Oct. 06--The College of DuPage will reopen Tuesday after a bomb threat was called in at the campus of the school in Glen Ellyn Monday evening, causing classes to be canceled, according to an alert issued on its website.
According to the website, the college received the threat, and "in light of recent events," has chosen to cancel classes for Monday evening.
A school spokesman said that shortly after the threat was received, they evacuated the campus about 6 p.m. Glen Ellyn police as well as campus police were searching the grounds, according to the spokesman.
The college is scheduled to be open for normal hours of operation Tuesday morning, according to an update on the college's website late Monday evening.
Belongings left in classrooms have been collected by College of DuPage police and can be picked up at the college's Student Resource Center in Room 2100, according to the alert. Students and faculty can also call 630-942-2000 for more information.
COD trustee Frank Napolitano said given the incidents that have occurred over the past week, with the recent murders at a community college in Oregon and bomb threats at another community college in Oregon, "you have to take these things seriously."
"It's a crazy world out there," Napolitano said.
On Monday evening, campus police were searching the buildings using dogs. Some students and others in classrooms heard alarms and were told to evacuate, but many thought it was simply a drill. Some left their belongings in the buildings and were waiting for the all-clear before going back in to retrieve items.
Gianna Hauger, of Glendale Heights, a dental hygiene student who was attending a class Monday, said students heard the alarm shortly before 6 p.m. and immediately evacuated the building.
"I've been waiting for two hours, and I hope this is a false alarm," she said. "I didn't know it was a bomb scare until I looked it up on the (COD) website."
She left her belongings in the building and said she was waiting for someone to bring her a spare car key so she could drive home.
Karen Solt, an associate dean, was standing outside one of the buildings with a group of students and faculty. She said she has worked at the college since 2004, and this is the only time she has been evacuated from the building.
Bill Peacy, a chemistry professor who was also standing outside waiting to get back into the building, said as a former police officer he realizes that these kinds of threats have to be taken seriously. He said the campus was in transition between afternoon and evening classes when the alarm went off.
Freelance reporters Alex Keown and David Sharos contributed.
