University Police Spokeswoman Meg Ross and USF spokesman Ken Gullette field questions concerning the Cooper Hall bomb threat Wednesday night. ORACLE PHOTO/JOSE LOPEZ JR.

Cooper Hall was shut down last night and will stay closed most of today due to a bomb threat received by University Police Wednesday.

Classes are to be held on schedule but will be relocated to buildings throughout campus.

According to an e-mail sent by College of Arts and Sciences Coordinator for Facilities, Safety and Security Joshua Broer, the written threat was found in a fourth floor bathroom in Cooper Hall.

University Police spokeswoman Meg Ross was unable to confirm or deny this report, as the investigation is ongoing, but did say UP had contacted outside agencies for support.

“Based on the environment we’re in these days, we felt we took all necessary steps,” she said.

Though the threat was received by late afternoon, administrators decided to continue holding classes through Wednesday night. This choice, according to University spokesman Ken Gullette, was a calculated one.

“Classes were moved Thursday for the protection of students, faculty and staff,” Gullette said. “But at the same time we don’t want something like this to disrupt a day where so many students have finals. That’s why we’re not canceling classes. By moving them we are preempting (disruption).”

MoBull, the University’s emergency alert system, was not used to notify students of the threat. However, administrators sent an e-mail around 9 p.m. Wednesday informing students of the closure and alternate course locations.

Officials cited the lack of an immediate threat to campus safety as their basis for not using the MoBull alert system.

“This was not an immediate threat to anyone,” Gullette said. “We want people to know that if they get an alert on MoBull they need to take action now.”

Cooper Hall could be open as early as Thursday afternoon, University officials said.