In 2023, following the fatal shooting of Associate Professor Zijie, Students Demand Action at UNC met with the chancellor’s office to discuss campus safety and gun violence prevention. This came after learning that many UNC staff, particularly those whose first language is not English, were unable to understand or access the alerts and continued to work during the lockdown.

SDA called on UNC to require alert systems be made inclusive of multiple language options, providing every member of our community with an opportunity to secure their safety. This action is the first step to mitigating language barriers experienced during lockdowns. Though the chancellor’s office seemed receptive, a year and a half later, SDA has not received a clear update. 

The time has come for the broader UNC community to join in on the call for a safe campus for all. If another school shooting were to strike our community tomorrow, so many incredible Tar Heels would again be left in the dark and uniquely vulnerable to violence. Sign the petition today to protect our ESL staff from harm's way!