Harrisonburg residents enjoy a relatively low crime rate. However, it is the responsibility of every member of the campus community to take reasonable precautions for maintaining personal safety as well as the safety of others. The university's campus safety and security program is an ongoing process that includes the development and enforcement of policies, regulations, procedures and practices.
To Report a Crime
Contact main Campus Safety and Security by dialing 4911 from any campus phone or 540-432-4911 from off campus or from cell phone. Telephones and emergency telephones are located across campus. Any suspicious activity or persons seen in the parking lots or loitering around residential buildings should be reported to campus security or local police. Dial 911 for emergencies. For non- emergency situations, the Harrisonburg Police Department can be contacted at 540-434-4436. Lancaster campus municipal police 717-291-4676, and the Washington D.C. police 202-727-9099. In addition, report crimes to the following people:
- Campus Safety and Security Coordinator
- Vice-President of Finance
- Dean of Students
- Associate Dean of Students, Housing and Residence Life
- Associate Dean of Students, Student Programs
- Residence Directors
- Director of Facilities Management
- Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
- Director of Counseling Services
- Title IX Coordinator
Voluntary Confidential Reporting
Victims of a crime who do not want to pursue action within the university system or the criminal justice system may still want to consider making a confidential report. The reports can be found at https://www.emu.edu/safecampus/ or, with permission, a security officer (or a designee of EMU) can file the incident without revealing the victim's identity. The purpose of a confidential report is to comply with the victim's wish to keep the matter confidential while taking steps to ensure the future safety of everyone on campus. With this information, the university can keep an accurate record of the number of incidents involving students, faculty, or staff, determine where there is a pattern of crime with regard to particular locations, methods, or assailants, and alert the campus community to potential danger. Reports filed in this manner are if applicable, counted and disclosed in the annual crime statistics for the institution. Because of the nature of some types of crimes, confidentiality may not be able to be assured within the criminal justice system.
Timely Warning Reports
- Timely warnings may be issued for all Clery Act reportable offenses.
- Timely warnings are not limited to violent crimes or crimes against persons. The Clery Act does not specify what information shall be included in a timely warning; however, all attempts will be made to include information that promotes safety and aids in the prevention of similar crimes.
- If an incident occurs either on or off campus that in the judgment of the Safety and Security Coordinator, the Vice-President of Finance, or the Dean of Students, presents an ongoing or continued threat, a campus-wide timely warning or notice will be issued to all students, faculty, and staff.
- Depending on the circumstances of the crime and immediate threat to the community, timely warnings will be sent by one or more emergency notification systems.
- Anyone with information warranting a timely warning should report the circumstances to Campus Security at 4911 or 540-432-4911.
The Clery Act does not require confidential reporting of crimes. Although personally identifiable information is generally precluded from disclosure, such information may be released in an emergency situation.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) does not preclude an institution's compliance with the timely warning provision of the campus security regulations. FERPA recognizes that information can, in the case of an emergency, be released without consent when needed to protect the health and safety of others. In addition, if institutions utilize information from the records of a campus safety and security department to issue a timely warning, FERPA is not implicated, as those records are not protected by FERPA.
Emergency Notifications
- Emergency notifications will be issued upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students, employees or public occurring on the campuses without delay, unless notification will compromise efforts to assist victims or contain the response to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.
- They will be issued by one or more methods of dissemination. EMU Alerts computer banner screen notifications, EMU Alerts phone texts, EMU emergency notification emails, ALERTUS systems desktop and beacons, or any other methods that may be deemed useful.
- Confirmation may come by way of the local municipal emergency 911 center, local emergency services, or by campus security or administration.
- Notifications will be issued to groups/sectors that are in the most imminent threat if possible first, then to the broader campus community by way of any number of the aforementioned methods.
- Content of the notification will be dependent upon the type of situation occurring.
- When confirmation of a situation warranting notification has been received, the university Office of Safety & Security, Information Systems department, or Facilities shall initiate the systems.
- Annual testing of the notification systems is conducted by all involved departments and records maintained.