This policy, with its accompanying procedures, establishes a framework for cooperation among members of the College community aimed at locating and assisting currently enrolled on-campus residential students who are reported missing. A student shall be deemed missing when he or she is absent from the College and/or has been reported missing by another individual without any known reason. All reports of missing students shall be directed to Campus Safety and Security which shall investigate each report. All students shall have the opportunity to identify an individual to be contacted by the College in case a student is determined to be missing. If a missing student is under 18 years of age, Campus Safety and Security is required to notify the parent or guardian of the missing student not later than 24 hours after the determination by Campus Safety and Security that the student is missing. The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs and/or the Dean of Students shall have the responsibility to make the provisions of this policy and the procedures set forth below available to students.
Student Contact Information
Upon check-in to the campus residence halls, suites, or apartments, all students will have the opportunity as part of the required confidential designated emergency contact information to designate a person to notify in a missing person investigation. This information will not be disclosed outside of a missing person investigation, and is accessible by Residential Life/Housing officials and Campus Safety and Security. Each student who files a confidential contact registration form is solely responsible for the accuracy of the contact phone number and for update of information should the confidential contact person and/or number change. A student may update information by filing a new form with the Office of Residential Life/Housing.
Student Notification of This Policy
- Included on the Residential Life/Housing website.
- Included in the annual Campus Safety and Security & Fire Safety Report.
- Included in the Student Handbook web site.
Procedure
- Anyone who suspects a student may be missing should notify Campus Safety and Security, Residential Life/ Housing or the Office of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs immediately.
- All reports of a missing student will be directed to Campus Safety and Security.
- When a student is reported missing Campus Safety and Security shall:
- Initiate an investigation to determine the validity of the missing person report.
- Security will work with Residential Life/Housing to assist in physically locating the student by keying into the student's assigned room and talking with roommates and friends.
- Security may search on campus public locations to find the student (library, dining areas, Student Union, etc.).
- Security may access the electronic student ID card system to view recent card use and track the card for future use.
- Security may access vehicle registration information for vehicle location check on campus and distribution to authorities.
- The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs and/or the Dean of Students may ask IT to provide electronic logs for the purpose of determining the last login, access, and use of the IT network.
- Enrollment Management and Student Affairs may try to contact known friends, family, or faculty members for last sighting or additional contact information. o Make a determination as to the status of the missing student.
- Notify the Office of Residential Life/Housing.
- Notify the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs and/or the Dean of Students.
- Notify the individual identified by the missing student as the emergency contact within 24 hours of making the determination that the student is missing.
- If the missing student is under the age of 18, notify the student's custodial parent or guardian as contained in the records of the College within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing.
- If the missing student is an international student, contact the International Student Advisor.
- Notify the Duluth Police Department within 24 hours after determining that the student is missing.
- Notification to the Duluth Police Department may occur within the initial 24 hour time period under the following circumstances:
- Indications of criminal involvement
- Becomes known that medicine dependency may threaten life or health
- Existence of a physical/mental disability indicates that the student's physical safety is in danger
- The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs and/or the Dean of Students shall initiate whatever action he deems appropriate under the circumstances in the best interest of the missing student.
- The Office of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs may also contact the student's instructors, advisor, coaches, student employment supervisor, the news media, etc. if necessary or beneficial in the situation to the student.