Reminders ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ Campus Safety
Dear members of the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ community,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 academic year. The Department of Safety & Security offers these important reminders and updates as we continue to work with University partners to support your safety and well-being so learning, community building, and research can continue to thrive at ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ.
Around the clock, every day of the year, we are committed to a collaborative and transparent approach to campus safety that helps foster respectful engagement and equitable services to all in our vibrant and diverse University community.
Immediate action steps
In the event of a campus emergency, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ will automatically notify you through your University email address. In order to ensure timely updates via text and phone, please update your contact information using this .
You can stay informed about what to do in an emergency by familiarizing yourself with these . This document has been recently updated and is provided in pdf format for easy downloading and printing.
Important safety reminders
Safety is a shared responsibility. You are our key partners in reducing the opportunities for crime to occur. Being mindful of yourself, those around you and your surroundings can truly make a difference.
- The most common crime on campuses is theft of property such as wallets, laptops and cellphones. Please do not leave your personal belongings and valuables unattended.
- Review the . Community members should carry their Wildcards and remain vigilant when entering buildings through secured doors. Please do not prop open exterior doors.
- Be aware that offering part-time jobs and other financial investment opportunities are often sent to defraud you.
- and receive a free helmet and light. Review our , including information for how to purchase a bike lock.
Quick links for community safety resources
- – guide for students navigating ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ's safety and wellness resources.
- – free peer-to-peer smartphone application for ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ students to enhance their personal safety by designating phone contacts as “guardians” who walk (virtually) with them.
- – Student Affairs service available to ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ students as a safe and free alternative to walking alone after dark.
- – transportation provided to the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ community on both the Evanston and Chicago campuses well into the night.
- – reporting tool for the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ community to report if they become aware of someone displaying threatening behavior.
- – confidential reporting tool to report fraud, abuse and other misconduct in the ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ community.
- – complete guide further describing our services to the University community.
Updates on our current priorities
As our campus safety approach evolves, we are committed to continued engagement with you to create programs and improve operations that ensure quality service delivery.
AlertNU, ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ’s emergency alert system
We have updated our emergency messaging to allow us to send faster and clearer updates regarding campus security matters, weather-related alerts or other emergencies.
To help you understand and navigate the terminology used in these communications, we have developed a new resource, a .
Look for a community message this fall regarding testing for the emergency notification system. Please view the for more information about emergency notifications.
Building security
On Aug. 31, our Evanston campus transitioned to new security measures that require more regular and frequent use of Wildcards to access campus buildings. More information about the new access hours and protocols are on the . This change aims to ensure a safer environment while still providing opportunities for all members of our University community to utilize facilities effectively.
Emergency response planning
In addition to emergency planning exercises, University leadership recently engaged in a simulation exercise to review and enhance the University’s emergency recovery response processes. These efforts reinforce our ongoing commitment to maintaining a secure and resilient environment for students, faculty, staff and guests on our campuses.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping ÃÛÌÒÊÓƵ safe so that our entire University community continues to thrive. We welcome your feedback at SafetyandSecurity@northwestern.edu.