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Annual Security Report 2008

Harding University is committed to providing a safe, congenial and secure environment for our students, faculty, staff and guests. With the support of all members of our campus community, there is a continuing effort to keep the campus safe and secure. Because a truly safe campus can only be achieved through the cooperation of all students, faculty and staff, we hope that you will join our effort to ensure that this endeavor is effective.

How to contact Harding University Public Safety

The Public Safety Department is located in the American Heritage Center in the first floor lobby. Any potential criminal activity or any other emergencies on campus should be reported directly to the Public Safety Department by dialing 279-5000 or reporting directly to the Public Safety Office. The Office is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

The mission and purpose of the Harding University Public Safety Department

The mission of the Harding University Public Safety Department is to provide a safe Christian environment to the Harding community. To accomplish this mission, the Public Safety Department has the following responsibilities:

1. To protect the students, faculty, staff and visitors to the University campus;
2. To protect property, buildings and grounds located at the University campus;
3. To enforce and maintain regulations as set forth in the Harding University Faculty/Staff Handbook, the Student Handbook, the general catalog, and/or those made by the president or the board of trustees of Harding University.

Public Safety personnel on duty

A minimum of three Public Safety personnel are scheduled to be on duty at all times. Public Safety Officers patrol campus 24 hours a day using marked cars, bicycles, golf carts or on foot. The Public Safety Office is staffed at all times in order that emergency situations may be reported at any time either by telephone or in person.

Reporting crimes, fires, or any type of emergency

Students, faculty, staff and visitors should immediately report criminal activity or any type of emergency on campus to the Public Safety Office by telephoning 279-5000 or by appearing in person at the Public Safety Office located in the lobby of the American Heritage Center at 907 E. Market Street, Searcy, AR. Reports of any criminal activity made to other university officials should immediately be reported to the Public Safety Department by the university official who received the report.

Threat Assessment Team

Harding University is committed to providing an environment that both supports students and challenges them to realize their full potential. Ensuring the physical and emotional safety for all students, faculty, and staff is of utmost importance in promoting an atmosphere that encourages learning and productive employment. Conduct or the threat of conduct that presents a danger to self or others in the campus community is intolerable and will be addressed by the appropriate university personnel.

The Threat Assessment Team is an advisory group of select administrators who may assist one another in the identifying, assessing, and monitoring of high risk behaviors exhibited by members of the campus community and individuals from outside the university who could pose a threat to the campus community. The team may assist in determining whether an individual is a threat to self or others and make recommendations to the appropriate university personnel. Team members are:

      Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students (Chair)  David Collins   Director of Public Safety      Craig Russell   Director of Counseling Center     Lew Moore   Vice President for Academic Affairs    Larry Long   Director of Human Resources     David Ross 

All members of the university community are encouraged to be alert to the possibility of violent acts on the part of students, employees, visitors, or others. Information regarding violence or the threat of violence should be immediately reported to campus officials. Reports will be handled in a confidential manner to the extent possible.

To report an immediate threat or emergency, call Public Safety at (501) 279-5000. For other threat-related information or concerns, call Student Life at (501) 279-4332.

Recognizing Warning Signs (Emotional Distress)

A pamphlet is distributed annually to all faculty and administrative staff that provides information on warning signs to detect student problems at an early stage. The pamphlet is distributed by the Harding University Counseling Center, and additional copies may be obtained in that office. Faculty and Staff are provided with information about warning signs regarding the following topics:

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  1. Excessive class absence or tardiness

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  2. Apathy or indifference towards instructors or class material

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  3. Appearance of being lonely, troubled, or preoccupied

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  4. Low performance levels on tests and assignments

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  5. Social inadequacies or conflicts that are apparent

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  6. Neglect of physical appearance or state of health

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  7. Observable disorientation of speech, actions, or awareness of a reality perspective

Information is provided about specific symptoms including: agitation, depression, apathy, fatigue, projection of self/self-esteem, attitude/disposition, and anxiety. In addition, information is provided to recognize symptoms of drug use for various drugs including: depressants, stimulants, narcotics, hallucinogens, and alcohol.

Institutional response to reports of 
criminal activity or emergencies

After receiving a report of an emergency or criminal activity, the Public Safety Department will respond in the following ways, depending on the nature of the report:

1. In the case of an emergency that presents some kind of physical danger, the Public Safety Department will

a) first, request assistance from appropriate professionals such as the local police, fire department or ambulance services;

b) second, provide assistance to those effected by the emergency;

c) third, write a report describing the incident and distribute that report to appropriate University officials.

2. In the case of a serious criminal offense that requires immediate assistance from local law enforcement professionals, the Public Safety Department will

a) first, send an officer to investigate if the incident is still in progress;

b) second, request assistance from local law enforcement professionals;

c) third, assist in the investigation as requested by law enforcement professionals.

d) fourth, write a report describing the incident and distribute that report to appropriate University officials.

3. In the case of criminal offenses that do not require immediate assistance from local law enforcement professionals, the Public Safety Department will

a) first, send an officer to investigate if the incident is still in progress;

b) second, report the incident to the appropriate dean for disposition within the student disciplinary process;

c) third, write a report describing the incident and distribute that report to appropriate University officials.

