Date:  September 22, 2025
To:  The NYU Community
From:  Linda G. Mills, President, Georgina Dopico, Provost, Jason Pina, Sr. Vice President for University Life, and Fountain Walker, Vice President for Global Campus Safety

Dear NYU Students, Faculty, and Staff,

The safety and well-being of our community is our highest priority. Recent incidents on campuses nationwide—including false reports of violence known as “swatting”—remind us of the challenging new environment in which universities now operate. The recent swatting incident that targeted and instilled fear in Black members of the NYU community was a horrific example of this trend. 

Whenever these events occur, they are deeply unsettling. Our goal is to ensure that every member of NYU feels informed, supported, and prepared. This message shares key information on the kinds of threats that we may see, what NYU is doing to promote safety readiness, and outlines the resources, communications tools, and upcoming opportunities for you to provide feedback. We know these are frightening topics, but it is important that we address them openly.

We also want to be clear: NYU is not standing still. We are piloting new approaches and committing to further improvements as we continue to understand this new landscape.

1. Preparing for an Active Threat

Tragic incidents of mass violence are very rare, but preparation saves lives. Working with safety experts, NYU has produced a short video with straightforward guidance on how to respond in the unlikely event of an active threat.

Please take a few minutes to read this explainer and watch the video.

Three essential steps to remember:

  • Escape if you can. Safely flee the area if possible, helping others as you are able.
  • Hide if you cannot escape. Lock or barricade doors, silence your phone, stay quiet and out of sight.
  • Fight if you must as a last resort. If your life is in immediate danger and no other options exist, use what you can to defend yourself.

Active threat preparedness training is available to all NYU students, faculty, and staff. We strongly encourage you to sign up for a training session here.

2. Understanding “Swatting”

In recent months, as noted last week, many major universities have experienced false emergency reports—known as swatting—in which perpetrators use technology to trigger an armed police response to a fabricated threat. These are crimes, not pranks, and they put communities at risk.

What you should know about swatting:

  • What it is: A false report of an active shooter, hostage situation, bomb threat, or other threats of violence made to 911, campus safety, or other university phone numbers or emails.
  • How it works: Often carried out using spoofed numbers or email addresses, VoIP, or AI-generated voices to disguise identity.
  • Why it matters: Police must treat every threat as real until proven otherwise, which creates danger and disruption.
  • Our new reality: Universities across the country are increasingly targeted; we must be ready to respond calmly and effectively.

If you receive a threat:

  • By phone: Stay calm, note details (voice, location, background noises), and alert Campus Safety immediately (212-998-2222). 
    • Call 9-1-1 when lives may be at stake, or there is the prospect of serious injury, serious crime, or serious danger. 
  • By email: Contact Campus Safety at 212-998-2222 or campus.safety@nyu.edu right away and preserve the original message. Do not reply, forward, or delete. 
  • In all cases: Follow the instructions of NYU Campus Safety and law enforcement. Do not attempt to investigate on your own. 

When the University receives a threat:

  • Our first steps will be to immediately 1) contact law enforcement to evaluate its validity and 2) heighten the alert status of campus safety officers: Working with local and federal law enforcement, we seek to establish whether or not a threat is credible. We also place the Department of Campus Safety on heightened alert. 
  • If we deem the threat to be credible, we will communicate safety information: In the event a threat is deemed credible, we will immediately convey any necessary emergency information to the campus community, such as a directive to shelter in place or an announcement of a lockdown. 
  • If, in consultation with law enforcement, a threat is deemed a hoax, we will make the decision whether or not to communicate based on the totality of the circumstances and what best serves the safety and well-being of the NYU community: We will not communicate about every hoax threat because of the potential for disruption and sowing anxiety. However, in instances when we believe communicating will be valuable to explain what is going on or to reassure the community, we will always do so. 

If there are circumstances that warrant closing or locking down all or part of the University and moving all or some activities to remote, we will not hesitate to do so. Each time there is a safety incident, the Department of Campus Safety and the University’s leadership—in consultation with law enforcement authorities—evaluate the proper actions to take to address the safety of students, faculty, administrators, and staff while also taking account of the importance of minimizing disruption to our academic mission.

3. Upcoming Safety and Support Sessions

To ensure that you feel informed, to provide more information on active threat preparedness, and to have a direct channel for feedback, NYU will host school-based drop-in sessions in the coming days and weeks. These sessions will include representatives from Campus Safety, University Life, the Wellness Exchange, the Office of the President (including members of the communications team), and your school leadership.

  • You will receive further details from your deans and respective schools this week. 
  • Sessions will address preparedness, communications, and available resources. 
  • These sessions are also opportunities for you to share feedback directly, helping us understand where NYU’s systems are working, where we need to improve, and how we can better support targeted communities.

4. Communications: How We Reach You

For safety communications, email remains the University’s official communication channel. In the first hours of an incident, when we are working with law enforcement to assess safety concerns, we will provide messages from Campus Safety and NYU Alerts with information and instructions.

In addition, please note the following communication channels:

  • NYU Alerts - Texts and Alerts: Reserved for life-safety incidents or urgent University operations. Messages will begin with “NYU Emergency Alert” or “NYU Alert.” Please make sure your correct phone number is updated to receive text alerts. 
  • Clery Notice or Timely Warning Notice: These are emailed in response to certain crimes in accord with federal requirements. 
  • Campus Advisories: Campus advisories are issued via email to alert the NYU community to conditions that have an impact on campus operations, such as a temporary building closure or a pivot to remote instruction because of a weather event. 
  • Apps: Download both the NYU Mobile and Safe NYU apps for tools, resources, and push notifications. 
  • Social Media: University accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok will also carry important updates during emergencies. Please make sure you’re following these channels. 

We will constantly work to improve and innovate these systems—including how we use texts, apps, and advisories—to ensure you receive timely, clear, and accessible information. We also want to hear from you directly, so please attend your school’s sessions.

5. Resources and Support

We recognize that even preparing for these scenarios can be distressing. Please know that support is always available:

  • Wellness Exchange (24/7): 212-443-9999 
  • Campus Safety: 212-998-2222 
  • Employee Assistance Plan: 888-980-8740 
  • Additional resources and training opportunities are available through the Department of Campus Safety. 
  • For assistance or questions about academic support, please reach out to the Dean’s Office in your home school (every school has a dean of students who can assist with urgent academic matters.)

6. Our Commitment and Next Steps

We want to be transparent about what comes next:

  • Drop-in sessions at schools, as mentioned earlier, with Campus Safety, the Office of the President, University Life, and Wellness staff to strengthen localized safety and communications. 
  • Feedback mechanisms for students, faculty, and staff to provide input at ongoing drop-in sessions. 
  • More innovation: based on community feedback and consultation with law enforcement and our schools and units, we will adapt our approach as needed. 
  • Community members should familiarize themselves with their schools’ emergency coordinators; we’ll ask each school to include that information when they send out information on the drop-in sessions.

Closing

These issues are complex, and there is more to do. But we are committed to listening, innovating, and improving. Together, with your input and vigilance, we will continue working to make NYU a community that is as safe and supportive as possible.