Shortly following the incidents that took place on December 3, 2021, I started conducting a personal investigation regarding the proper and efficient use of the Regroup Mass Notification System by Florida Tech. During this event, Florida Tech failed to adequately inform the campus community of any potential danger in an efficient and effective manner. This breached the Emergency Alert Protocol as students were not properly informed of threats until roughly two and a half hours (150 minutes) after the events concluded. I present these concerns to you today after President McCay failed to acknowledge any of my informative efforts and Dean Bowers did not take said issues seriously. Both parties failed to provide any relevant information and either deferred said concerns elsewhere or refused to acknowledge them altogether. Florida Tech Administration’s suppressive practices and overall lack of concern, information, and urgency regarding important issues is completely unacceptable. The inability to address, accept and adapt from this situation while showing full transparency further defines the incompetence and irresponsibility of those in power at this institution. Additionally, hiding Florida Tech’s potential breach of security protocol behind the facade of being understaffed is inexcusable and further enforces the fact that Florida Tech is ill-equipped to properly follow protocol, let alone protect its students and campus. By no means do I expect this petition alone to invoke change within this institution. I plan to use the support of the student body, along with the reputation-threatening nature provided by petitions, to pressure university administration to properly address previously suppressed concerns such as this one. Out of respect for this university and those in power, I have refrained from speaking negatively and taking a different course of action to negatively impact the reputation of this institution. Unless the concerns of students are taken seriously and the university shows full transparency regarding this issue and efficiently resolves the stated problems, I will be forced to go about further exposing this university. If those currently in power are unable to properly address and resolve issues from the student body, I highly implore this institution to find somebody else who can. Thank you for your time and I look forward to resolving this issue soon and being completely transparent with the campus community as my investigation continues.

For your convenience and educational purposes, I have attached a google drive folder containing the following information supporting my efforts: 

• My initial letter of concern sent to President McCay, Dean Bowers, Frank Iannone, etc;
• The police report provided by the Melbourne Police Department
• Dean Bowers’ response and a further discussion containing:
  
  • His general dismissal of my concerns
  • Contradictory statements regarding campus discussions and if/ when they started
  • His observed lack of care and urgency
• Florida Tech’s Emergency Alert Policy (Signed by President McCay)
• Florida Tech’s Timely Warning Policy (Signed by President McCay)
• My follow-up email sent to Cat Nanney and SGA: This email was acknowledged and I have since been working with SGA in order to properly address and solve the problem with administrators overall  lack of care for the student body's concerns 

Drive Folder Link: Bartsch v. Florida Tech  

If you would like to further support my efforts for change, want more information, or would like your voice to properly be heard, please feel free to email me directly at mbartsch2020@my.fit.edu