Health and Safety

Office of Campus Safety

Room 112, Strebel Student Center

All campus emergencies should be reported immediately to the Office of Campus Safety. Campus Safety officers can be reached any day, 24 hours a day, by dialing (315) 792-3046 or 611. This puts the caller in direct communication with the officers through the duty phone.

The College requires students to conduct themselves in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and to respect personal and institutional property and the personal dignity of all members of the College community. Conduct that violates these requirements, or the regulations that follow, will subject the violator to disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the College.

Please keep in mind that the safety and the security of community members and their property is the highest priority for Campus Safety staff. While the Office of Campus Safety is dedicated to making Utica College the safest place possible, each of us must assume responsibility for our own personal protection.

ID Cards

All full-time and part-time students must have a valid UC student ID card. The card is the official College identification for students and should be carried at all times. Students must present their UC ID to any College official (e.g., safety officers, residence life personnel, etc.) upon request. Students who are distance learners may request an ID card by logging on to www.utica.edu/academic/uticaonline/idcard.cfm  All other students may obtain ID cards by visiting the Office of Campus Safety.

The ID card is required to use the library and other College facilities. In addition, the ID card serves as a meal card for students who are on a College meal plan and provides entry to residential students for the hall in which they live. Loss of a card should be reported immediately to the Office of Campus Safety. A fee of $20 is charged for a replacement card. Damaged cards will be replaced at no charge if the pieces are returned.

For additional information about Campus Safety and the services they provide, see the Campus Safety Web page at www.utica.edu/safety.

Reporting Emergencies

Any student, faculty member, or employee can report a crime or other emergency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Call 611 or (315) 792-3046. This puts callers in direct communication with the Office of Campus Safety and the College’s safety officers on patrol (through their hand-held radios). A crime can be reported 24 hours a day every day. The Office of Campus Safety will respond to and investigate all reports of crimes, then will notify the proper police agencies in accordance with mandated reporting procedures.
• Guardian, an app available through Rave Mobile Safety, has a tip line feature, which can be used to report crime and suspicious activity. To find out how to get the app, please visit http://www.utica.edu/finance/environment/safety/psafety.cfm

Failure to produce identification when directed by a safety officer is a serious breach of College regulations and will result in disciplinary action. Any person hindering campus safety officers in the execution of their duties is subject to College discipline and/or arrest by local police agencies.

RaveGuardian app

In an effort to increase safety for everyone on campus, Utica College is now offering students, faculty, and staff a mobile phone app with several features to promote safety on our campus.  Some of these features include Set Safety Timers, Appoint a Personal Guardian and Create a Safety Profile.  More information can be found at http://www.utica.edu/finance/environment/safety/raveguardian.cfm

Personal Security Recommendations

Although the number of crimes committed at the College is relatively low, there are safety tips and precautions that students can follow to reduce their vulnerability.

For students living on campus:

• Always lock your doors when leaving your room, even for a moment.
• Never leave valuables lying around unattended or in plain view.
• Never allow anyone into your room unless you know who they are.
• Avoid walking alone, and avoid dark, unlit areas.
• Never loan another individual any key(s) that has been issued to you by the College.
• Report any suspicious persons or activity to the Office of Campus Safety immediately.
• Always use available peepholes.
• Never prop open any exterior doors to the halls.
• Close and lock all windows when you leave your room, especially if you are on the first floor.
• Store all easily removable valuables out of sight, preferably in a locked drawer or closet. Don’t leave valuables on top of your dresser.
• Require identification and authorization from all service people who wish to enter your room.
• When going to the shower, lock your room door and keep your key with you in the shower. Do not leave it in the pocket of clothing outside the shower stall.

For students living off-campus:

• Avoid leaving large amounts of cash around the house. If this is unavoidable, conceal it well.
• Set your telephone ring tone to “low” when you are going to be away.
• Avoid listing your address when you advertise something for sale.
• Stop deliveries of mail, newspapers, etc. when leaving your home for a period of time.
• Ask a neighbor to watch your home and to report suspicious activity to the police department.
• Use a timer to turn on room lights, TV, or radios at night.
• Double check before you leave home to be certain all doors and windows are locked, gas is turned off on your stove, and all appliances (e.g., irons) have been turned off or unplugged.
• Hide or give someone outside of your home a key to your apartment, in case of emergency.
• Consider conducting a safety analysis of your home to review smoke detectors, combustible material, fire extinguishers, poisonous substances, and electrical wiring.
• Avoid leaving notes on your door saying you are out.

