Staying Safe on Campus
Whether your student is minutes or hours away from home, you may be concerned at times regarding their safety. This is sometimes heightened by a new crime story on the news at night. As Tennessee Tech's University Police Department remains committed to providing the highest quality professional law enforcement and public safety services to the campus community, it doesn’t hurt to inform your student on safety tips while on campus
Never walk alone at night. Whether they are visiting friends in another residence hall, heading back after a night class or on the way to the library to get some late-night studying in, advise your student to avoid walking alone at night. Suggest setting up a buddy system with their friends, taking the campus shuttle system or location sharing with you or a friend.
Keep doors locked and belongings secured at all times. Your student needs to get in the habit of always locking the door behind them whether it be their car, residence hall, apartment, house, etc. This is not only a safe practice but also creates a good habit after they graduate and move out on their own.
Pay attention to visitors in the residence halls. At Tech, each residence hall can only be entered with the residents’ Eagle Cards. However it is not uncommon for someone to hold the door for the person behind them when walking in. Remind your student to try to become as familiar as possible with the students living in their building and take caution if they see an unfamiliar face.
Make safety plans when going out. Before heading out for a social gathering, tell your student to discuss a clear plan for how they are getting home later on that night. This can involve who is riding with whom, what time the group is planning on leaving, etc.
Know about campus safety services. Tech’s University Police are on campus and available 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Additionally, they partner with local law enforcement officials and emergency response teams to support the campus community. Throughout campus, there are safety phones available that students can press if they feel in danger or need to report an emergency. The yellow phones are easy to spot with a blue light on top. When pressed, the device directly contacts University Police and notifies them of the location of the individual. Another option that your student can take advantage of is a police escort. If they ever feel uncomfortable walking across campus at night, they can call University Police at 931-372-3234 and one of the officers will escort them to their vehicle.
Report suspicious activity. If your student sees a stranger leave bags or packages unattended, sees someone driving
by slowly or feels as though they are being followed, encourage them to contact University
Police. Many young adults do not report suspicious activity, but be sure to stress
the importance of doing so to your student. Even if the suspected person does not
hurt your student, reporting it can save another student from falling victim.
Source: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-to-stay-safe-on-a-college-campus
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