Athens State University (ASU) strives to ensure a safe, secure and healthy learning and working environment for all faculty, staff, students and visitors. The steps taken to support this endeavor are evidenced in a variety of ways.
The University’s policies, procedures and guidelines for ensuring health and safety are detailed in a variety of publications, including: In addition to the information contained in these publications, booklets containing relevant information on security and emergency procedures from the above policies are available in classrooms for easy access.
Athens State also publishes information about University regulations concerning drug and alcohol use in several ways. Policies on possession and use of drugs and alcohol can be found in the University catalog, the Student Planner and Handbook and in the Drug and Alcohol Policies manual available on the ASU Campus Security webpage and on the Policies and Procedures Administrative Policies webpage.
The Campus Security Department is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of all persons and property on the University campus. This includes, but is not limited to, crime prevention, traffic and parking control, and first response to all emergency situations that occur on campus. All campus facilities are patrolled by security personnel who work shifts covering all 24 hours of each day of the week. Security personnel complete a walkthrough of each building for fire and safety checks at the start of each shift and several times during each shift. All buildings are locked and secured after the close of business and after all scheduled classes have met for the day. Only personnel authorized to use University facilities are given access to campus buildings, and employees are only given access to those buildings that are considered necessary for them to fulfill their job responsibilities. To limit building access to authorized individuals, the Maintenance Superintendent has the responsibility of issuing and tracking all building keys for the University.
The institution employs qualified staff in all safety and security positions. All security officers are or have been employed in law enforcement and possess appropriate experience and credentials to serve in their security capacity for the University. In addition, some security and maintenance personnel have been certified in crisis management though the Department of Homeland Security.
Renovated office space for security personnel and newly installed fiber optic systems and webcam surveillance give security personnel connectivity to campus locations. Campus safety is further enhanced by improvements in campus and parking lot lighting. Security officers also have direct access to the City of Athens Police Department dispatch desk and patrol officers via two-way radio communication. The main ASU campus is located one block from the Athens Police Department, which further serves to enhance the safety and security of the institution.
Compliance with various environmental and occupational regulations is maintained through the inspection and reports done by appropriate entities, such as the State Fire Marshal and State Health Department.
The University has made several efforts to improve methods of notifying faculty, staff and students of emergency situations, including weather-related cancellations and closings. These efforts have resulted in a multi-layered campus emergency notification system. In addition to building fire alarm systems, the University now has a public address system in place that allows security personnel to broadcast emergency information across the campus. In addition, the University has contracted with the SchoolCast emergency notification system. This system alerts faculty, staff and students who have created accounts with the system to emergency situations, including weather-related cancellations and closings. Users are notified through text messages sent to their cell phones and e-mail addresses. Weather-related cancellations and closings are also communicated via the University website and local TV and radio stations. Every effort is made to make weather-related decisions in a timely manner so as not to
o inconvenience or endanger students, faculty or staff. In the event that students are in class when local weather-alert sirens are sounded, classes are immediately canceled and students are informed where they can seek shelter on campus. However, it is ultimately each student’s decision as to whether they seek shelter on campus or choose to leave the campus.
Red security emergency telephones are located in all campus buildings. These telephones connect directly to security personnel and can be used by students, faculty and staff to alert security personnel about emergency situations and request assistance when needed.
The University’s Disaster Management Plan specifies procedures and responsibilities for dealing with a variety of emergency and crisis situations. In the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event, the President will activate the Emergency Advisory Team. This Team performs preliminary assessments of the crisis or emergency and develops the appropriate procedures for managing or recovering from the crisis, which are then communicated to the appropriate University constituents.
The Health and Safety Committee, one of the standing University committees comprised of faculty and staff, acts in an advisory capacity to the Director of the Physical Plant, who serves as chair of the Committee. The committee is charged with reviewing and disseminating information on safety procedures and conducting periodic evaluations of campus facilities for compliance issues. In addition, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Committee also addresses safety and access issues that are specific to persons with disabilities. The ADA Committee, in an effort to coordinate compliance with ADA regulations, regularly evaluates the campus facilities for accessibility and safety.
Other steps taken to promote a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors include: - An automated external defibrillator is available for use in sudden cardiac arrest and security personnel are properly trained to use this equipment.
- Evacuation chairs are available in multi-story buildings to be used in case of emergencies.
- A member of the maintenance department is assigned to make a weekly safety inspection of all University-owned vehicles. Should this person or a vehicle operator note any safety problems with University-owned vehicles they must notify the Director of the Physical Plant. In the event of an accident involving a University-owned vehicle, an accident report is to be filed with the University with the police report attached.
- A criminal background check is required to be conducted on all job applicants and current employees. In the event of a finding of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, resolution will be in accordance with the Alabama Fair Dismissal Act and the provisions of Alabama State Board of Education Policy 623.01 and the Chancellor’s guidelines for this policy.
In addition to the steps taken to ensure a healthy and safe physical environment, the University’s Counseling Services strives to provide a healthy mental and emotional environment by providing counseling services to faculty, staff or students who seek such services. A licensed professional counselor with over twenty-five years of experience, specializing in addictions, anxiety/stress, depression/grief, adjustment, relationships, grief, crisis intervention/PTSD, and career development provides the services. Services are free and confidential for students, staff and faculty by appointment on the ASU main campus two half-days each week. The counselor can also be contacted via e-mail or phone.
The safety and security of the University is reflected in the low crime rate as evidenced in the security and crime information published by the institution. In addition, specific questions on the Graduating Student Exit Survey (GSES) indicate that students feel safe on campus. Responses on the GSES also indicate that students are satisfied with the personal counseling services provided by the institution if such services were requested.
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