For both on and off campus students, the Office of Campus Safety suggests making a record of serial numbers, models, brand names, and a description of all valuables. Stolen property cannot lawfully be reclaimed unless it can be positively identified.

Campus Safety Enforcement of Policies and Laws

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Campus Safety personnel enforce New York state law and campus regulations regarding underage possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, and weapons. No alcoholic beverages are allowed in common areas of the College such as residence hall lounges and campus grounds. Students of legal drinking age may have alcoholic beverages in their residence hall rooms as long as possession and use are consistent with New York state law and College regulations.

Student organizations may request permission from the dean of students to hold an event where alcohol is served. At all such approved events, sponsoring organizations must comply with New York state alcoholic beverage control laws. The frequency of these events is controlled by the dean of students in consultation with the dean of students.

Illegal drugs are not permitted on campus. Possession and use of drugs may result in arrest and action through the College’s conduct system. Violations of the New York state alcoholic beverage laws and New York state drug laws may result in arrest and action through the College’s conduct system.

Utica College makes available to all students and employees of the College a substance abuse prevention program consisting of educational programs, counseling, and referral to off-campus agencies. For more information about such programs, see the “Regulations on the Use of Alcohol ” section of the Student Handbook.

Fire Equipment and Fire Alarms

This equipment is maintained for the student’s protection and safety in compliance with the laws of the state of New York. Violation or abuse of this equipment will result in severe disciplinary action by the College and/or criminal prosecution.

If you discover fire or smoke, pull the nearest fire alarm and quickly call 611 or (315) 792-3046 and give your name, the building, floor, and room where you have discovered fire and/or smoke. 911 is available and should be used in serious situations. The 911 operator cannot trace your location, so speak clearly and slowly when telling your situation and state your exact location on campus.

If the fire alarm sounds, take the following steps:

• Move quickly, but do not run. Do not stop to collect valuables.
• Before opening a door, feel it near the top for heat. If it is cool, open it slowly. If smoke is present, close the door and use another route.
• Always close the doors behind you to limit the spread of fire and smoke. If you must go through heat or heavy smoke, remember they rise.
• Crawl, keeping your face very close to the floor. This procedure applies when opening doors; stay low and reach up to turn the knob. If you are trapped, stuff a sheet under the door to keep smoke out.
• Open a window slightly at the top and bottom to let air in, and yell for help.
• Once you’re out of danger, move well away from the building. If a meeting place has been arranged, go there. Do not leave the scene or rescuers may believe you are trapped in the building.
• Do not reenter the building under any circumstances unless you are notified by a fire official or College employee that it is safe to do so.

Fire drills will be held periodically each semester. Failure to vacate the premises during a fire drill will result in disciplinary action. Serious sanctions will be imposed upon anyone who remains in a building when a fire alarm is sounding and/or who tampers with fire safety equipment.

Firearms and Dangerous Instruments

Possession of firearms or other dangerous weapons is not permitted on campus. Any person who possesses a firearm on College property is in violation of the penal law of the state of New York and is guilty of a misdemeanor. Firearms are not permitted in the residence halls at any time. It is a violation of New York state law to possess weapons in residence halls even if residents are licensed to possess such weapons.

Any person who possesses a gravity knife, switchblade knife, cane sword, billy club, blackjack, bludgeon, metal knuckles, sandclub, chukka sticks, nightsticks, slingshot, or BB gun is in violation of the penal law of the state of New York and is guilty of a misdemeanor. These instruments are not permitted in the residence halls or elsewhere on campus.

Reporting Incidents and Maintaining Statistics

Campus Safety Office personnel submit accurate reports of crimes to the director as they occur. All incident reports or crimes involving students are immediately reported to the appropriate administrators, including the director of student conduct & community standards and the dean of students.  They are also immediately reported to the director of residence life if the student resides in the residence halls or the incident occurs in the residence halls.

