CSUB Lockdown Reveals Gaps in Emergency Alert System

Some students, faculty, and staff did not receive emergency alerts during a campus lockdown, raising questions about the effectiveness of CSUB's safety protocols and communication systems.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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When an anonymous call reporting a potential school-shooting threat came into the Cal State Bakersfield University IT Department, parts of the campus community were left in the dark despite a lockdown taking place. Some students, faculty, and staff did not receive emergency alerts, and there were issues with the third-party vendor used to send the alerts. The university is now reviewing the incident and plans to switch to a new emergency alert vendor used by other CSU campuses.

Why it matters

The incident has highlighted the importance of having an effective emergency alert system in place to ensure the safety of the campus community. The failure to notify all students, faculty, and staff during the lockdown raises concerns about the university's preparedness and ability to respond to potential threats.

The details

The anonymous call came in around 2:45 p.m. on February 2, and the university went into lockdown. University Police Chief Maricela Gonzalez said the third-party vendor, Finalsite, failed to process all names on the alert list, and some contact information may have been outdated. CSUB's public information officer, Jennifer Self, explained that the university provides the vendor with a distribution list, which the vendor then uses to send alerts. Even before the lockdown, the University Police Department was coordinating with the FBI and Bakersfield Police Department to identify the caller and assess the threat.

  • The anonymous call came in around 2:45 p.m. on February 2.
  • The lockdown took place on February 2.

The players

Dr. Vernon B. Harper

The president of Cal State Bakersfield University.

Maricela Gonzalez

The University Police Chief at Cal State Bakersfield University.

Jennifer Self

The public information officer at Cal State Bakersfield University.

Keith Schlecht

A sergeant with the Bakersfield Police Department.

Keyauna Robertson

A student at Bakersfield College.

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What they’re saying

“Remaining calm and focused in the face of a potential threat is difficult, and I appreciate your cooperation.”

— Dr. Vernon B. Harper, President (Email to campus community)

“A large part of the issue was the third-party vendor not properly processing all the names that needed to be added to the alert list. Some of it may have also been outdated contact information from students, staff, and faculty.”

— Maricela Gonzalez, University Police Chief (therunneronline.com)

“Students, faculty, and staff are responsible for making sure their contact information is updated in MyCSUB or MyHR to ensure emergency alerts are received.”

— Jennifer Self, Public Information Officer (therunneronline.com)

“The priority was the child development center. Transportation was provided for kids on campus.”

— Keith Schlecht, Sergeant (therunneronline.com)

“Faculty and staff did an amazing job protecting students, and student services were offered to check on mental health.”

— Keyauna Robertson, Student (therunneronline.com)

What’s next

CSUB is reviewing the incident and plans to switch to a new emergency alert vendor used by other CSU campuses.

The takeaway

The CSUB lockdown incident has highlighted the importance of having a reliable and effective emergency alert system in place to ensure the safety of the campus community. The university's response and communication gaps during the lockdown have raised concerns about the need for improved emergency preparedness and the importance of maintaining accurate contact information for all students, faculty, and staff.