Villanova University gets all clear after threat closed campus Thursday
Villanova University lifted orders for students to remain indoors in residence halls after assessing a threat that was made to the campus Thursday morning.
The university sent multiple Nova Alerts Thursday, notifying students and employees that all classes and activities were canceled, and all academic buildings would be closed for the day due to a "threat of violence" concerning one particular academic building. The university has not specified which one.
The alerts said the FBI and campus safety personnel were working with other law enforcement partners to investigate, and that the campus would be closed "out of an abundance of caution."
Around 11 a.m., Villanova said students were able to leave their residence halls.
The university said it became aware that multiple other universities received a similar threat.
"Given this information and after law enforcement's safety assessment, individuals on campus no longer need to remain indoors. It is safe to be out on campus," Villanova's 11 a.m. alert read. "There have been no reports of any activity posing a danger to our campus, and an increased police presence will remain in place throughout the day out of an abundance of caution."
The school will be open as normal Friday and in-person classes will resume at that time, Villanova officials said in an update around 1:30 p.m.
In-person graduate classes can be offered Thursday night remotely at the discretion of professors, and online classes can continue as scheduled, the update says. Additionally, the main dining halls, the fitness centers, the health center, the Connelly Center and Falvey Memorial Library will open for student use. Finally, intramural sports scheduled for Thursday evening will go on.
The university has not specified how it received the threat.
Villanova didn't identify the other schools that received threats Thursday, but several other universities and colleges reported getting threatening messages, including NYU, Fordham University and Morris Brown College in Atlanta.
In Georgia, Morris Brown College issued an emergency alert and told students to avoid campus after receiving "notification of a potential threat to campus," CBS News Atlanta reported.
"The FBI's Philadelphia Field Office is aware of recent threats made to universities today. We continue to stay in close coordination with our law enforcement partners. As always, the FBI encourages members of the public to remain vigilant and immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement," an FBI spokesperson said.
As part of Villanova's alert, students who don't live on campus were advised not to come. Faculty and staff were also told not to show up.
Throughout the day, Radnor Township Police and Pennsylvania State Police vehicles patrolled the campus. Additional Villanova Public Safety presence will continue on campus as a precaution, officials said Thursday afternoon.
Students said the incident was frustrating, as they just returned from holiday break to start the semester a week and a half ago.
"Are we ever going to stand up and say this is wrong?" student Anne Murphy said. "This is wrong, and now we are at the mercy of online saboteurs, or whatever you want to call them, who can control a whole university campus and staff. ... It's a sad commentary on life here in the United States."
Student Charlie Moore said an incident like this "disrupts our day."
"Getting back into the routine, and can't get back into that routine if this happens, and it's just annoying, no one really knows what's going on," Moore said.
In August 2025, a Villanova residence hall was evacuated after authorities were notified of an active shooter threat, which was later confirmed to be fake. Sources previously told CBS News Philadelphia a suspect from another state had been identified in that case. The FBI has repeatedly declined to comment.
