Type:
University Policy
Division:
Public Safety
Classification:
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Contact Phone Number:
503-838-8481
Contact Email Address:
safety@wou.edu
| TITLE | |
| Missing Person Policy | |
| POLICY NUMBER | |
| FA-07-023 | |
| RESPONSIBLE OFFICER | UNIVERSITY CONTACT |
| Vice President for Student Affairs | Campus Public Safety |
| SUMMARY | |
As per the Higher Education Opportunity Act, any student residing in on-campus housing who is believed to be missing for more than 24 hours, regardless of age, should be reported as a missing person and an investigation into their disappearance will be made. | |
| APPLICABLE TO | |
| Faculty, Staff and Students | |
| DEFINITIONS | |
| AUTHORITY | |
Vice President for Student Affairs http://www.wou.edu/student/ | |
| FULL STATEMENT OF AUTHORITY | |
|
POLICY STATEMENT Any member of the university community who has reason to believe that a student has been missing for 24 hours or more must immediately notify the Campus Public Safety Department, the Dean of Students Office, or the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs about the missing student.
PROCEDURES As per the Higher Education Opportunity Act, any student residing in on-campus housing who is believed to be missing for more than 24 hours, regardless of age, should be reported as a missing person and an investigation into their disappearance will be made. If a member of the university community has reason to believe that a student has been missing for 24 hours or more, a report must be made to the Campus Public Safety Department, the Dean of Students Office, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, or the local law enforcement agency where the student resides. All possible efforts will be made to locate the student to determine his or her state of health and well-being through the collaboration of the Campus Public Safety Department, the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of University Housing, and the Monmouth Police Department. If the student is an on-campus resident, the Campus Public Safety Department will secure authorization from University Housing officials to make a welfare entry into the student’s room. If an off-campus student resident, Campus Public Safety will informally enlist the aid of the police agency having jurisdiction. Concurrently, University officials will endeavor to determine the student’s whereabouts through contact with friends, associates, and/or employers of the student. Personnel will make every effort to determine whether or not the student has been attending classes, labs, recitals, scheduled organizational or academic meetings, or appearing for scheduled work shifts. If located, verification of the student’s state of health and intention of returning to the campus is made. When and where appropriate a referral will be made to the University Student Health and Counseling Center. Notification of the listed emergency contact person, and if none listed, the family, will be made within 24 hours if it is determined that the student is indeed missing by the Campus Public Safety Department or the local law enforcement agency. If the student is an off-campus resident, appropriate family members or associates are encouraged to make an official missing person report to the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction. The Campus Public Safety Department will cooperate, aid, and assist the primary investigative agency in all ways prescribed by law. If the student is an on-campus resident, the Campus Public Safety Department will open an official investigation and notify the Monmouth Police Department. | |
| REFERENCED OR RELATED POLICIES | |
| RELEVANT DOCUMENTS AND LINKS | |
| HISTORY | |
|
APPROVAL DATE:
EFFECTIVE DATE: 03/08/2015 LAST UPDATED: 05/09/2015 HISTORICAL DETAIL NOTES: N/A SOURCE: Previously Referred to as: PRE-VPSA-008 |
|
| FOR POLICY WEBSITE INPUT (public audience keyword search) | |
| disappearance, gone, missing person | |
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