Campus gets a safety Web site
USU has created a campus safety Web site in response to a national increase in student suicide and threatening behavior, a rising expectation from parents about university safety involvement, as well as a legislative bill requiring all universities to have a safety emergency notification system.
Student safety resources have been available in the past at USU but this is the first time all of the different resources have been pulled together into one central location, said Eric Olsen, USU interim assistant vice president for student life.
“This is a serious issue that we all take very seriously,” Olsen said. “There is a false sense of security at USU and even though we have a relatively safe campus, there is still a potential for danger.”
The campus safety Web site includes a campus-wide emergency notification through Connect Ed to contact students in case of emergency as well as give them safety resources and emergency contacts, Olsen said. Information and training to help students of concern, or those that show disruptive, distressed or threatening behavior can be accessed. A change to the student code concerning threatening behavior is available to see along with crime prevention programs and workplace violence assistance, he said.
Faculty, staff and students are also able to report students of concern, Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Info (SAAVI), and crime or suspicious circumstances on the Web site directly, which will be reviewed by campus authorities, he said.
Training for faculty and staff is being conducted by the Behavior Intervention Team (BIT) to help students of concern. BIT is made up of the USU Judicial officer, Campus Police, the Disability Resource Center and the Counseling Center, said Mary Doty, USU Counseling Center director. USU faculty and staff are learning to recognize students of concern, to know how and when to talk to students and where to refer them to, she said.
Changes to the student code for recognizing potentially dangerous behavior include harm or abuse upon yourself, threats of suicide, harm to others or yourself and disruptive and threatening behavior. The code changes are minor in comparison to the programs and efforts on campus for safety awareness and intervention, Doty said. The student code changes simply allow USU to deal with situations with more clarity than in the past, Olsen said.
“I think that the code changes and all the efforts for campus safety are a step in the right direction, broadening the university’s ability to help students with behavioral challenges holistically,” said Tiffany Evans, USU Student Involvement and Leadership Center director.
Prevention of any safety-threatening behavior is the main focus of the campus safety Web site, Doty said. USU’s goal is to keep students healthy in school while maintaining campus safety; extreme measures may be taken but the university wants to help students in need, she said.
–monica.swapp@aggiemail.usu.edu