Housing and Residential Education has identified a few specific actions and tips to keep you safe. We recommend talking to your roommates and friends and letting our staff know if you notice we need to include something.
Always stay alert. It is important to know your surroundings and know when to ask for help. Trust your instincts. If you believe something is wrong, say something.
The exterior door to your room has an automatic lock mechanism - tampering with this function is a violation of HRE Rights and Responsibilities. Notify staff immediately if you find that your door is not locking automatically. Even if you plan to visit a friend’s room down the hall, pull your door closed tightly. Crimes of opportunity can take place in seconds. The University will not be responsible for any stolen items. Many of our rooms are suite-style; please make sure to lock your door to avoid jeopardizing the safety of your suitemate and/or their belongings.
Most of us were raised to hold the door open for the person behind us. However, letting unknown guests into our residence halls makes everyone in our community vulnerable. HRE asks that you do not hold the door for individuals who you are unsure if they live in your community. We recognize that students may feel they’re being rude, or may find themselves in the uncomfortable position of closing a door in someone’s face. So, UPD encourages students to contact RA or the PHC front desk at 801-587-2000 to investigate the situation if they have been followed into a residence hall by someone suspicious.
Make sure you place items of value (cash, jewelry, and electronics) out of sight and in a safe place only known by you. You can rent a safe through HRE for the academic year. Click here for more information. For electronics, make sure you record all of the serial numbers.
Do not lend your keys or UCard to others - it is a safety issue as well as a violation of HRE Rights and Responsibilities. Report all lost/stolen keys or UCard to the Peterson Heritage Center desk immediately. If you are missing your keys but are not sure if they are lost, report it nonetheless.
It is against HRE Rights and Policies for any individual, business, or private vendor to solicit or sell items in your building, no one should be coming to your door attempting to give you information or to sell you anything. If anyone other than Housing and Residential Education staff is at your door, contact 801-587-2000.
If you see or encounter a suspicious person report them immediately to University Police at 911 and your RA. Avoid confronting a suspicious person. Do not give them any information about yourself or anyone else. Give the dispatcher as much information as you can about the suspicious person. In general, if you notice something odd or unusual, please report it to your RA and to University Police at 911 immediately.
Please report stolen and missing property immediately to a Housing & Residential Education staff member and to the University Police Department at 911. The sooner a theft is reported the better the chance of recovery.
Always keep your vehicles locked and windows rolled up. Avoid keeping items of value in plain sight. Report any break in, accidents, and vandalism of your car immediately to University Police at 911.
We recommend you talk to your roommate before having someone visit or when you become aware that your roommate is having someone visit. We believe it is important for you to be honest with your roommates about who is visiting and the expectations for guests in your room. If you have a visitor, you should be with them at all times.