A threat alert sent to students Sunday night provoked mixed emotions among those receiving it.

A campus alert went out to all NIU students and faculty at about 6:45 p.m. Sunday night. The alert issued a statement concerning a threat found late Saturday night written on the wall in a Grant Tower D bathroom stall.

It appears that most students were informed of the alert before the actual e-mail was sent out. Some students even received an automated voice message alerting them of the threat.

“At 7:52 I got an automated voice message from the university stating basically that there was a Virginia Tech reference for December 10th in the Holmes Student Center and students should stay alert,” said Cameron Harmon, senior public health major and Grant Tower D resident.

The majority of students polled found out through personal text messages from friends.

“A lot of people texted me. I got 22 new text messages from friends freaking out,” said Joseph Cole, a sophomore business major who hadn’t even read the e-mail.

“I got the e-mail, but I first found out through texts from friends. At first I didn’t think too much of it until there was a campus alert,” said Casmir Zollicoffer, a finance major and Grant Tower D resident.

Other students found out through word of mouth.

“My friend is on the sixth floor and said it was in the girl’s bathroom,” said Tonae Mcfulson, a freshman special education major. “I’m getting out of here. They think this is a joke. If it is a joke we are not going to play with them.”

An alert was placed on the front desks of the North and South Grant Towers for students to see, but by the time they were actually placed on the desks most people had already gotten word of the threat.

“They put the alert on the desk around 7:50,” said senior nursing major Glenda Nelson, who was working at the front desk of Grant South. “I really haven’t gotten any calls to the desk, but I have gotten text messages personally.”

Parents and students reacted differently when learning of the threat.

“We’ve had a million phone calls from parents, friends, and students,” said senior statistics major DeJuan Henderson, who works at the front desk in both Grant North and South. “One parent called and wanted to know what the police are doing already. It’s unbelievable.”

Residents remained unsure of what to do to ensure their safety.

“So far I’ve seen four people leave. Every resident who passes by is on their phone trying to get a ride home,” said sophomore nursing major Dominique Milici, who works at the front desk of Grant North. “One girl called us and asked if she should stay in her room.”

A handful of students chose to actually leave the premises until the scare subsided.

“I’m just trying to look out for myself,” said freshman sociology major Latoya Winters, who was one of the students contemplating leaving. “I called my family and they said I should leave whether it is real or fake.”

Others chose to remain calm and not worry about the whole thing, keeping in mind the importance of finals beginning Monday.

“I’m not scared; I’m going to take my final tomorrow anyway,” said freshman nursing major Tiffany Shelby. “How is it going to happen when police are all around?”