Editor’s Note: For the third straight year, ACUI will introduce a series of topics with the intent to inform members on the most relevant issues affecting student unions and the campus community. In this issue, co-authors Xavier Wilson, University of Michigan, and Larry Payne, from the architectural firm AEWorks, look at emergency preparedness from two different views—the long and the short.
The instantaneous dissemination of news through social media may lead some to view college campuses as unsafe environments. The livestreamed assassination of Charlie Kirk in September in front of students, followed by fatal shootings at campuses including Northern Kentucky and Brown later in the year, underscored this concern as the year ended.
Statistics from the Campus Safety and Security Branch of the U.S. Department of Education paint a broader picture that shows reports of crimes on college campuses dropped by over 30% between 2005 and 2023 (from 66,221 to 41,801). It is worth noting that the number of reported crimes in 2023 was the highest seen since 2011. There were four fatal shooting incidents on campuses in 2025, none in 2024, two in 2023, one in 2022. By comparison, there were at least 116 fatal shootings at K–12 schools between 2022 and 2024.
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Xavier Wilson is currently senior associate director of unions at the University of Michigan, a role in which he oversees operations, facility management, audio-visual systems, safety, security, and emergency planning. Wilson has a Master of Science in educational leadership from Winona State University and a bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in electronic publishing and theatre. Prior to his role as senior associate director, Wilson was director of the Michigan League and the Inn at the League, the university’s public hotel located within the historic student union.
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Lawrence Payne (AIA, NCARB, LEED AP) is a principal at AE Works and a nationally recognized leader in Prevention through Design (PtD) and higher education architecture. With more than 35 years of experience, he has led complex educational and institutional projects that prioritize safety, adaptability, and long-term performance. His work spans large-scale academic buildings, transformative renovations, and historic restorations, all grounded in a commitment to creating environments that elevate the student and faculty experience. Payne is instrumental in advancing PtD within AE Works’ design process, embedding proactive risk mitigation and safety considerations into every phase of planning and design.
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