Talking Stick - May/June 2019 - 24

JUST IN

It Figures

SERVE
AND

PROTECT
When you work in campus housing,
security is more than just job one. It is
a way of life that is built into policies
and practices as well as stressed in staff
training and student orientation - and
with good reason. Security numbers
from the National Center for Education
Statistics (https://nces.ed.gov/programs/
digest/d17/tables/dt17_329.10.asp) for
"on-campus crimes, arrests, and referrals
for disciplinary action at degree-granting
postsecondary institutions" in the United
States show an overall reduction in crime
between 2001 and 2015. Yet, for 2015, in
residence halls alone, there were still
almost 14,000 "selected crimes against
persons and property," more than 21,000
arrests related to weapons, drugs, and
liquor, and just less than 221,000 "referrals
for disciplinary actions."
While purposeful decisions in residence hall design can help make students
more safe (see story on page 46), there are
a number of additional security and crisis
management steps taken by campuses.
According to 2018-19 Campus Housing
Index data (acuho-i.org/chi), with information from more than 300 institutions,
security features range from text message
emergency alert systems to emergency
supply kits and panic buttons. Meanwhile,
crisis management plans are in place for
incidents ranging from cyber disruption to
a natural disaster to a pandemic. Among
the responses were the following:

Crisis management systems available on campus (check all that apply)
29% Website specifically for posting campus housing-related emergency
information
50% PA system
51%

Panic buttons in/around campus housing

51%

Crisis hotline

58% Emergency supply kits in campus housing
59% Campus sirens
65% Key/card access control for campus housing interior doors during
the daytime
66% Key/card access control for campus housing interior doors during the
evening and night
68% Safe rides to and from campus housing to other campus buildings
69% Security cameras in the interior of campus housing buildings, in lobbies,
stairwells, etc.
70% Central website for posting campus-wide emergency information
78%

Security cameras on the exterior of campus housing buildings

81%

Safety escorts to and from campus housing to other campus buildings

87%

Automatic email alerts

88% Emergency phones in/around campus housing
88% Key/card access control for campus housing exterior doors during
the daytime
94% Key/card access control for campus housing exterior doors during the
evening and night
97%

Text message emergency alert system

Circumstances covered by departmental and/or division's crisis
management plan (check all that apply)
35%

Cyber disruption (Internet/website unavailable, hacking)

48% All hazards
49% Terrorism
67%

Mass student and/or staff casualties

68% Public disturbance
75%

Pandemic illness (mumps, measles, influenza)

76%

Bias-related incident

83% Bomb threat
85% Environmental disasters (tornado, tidal wave or tsunami, flood,
blizzard, hurricane)
86% Active shooter
87%

Student death (medical, homicide, suicide)

88% Mental health (depression, anxiety)
89% Missing student
90% Suicidal ideation (prevention and reaction)
91%

Sexual assault

92% Fire (arson or accidental)
94% Facilities issues (flooding, power outage, chemical spill, etc.)

24

TALKING STICK
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_329.10.asp https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d17/tables/dt17_329.10.asp http://www.acuho-i.org/chi
Talking Stick - May/June 2019

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