Safety in Academic Buildings
During academic semesters, academic buildings at the University are open for access by students, faculty, staff, and visitors between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m., Monday through Friday. Outside doors are locked at other times, although faculty and staff who work in a building may be given keys. The Building Safety and Security Representative (BSSR) program is designed to facilitate emergency planning for the occupants of each building at the University. The program focuses on emergency planning at the building level since most emergencies such as fire, flood, tornado, or criminal activity affect the entire building.
Each BSSR leader will help create safety plans, monitor security issues, participate in emergency drills, and work to create a safe environment for the occupants of a specific building. More information on the BSSR program can be found at prepare.uga.edu/bssrs or by calling the Office of Emergency Preparedness at 706-542-5845.
During the annual February UGA Alert emergency messaging test to campus in conjunction with the statewide tornado drill, the Office of Emergency Preparedness asks community members to practice sheltering for severe weather in their facility. During the annual September UGA Alert emergency messaging test to campus, the Office of Emergency Preparedness asks the campus to practice their building evacuation procedures.
Police officers patrol campus on foot, checking for suspicious persons, suspicious or criminal activity, and safety and security hazards. Malfunctioning outside doors and locks are reported to the Facilities Management Division for immediate attention.
Safety in University Housing
Maintaining a safe living environment is one of the fundamental missions of University Housing. The UGA OneCard, along with a personal identification number, is required to enter the secure areas of residence halls. Each resident is issued a key to their individual room door, and in the event of a lost key, doors to resident rooms are rekeyed. Many building exterior doors are equipped with electronic alarms, and security is enhanced through the use of camera systems in many buildings.
After normal business hours and on weekends, student and professional staff members are on call to support student needs. Each of University Housing’s residential communities also has a 24-hour desk, where residents can get assistance. Finally, University Housing employs a team of trained uniformed security personnel who conduct continuous patrols of all residential facilities throughout the night and assist in responding to emergency situations or identifying security concerns.
In addition to the above measures, it is essential that University Housing has the support and cooperation of all residents to maximize individual and community safety and security. Residents must remain diligent in complying with all of University Housing’s security policies, including not propping open doors or letting unauthorized persons enter the buildings. Residents should always lock their room doors and report suspicious persons or activities noted in or around their buildings to University police.
For more information, visit housing.uga.edu or call 706-542-1421.
Safety in Fraternities and Sororities
Eight fraternity and sorority houses are located directly on campus and are thus under the jurisdiction of UGA Police, who patrol regularly. The remaining sorority and fraternity houses are located off campus and are under the jurisdiction of the Athens-Clarke County Police. Fraternities and sororities are managed by the house corporation for the individual chapters, each of which establishes its own security policies. The Greek Life Office, at 706-542-4612, can provide information about the house corporation for any given house.
Safety Off Campus
When a crime has been committed at an off-campus location of a recognized student organization, it should be reported to local law enforcement agencies. The UGA Police Department does not have jurisdiction off campus but works with the local law enforcement agency, which will conduct the investigation to obtain information about any incident as soon as possible after it has occurred. Victims of criminal acts may obtain a copy of the police incident report from the agency of jurisdiction. The Office of Student Conduct handles student violations of conduct regulations that occur off campus.