In the days since IU student Lauren Spierer disappeared, the volume of the search has increased to a national level.

Locally, however, the University’s response has been comparatively muted.

Official campus action seemed slow at first, but Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith had actually started quietly reaching out to Lauren’s family by the end of the weekend she disappeared.

On June 6, Goldsmith sent an email to faculty and staff.

“As you have likely heard by now, IU student Lauren Spierer has been missing since early Friday and the Bloomington Police Department is conducting an intensive investigation with IU Police assisting in every way necessary,”
Goldsmith stated.

He instructed campus maintenance workers to search all campus buildings and grounds, including construction sites.

“We’re looking where we can, doing anything we can to assure the family that Lauren is not on campus,” Goldsmith said.

IU-Notify, the University’s emergency alert system, did not send out any messages regarding Spierer’s disappearance.

Deborah Fletcher, director of IU Emergency Management and Continuity, said this was because IU-Notify is usually reserved for developing situations on the campus itself, such as severe weather, a campus shooter or a terrorist attack.

Read the rest of this story at the Indiana Daily Student.