The Human Services Building is open today after being evacuated Thursday morning due to reports of a suspicious package.

Vicki Woodard, the university spokesperson, said the building was cleared at about 9 a.m. after a “suspicious package” was hand-delivered to the building. Woodward could not comment on what the package was or what department it was delivered to.

Text messages from the Alert EIU system were sent out at about 11:30 a.m. informing students that the Human Services building was temporarily closed as a precaution in response to a suspicious package. The message also referred recipients to check their Eastern e-mail account.

An e-mail from Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs, was sent at about 11:15 a.m. informing recipients that the building had been temporarily closed after a suspicious package report was made and investigation was ongoing.

At 11:44 a.m., another e-mail was sent informing recipients that the package was not a threat and the building would reopen immediately. A text message was also sent from the Alert EIU system.

Woodard said procedure for events like this one are to first contact the University Police Department. She also said she did not know when officials would finish their investigation, because the threat was not seen as criminal activity.

“I don’t think there’s a timeline on that,” Woodward said.

A press release from Woodard said Charleston Fire and Rescue, the University of Illinois/Champaign Police Department bomb squad and the UPD responded to the report.

James Williams, Eastern campus police officer, allows a car to pass near the Human Services Building Thursday. Human Services and the immediate area were closed to most traffic due to a suspicious package that was delivered to the building. (Jordan Boner

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