A South Carolina State University student walks outside the school’s new engineering building Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. The school has heightened security in response to threats made to other Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the Southeast (File photo by Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette)
South Carolina State University put added security measures in place in response to unspecified threats made to several Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the Southeast.
SC State has not received any direct threats, spokesman Sam Watson said, but the school has heightened security as a precaution. Security personnel stationed at campus entrances are checking photo IDs of students, employees and visitors before allowing people to enter.
Watson called this “standard operating procedure” for the school any time there is a potential safety risk.
The school is instructing students and staff to report any suspicious activity to the campus Public Safety office at 803-536-7188.
In other states, some schools are locking down their campuses and cancelling classes in response to threats.
Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana went on lockdown Thursday morning, citing “a potential threat to campus safety,” according to the Louisiana Illuminator, a States Newsroom affiliate. The school asked members of the public not to enter campus until further notice.
Lockdowns also have been confirmed at other HBCUs including:
Bethune-Cookman University, in Daytona Beach, Florida
Spelman College, in Atlanta
Virginia State University
Claflin University, Allen University and Benedict College did not immediately respond to messages from the SC Daily Gazette.