Welcome to the 2015-2016 academic year! Our goal is to provide a safe living, learning, and working environment for everyone at Ohio Wesleyan.
This message outlines basic safety protocols that we ask you to follow at all times. In addition, for those with vehicles on campus, we caution you to always lock your car doors and never leave your valuables in plain sight. Central Ohio currently is experiencing an increase valuables being stolen from vehicles, typically from cars left unlocked.
If you have questions or concerns about campus safety, please don’t hesitate to contact the Department of Public Safety at 740-368-2222 or psafety@owu.edu. If you have a police, fire, or medical emergency – call 911 immediately.
GENERAL SAFETY PROTOCOLS:
- Carry a cellular telephone at all times. Pre-program the phone to call Public Safety at 740-368-2222 and to recognize an incoming call from 740-368-3411 as an urgent OWU ALERT.
- Register to receive urgent OWU ALERT information. To activate or update your OWU ALERT account, visit the myOWU gateway, click the “menu” option in the upper left-hand corner, chose “Quick Links,” and chose “OWU Alert Info” from either the Student Links or Faculty and Staff Links box. Complete the OWU ALERT form with your preferred telephone, email, and text-message contact points. Click “submit changes” to record your contact preferences.
- Report any suspicious activity or incident immediately. Immediate reporting greatly increases the ability of law enforcement officers to apprehend suspects. For emergencies, call 911 to reach the Delaware Police Department. For OWU Public Safety, call 740-368-2222.
- Safeguard your Ohio Wesleyan ID card. Report any loss or theft immediately to Public Safety so that the card can be deactivated.
- Be an advocate for your friends and colleagues. If you witness others who are impaired or in distress, be an advocate for them to ensure they get help and get to a safe, secure environment.
- Get to a safe place as quickly as possible if you feel threatened. Call for help as soon you feel you are out of immediate danger.
- Walk with others. If you have safety concerns and need a Public Safety escort, call 740-368-2222 for assistance.
- Walk and jog in busy, well-lighted areas.
- Check twice before entering a crosswalk. Even if you have the right-of-way, check both ways to ensure that motorists see you and are coming to a stop to allow you to cross. Use push-button “walk” mechanisms when available.
- Do not use headphones, text, or talk on the telephone as you walk. You should always be able to hear, see, and quickly respond to what is going on around you.
- Ensure that doors and windows are locked when you leave an area. Do not prop open doors, and do not allow strangers to follow you into locked buildings.
- Report broken/malfunctioning locks to Building & Grounds as soon as problems are detected.
- Lock vehicles and remove valuables from view. Lock valuables in the trunk or move them to a secure indoor space.
- Never leave valuables unattended. This includes not leaving purses, laptop computers, and other valuable items unguarded. Consider marking valuable items with infrared dye, which is invisible to the naked eye. Marking pens are available at the Public Safety walk-up window in Room 120 of Smith Hall.
- Password-protect all portable electronic devices.
IMMEDIATE THREAT TO CAMPUS:
If the campus community needs to shelter in place in response to an immediate threat, please follow these basic guidelines:
- Get to a safe place as quickly as possible and secure yourself there. Lock and/or barricade doors as possible for your immediate area. (If you are in a classroom, or similar, do not leave a safe space to reach personal offices, residence hall rooms, etc.)
- Assess your surroundings to identify potential secondary escape routes and possible ways to subdue/disarm an assailant in a life-threatening situation. (Could you break a window if needed? Do you have pepper spray with you? Do you have access to heavy objects that may be thrown or otherwise used to subdue/disarm an assailant?)
- Stay sheltered until you receive an all-clear message. This message likely will be sent via the OWU ALERT system.
Together, we can help to ensure a more secure environment for the entire campus community. Again, please review this message and contact the Department of Public Safety at 740-368-2222 or psafety@owu.edu with questions.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Robert A. Wood
Director of Public Safety
Ohio Wesleyan University