In addition to the campus safety programming described previously, The University of Akron employs many additional crime prevention initiatives, including:
Community Policing: UAPD utilizes a community policing philosophy with the goals of:
To assist in its community policing efforts, UAPD uses various modes of transportation, including bicycles, motorcycles, cars and foot patrol.
Emergency phones: Over 480 emergency phones are located throughout the University campus, including over 150 “Blue Light” phones, and 3 additional “Blue Light” phones are located off-campus, which provide a direct line of communication to UAPD for individuals in need of emergency assistance. These phones are strategically positioned along pedestrian walkways, inside parking decks and at many building entrances. UAPD responds to all activated emergency phones even if no one speaks.
Campus Patrol: The UAPD’s Campus Patrol or UAPD officers are available 24-7 to escort callers to and from their vehicles and residence halls to classrooms and labs. By calling 330-972-2911, an escort will come to the callers’ locations and accompany them to their local destinations. Student Campus Patrol members are employed and trained by UAPD. They are easily identified by conspicuously marked shirts or jackets. Campus Patrol assist UAPD in patrolling the campus, including parking lots, and reporting suspicious behavior.
Prospective and current student crime awareness and prevention programs: UAPD and the Division of Student Affairs present information to prospective students and their parents about University safety programs and general campus safety tips. Safety literature and displays are available during orientation and at move-in. Information is also available at various Web sites such as http://www.uakron.edu/safety/ and http://www.uakron.edu/title-ix/.
Victim’s Rights: The Ohio Attorney General’s Office developed a Victim’s Rights Handbook (http://www.uakron.edu/safety/annual-safety-report/docs/crime-victims-booklet-Aug-2015.pdf), which details the rights of victims, including information regarding resources for victims and expectations for the criminal justice process.
Marsy’s Law: Ohio became the sixth state to pass Marsy’s Law in November 2017. Mary’s Law shields victims from offender harassment and empowers victims by giving them legally enforceable rights. UAPD provides every victim of an alleged crime with a written document that includes a list of victim rights conferred to them under the Ohio Constitution, Article 1, Section 10(a), a local list of resources for victim services, and contact information for the City of Akron Prosecutor’s Office.
Whether on campus or any public place, here are some general safety tips to consider:
Out and about
In the residence halls:
Living off campus
If you reside in off-campus housing:
** Sources: UAPD and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators
The University of Akron implements numerous safety precautions on its campus. Extensive lighting is found throughout the campus, and the University continues to implement additional lighting improvement projects and to consider public safety in maintaining its buildings and grounds. In addition, construction and renovation plans for University facilities are reviewed for principles associated with crime prevention through environmental design, both in the facility itself, and if practicable, in the adjacent area.
Access to campus buildings is restricted after normal business hours, and valid University identification must be shown to gain admittance to select academic and administrative facilities during normal business hours. Access to the University's residence halls is restricted to student occupants, escorted guests and authorized University personnel. Unescorted persons are prohibited in the residence halls. While all residence halls have 24-hour visitation, buildings always remain locked and require a University-issued identification for access.
The following Offices provide additional resources to promote and enforce the safety, health and community standards of the University.
The Department of Residence Life and Housing: About 2,300 students live in the University's ten residence halls. Access to the University's residence halls is restricted to student occupants, escorted guests and authorized University personnel. Unescorted persons are prohibited in the residence halls. While all residence halls have 24-hour visitation, buildings always remain locked and require a University-issued identification for access.
Residence hall staff members receive special training about security and safety procedures and the enforcement of residence hall regulations. Safety inspections every semester help students to maintain a safe environment. Department of Residence Life and Housing staff conduct programs with resident students to heighten awareness of safety on campus. Sessions cover topics from common sense precautions, (such as walking with a companion or in groups at night), to more difficult issues (such as sexual assault, including acquaintance rape). Student programming efforts from the Department of Residence Life and Housing are nationally recognized for excellence and cover topics including bystander training, safe sex, rape prevention, and LGBTU + issues. As a part of crime prevention in the residence halls, UAPD patrols the residence halls during evening hours, seven days a week. Officers participate in residence hall programs and respond to all police, fire and safety issues in the residence halls.
The Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS): SCCS' primary focus is to promote and enforce University community standards through the administration of The University of Akron Code of Student Conduct. The Department also serves as an information source on student discipline, conduct hearings, appeals and academic misconduct concerns. The purpose of the University discipline system is to promote student development by addressing behaviors that are inconsistent with community standards and expectations, as defined by the Code. SCCS often coordinates its services with other campus offices to serve students to the fullest extent. When appropriate, referrals will be made to other University offices to best serve students.
Disciplinary complaints may be heard by either an Administrative Hearing Officer or Disciplinary Board made up of specially trained faculty and students. The hearings are designed to provide a prompt, fair and impartial investigation and resolution of complaints, and when appropriate, the Department administers proactive and educational sanctions. Though procedural requirements are not as formal as those existing in the courts of law, the student conduct process provides procedural safeguards for accusers and accused alike. Both the accuser and the accused are entitled to:
Consistent with the obligations of FERPA and the Clery Act, the University may disclose the results of disciplinary actions as follows:
Victims of an Alleged Sex-Based Offense:
Victims of an Alleged Perpetrator of a Crime of Violence:
All Others:
*Advisor means any individual who provides the accuser or accused support, guidance or advice.