4. In the case of criminal offenses that occur on campus, but are disposed of by local law enforcement officials, the Public Safety Department will

a) regularly check with city and county police officials for any arrests made for crimes that occur on campus;

b) send reports of any such crime to the appropriate deans for disposition within the student disciplinary process;

c) send reports of any such crime to other appropriate university officials. 

Enforcement Authority of Public Safety

Public Safety has been given the authority to enforce Harding University regulations as set forth in the Harding University Faculty/Staff Handbook, the Student Handbook, the general catalog and/or those made by the president or the board of trustees of Harding University. Public Safety arrest powers are limited as pursuant to Arkansas Code 16-81-106 (d) and Arkansas Criminal Code 5-36-116 (a).

Relationship of Public Safety with state and local police agencies

Public Safety has an excellent working relationship with state and local law enforcement officials and agencies. The Chief of Public Safety is responsible for notifying and coordinating joint efforts between Harding University, its Public Safety Department and local law enforcement officials. Local police are notified by the Public Safety Office whenever there is a serious crime on campus that requires the assistance of local police.

Harding University encourages the accurate and 
prompt reporting of all crimes on campus

Students, faculty and staff are all encouraged to promptly report all crimes that occur on campus immediately to Public Safety and/or appropriate police agencies. Students, faculty and staff are made aware of this need through this Web site, through residence assistants in the dormitories, and through periodic programs designed to educate the campus community about safety.

Access to Residence Halls

Every residence hall has a live-in manager and several resident assistants. Residence halls have a monitor on duty from 9:45 a.m. until midnight weekdays and from 7 a.m. until midnight on weekends. Members of the opposite sex are not allowed to visit residence halls or apartments at any time. Men are allowed in women's residence hall lobbies when monitors are present and during hours specified by the Office of Student Services. Regardless of gender, all visitors, repair persons, vendors, etc., must sign in at the front desk with the desk monitor or the resident manager before entering the living areas and must sign out at the front desk when leaving the living areas.

Every residence hall is also equipped with card entry access control systems that deny access to the buildings by non-students during certain time periods.

Access to Harding University Apartments

Members of the opposite sex are not allowed to enter the apartments of single individuals.

Access to educational buildings

Harding University's classroom buildings, auditoriums, gymnasiums, etc. are open during scheduled hours that vary depending on University needs. Each building is checked and locked by Public Safety personnel when the building is scheduled to be closed. (For most buildings, this is no later than curfew.) Public Safety personnel recheck each building on campus approximately one to two hours after the buildings have been checked and locked. Special authorization for student access to buildings after curfew must be approved of in advance by the building manager and/or by the Student Life Office. Instructors' presence in buildings after curfew is recorded by Public Safety in a daily log. The time when buildings are locked, rechecked, and opened is also recorded by Public Safety in a daily log.

Security Considerations Used in the Maintenance of Campus Facilities

Public Safety works closely with the Physical Plant Department to ensure that safety remains a priority in the regular maintenance of campus facilities. Public Safety regularly reports lights that need to be replaced on campus. Public Safety also immediately reports defective door locks, broken windows or any other maintenance concern that might present a safety problem to the Physical Resources Department.

Curfew

All students must be in the residence halls or University apartments at the curfew hour set by the administration and board of trustees. Any student needing to be out later than the set curfew must receive late permission from the appropriate personnel. Off-campus students are not permitted on campus after curfew unless they have permission from an appropriate school official.

There is an all-campus security curfew from 12:15 until 6:00 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and1:15 a.m. until 6:00 a.m., Friday and Saturday. For protection and security purposes, any activity on campus will be regulated during these hours. Any person needing to come on campus or leave during these hours must report to Public Safety.

Programs for Security Procedures and Practices, Crime Prevention, Drug and Alcohol Education, Sexual Assault Prevention, etc...

Student Impact: An officer annually presents a program concerning Public Safety Procedures and Practices and crime prevention, along with safety concerns to incoming freshmen and transfer students as part of the "Student Impact" program.

R.A. Training: Public Safety procedures and practices, crime prevention and safety concerns are also presented annually in a program to all residence hall Resident Assistants as part of their R.A. training program.

Residence hall Safety Programs: Numerous safety programs such as women's safety, drug and alcohol awareness, theft prevention and CPR are presented on a regular basis in the men's and women's residence halls.

Faculty & Staff Bulletins: Employees are made aware of Public Safety procedures and practices through this brochure each year and are also presented with additional information in periodic colleague e-mail bulletins as needed.

Counseling Center: Anyone desiring counseling or information regarding drugs, alcohol, sexual assault, etc... may contact the Counseling Center during regular business hours or through the Public Safety Office after hours.

Pamphlets and booklets available: Students are also informed of crime prevention techniques through the use of pamphlets and booklets, which are available in the residence halls, the Counseling Center and the Brackett Library during regular business hours.

Off-Campus Student Organizations

Harding University has no recognized off-campus organizations. All on-campus organizations that leave campus for activities must have an adult sponsor that is responsible for reporting if any criminal activity might take place at such an activity.

Drug and Alcohol Use Policy

Anyone suspected of possessing, selling or using alcohol or illegal drugs is reported to the Office of Student Services. If the Office of Student Services determines that alcohol or illegal drug use in fact took place, that student will be suspended from school.

In addition to University disciplinary action the Federal Government has also imposed the following actions: