Statement from GSU President Gallot

Dear Grambling Family,

I am sad to confirm what many of you know, that early this morning we lost one of our Grambling State University students, Earl Andrews, and a visitor to the campus, Monquiarious Caldwell. We offer our deepest condolences to their families. We are working with authorities to do all that we can to ensure your safety on campus, our first priority.

The event that occurred was an isolated incident. The campus is open for standard hours today, and the university Comprehensive Counseling Center in the Foster-Johnson Health Center is open and available for students, faculty and staff. Please call (318) 274-3277, or after hours, call (318) 274-2222.

There will be a student-led prayer vigil “on the yard” near Favrot Student Union at 5:00 p.m. today.

This morning I have been in constant contact with our university leaders, state and local police, and our governor, John Bel Edwards, to make sure we are well resourced to keep our campus community safe and help us recover from this event.

For anyone who has details related to this morning’s event, we encourage you to contact the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office at (318) 548-3160. Your name and information can remain anonymous.

After consultation with GSU Student Government Association leadership, we will proceed with our academic and event schedules as planned in the coming week, including all homecoming events. You will see increased police and security this week, and we ask that you be patient with any related delays.

Our students, their parents, faculty, staff, and alumni are our first priority. In the coming weeks, we will work with you to get your input on how we can maintain and enhance campus safety.

In the meantime, I ask that you do what we as the “GramFam” have always done: look out for one another. Alert an authority if you see anything suspicious or find yourself in a situation where someone’s safety is in jeopardy. Always remember that this is our university and it’s our collective responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the campus community.

You may also follow the official university social media outlets at @Grambling1901 for updated information.

Sincerely,
Richard J. Gallot, Jr., J.D.
President

President Gallot’s Statement (PDF)