** Result means any initial, interim and final decision by any official or appropriate division authorized to resolve disciplinary matters within the institution. The result includes any imposed sanctions.
For matters involving alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct that would constitute a Title IX offense or sexual harassment, see University of Akron Gender-Based Misconduct Protocol for Students, Section IV Code of Student Conduct.
Student Health Services: Student Health Services works to assist students to meet their educational and personal goals by addressing their health concerns during enrollment. Student Health Services' Health Education section provides health education, wellness promotion and risk reduction programming to students, faculty and staff. Student Health Services continues to maintain the University's strategic vision of "shared responsibility" to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate health promotion techniques and continue to be a resource for those in need.
Student Health Services is designed to provide medical care for uncomplicated illnesses and injuries that are of recent onset and short duration. Student Health Services also provides confidential assistance in the event of a sexual assault. If you have any questions, please call us before your visit. Student Health Services is in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center Room 260 and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Last appointment at 4:30 p.m.) Student Health Services is closed on weekends and holidays. The office can be reached at 330-972-7808. Website: http://www.uakron.edu/healthservices/
Individuals who are victims of, or witnesses to a crime, or otherwise become aware of a crime, are strongly encouraged to timely report that crime to the police. In fact, under Ohio law, persons who have knowledge of a felony (a victim of or witness to the crime) are required to report the crime to the police and failure to report a crime may itself be a crime. (Ohio Revised Code §2921.22) On screen 17, where it talks about contacting the city for neighborhood nuisances and clean up, we may also want to add that the UA mobile app can be used as well
If a crime occurs at a location other than those listed above, including non-campus locations, the crime should be reported to the applicable local law enforcement.
In addition to the police, information on criminal behavior may be reported to:
The University strongly encourages all victims of, or witnesses to crime to report all criminal activity to police to insure prompt evaluation for timely warning or emergency notification and for inclusion in the statistics for the annual crime report.
The University encourages the reporting of criminal activity both when the victim elects to report and when the victim is unable to do so.
The University does not have procedures for the voluntary confidential reporting of crime statistics and violations of law are referred to the appropriate law enforcement jurisdiction. However, UAPD offers the opportunity for individuals to report crime anonymously. See anonymous crime reporting and our ethics hotline.
Crimes reported on-campus to counselors at the University's Counseling Center or to a physician or nurse at Student Health Services are confidential to the extent allowed by law. Some off-campus reports also may be confidential to the extent allowed by law (e.g. to clergy; physicians; Portage Path Behavioral Health counselors; and Rape Crisis Center counselors). Counselors and physicians are encouraged to report crimes reported to them, consistent with their professional ethics and the limitations imposed by applicable confidentiality laws, to ensure inclusion in the annual collection and disclosure of crime statistics. However, crimes reported to counselors and physicians that are learned within the scope of their professional licenses may not be included in the annual crime statistics report.
The University makes every effort, in compliance to Ohio law, to protect the identity of sexual assault victims. If sexual assault victims wish to remain anonymous or not file a police report, UAPD honors their request while still offering them referrals to medical care and/or counseling, as well as making appropriate referrals to the Title IX Coordinator(s) and SCCS.
Because of the Ohio public records laws and the law requiring individuals having knowledge of a felony to report such crime, The University of Akron is not able to guarantee confidentiality to persons reporting crimes to non-privileged recipients, including individuals or offices (e.g. Residence Life and Housing staff; Student Affairs staff; title IX Coordinators, etc.) that supply crime statistics for this annual report.
The University of Akron's Annual Security Report (“ASR”) is the result of the efforts of many people on campus. Each year the offices and individuals listed in this section provide information for inclusion in the annual report. No formal police report is required for a crime to be included in the statistics. Every effort is taken to ensure that all persons required to report do so, and that statistics are as accurate and complete as possible. Information included in the annual report is reviewed for accuracy, completeness and readability.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of the statistics and information in this report, please contact UAPD at 330-972-2911.
Crimes that are reported to the following individuals or offices are included in the annual crime statistics report. Campus offices are strongly encouraged to report criminal incidents to UAPD contemporaneous with occurrence to ensure inclusion and avoid duplication of statistics in the ASR.
The University of Akron Police Department
Bath Township Police Department
City of Akron Police Department
City of Barberton Police Department
City of Brunswick Police Department
City of Columbus Police Department
City of Lakewood Police Department
City of Orrville Police Department
City of Wadsworth Police Department
Copley Township Police Department
City of Medina Police Department
Village of Millersburg Police Department
Applicable Locations for Qualifying Domestic and International Student Travel
Wayne County Sheriff's Office
Ohio State Highway Patrol
Recognized Student Organizations Advisors
Department of Residence Life and Housing
Department of Athletics, Offices of the Athletic Director and Athletic Coaches
Offices of the Division of Student Affairs, including Student Conduct and Community Standards
Student organizations with off-campus housing
Title IX Coordinators