The Office of Campus Safety maintains a close working relationship with all local police agencies. As part of this working relationship, criminal activity occurring on campus is reported to these agencies. Through frequent contacts with police agencies, off-campus criminal activities and violations of penal law are monitored by the Office of Campus Safety.

All incidents reported to the Office of Campus Safety are tracked in a weekly incident activity report. Each crime that occurs on campus is filed and categorized for compilation reporting in accordance with the law.

Through multiple media sources such as the College’s website, flyers, the College’s Daysheet, and articles in the student newspaper, the campus community is informed of safety concerns and urged to promptly report crimes to the Office of Campus Safety and police.

Guardian, an app available through Rave Mobile Safety, has a tip line feature, which can be used to report crime and suspicious activity. To find out how to get the app, please visit http://www.utica.edu/finance/environment/safety/psafety.cfm

For information on general security procedures and practices, see the Campus Safety webpage at http://www.utica.edu/finance/environment/safety/.

Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act

In November 1990, the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act was signed into law. The law requires each institution receiving Title IV student aid assistance to set forth its policies on crime prevention issues and to give statistics on the number of specific crimes that have occurred on campus and the number of arrests or persons referred for campus disciplinary action for various violations.

In compliance with the law, the Office of Campus Safety annually publishes and distributes to the campus community a safety awareness brochure that contains these campus safety policies and resources as well as the statistics on campus crime. To view a copy of this publication, visit the Campus Safety segment of the Utica College Web site at www.utica.edu/finance/environment/safety/media/campussafety.pdf.

Additionally, upon request, the Advisory Committee on Campus Safety will provide all campus crime statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education. The College contact authorized to provide these statistics for Utica College is the dean of students, who can be reached at (315) 792-3100. Any person requesting campus crime statistics will be provided a hard copy, by mail, of information required under 20 USC §1092 (f) within 10 days of the request. The United States Department of Education’s Web site address for the campus crime statistics is http://ope.ed.gov/security/

The Office of Campus Safety also keeps mandated records for reporting certain crimes in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. These records are categorized and provided annually in the Campus Safety Information and Statistics Report. These detailed statistics are also available on the U.S. Department of Education crime statistics Web site at http://ope.ed.gov/security/

Office of Environmental Health and Conservation

792-3743
Room 279, Gordon Science Center

This office is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining an overall Environmental Health and Safety Plan. Additionally, the office leads campus environmental sustainability efforts. The Office of Environmental Health and Conservation executes policies and procedures that relate to the health and safety of employees, students, and visitors at Utica College. Areas of greatest concern are laboratories, student employment, accident reporting and investigation, exposure control plan, and the Hazard Communication, Hazardous Waste, and Radiation Safety programs. Persons involved in such activities must comply with local, state, and federal regulations and all rules and guidelines issued by the College. For information about this office’s responsibilities and services as well as sustainability and recycling information, see www.utica.edu/finance/environment.

Student Health Center

792-3094
Room 204, Strebel Student Center/ Student Wellness Center

The Student Health Center provides medical care for students with acute short-term illness. Visit www.utica.edu/student/health for more information.

Immunization Requirements

All full- and part-time graduate and undergraduate students must provide proof of immunization for measles, mumps, and rubella or proof of immunity as demonstrated by positive titers for measles, mumps, and rubella. All students must show proof of vaccination against meningitis or sign a waiver form declining the vaccination. Visit http://www.utica.edu/student/health/media/Immunizations.pdf for more information and to print the form.

Absences

For information regarding notifying faculty and staff about absences for medical reasons, see http://catalog.utica.edu/content.php?catoid=4&navoid=121&hl=%22absence%22&returnto=search#Absences

Local Health Services and Facilities

The cost of these services is the responsibility of the student.

Hospitals

• Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare, Champlin Avenue, New Hartford, NY
• St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, 2209 Genesee Street, Utica, NY

Urgent Care

• Faxton St. Luke’s Urgent Care, 1676 Sunset Avenue, Utica, NY
• Slocum-Dickson Clinic Urgent Care, 1729 Burrstone Road, New Hartford, NY
• Genesee Urgent Care, 1904 Genesee Street, Utica, NY

Emergency Telephone Numbers