses Campus Alert, Aspire, and Hill's February Meeting

Holy Cross Campus braces for increased alert amidst nationwide incidents

February is a bustling month on the Holy Cross campus, with a plethora of events including Welcome Back Events, Black History Month, Love Data Week, A Literary Social and Valentine Workshop, and athletic events like hockey and basketball. Amidst this lively atmosphere, the college community is called to be on a higher level of alert, as President Rougeau addresses concerns over increased incidents around the country, particularly during election years.

On January 10th, Holy Cross received a bomb threat, prompting an immediate evacuation and relocation to the Luth Athletic Center. The Worcester Fire Department, Worcester Police Department, and public safety conducted a thorough sweep of the campus to ensure no suspicious devices or packages were present.

President Rougeau emphasized that the threat was relatively low and the level of disruption it could cause led to the decision to evacuate many buildings. However, he expressed concern for the safety of an individual faculty member who was the target of the threat.

In response to the incident, the College sent out an email titled "Our Response to Yesterday's Incident" on January 11th. The President also spoke with The Spire on February 9th, 2023, to discuss the aftermath of the incident and the ongoing efforts to ensure campus safety.

Beyond safety concerns, President Rougeau has been actively involved in expanding recruitment efforts, reaching out to students in cities and states that haven't traditionally sent many applicants to Holy Cross. The College has partnered with organizations like QuestBridge and implemented fee waivers for students from gateway cities in Massachusetts to increase the applicant pool.

In an interview with The Spire on December 1st, 2022, President Rougeau discussed holiday traditions, finals season, and campus diversity. He also mentioned upcoming concerts and performances at the Prior Performing Arts Center, such as Oklahoma!, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Riannon Giddens.

President Rougeau is known to enjoy attending sporting events and cultural events, reading, and hiking during the winter months. His strategic plan for Holy Cross, Aspire, recently celebrated its one year anniversary, but no updates were given about its progress or future plans.

The College has also been involved in upgrading classroom spaces for the spring and launching initiatives under student wellbeing and the student experience, although no specific details were provided.

In another interview, President Rougeau spoke about campus changes, Family Weekend, and the fall semester prior to fall break. He also collaborated with the College of the Holy Cross to promote organizations focused on the admission of students from lower-income backgrounds and first-generation students, such as the Posse Foundation and QuestBridge.

As the college community navigates through these challenging times, President Rougeau continues to lead with a focus on safety, recruitment, and community engagement.