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Life at TU / Campus Safety and Security / Emergency Procedures

Emergency Procedures

If a Red (Severe) Alert is called by the Department of Homeland Security, the Seneca County Emergency Operations Center will be opened by the Chief of the Tiffin Fire Department and the Director of the Seneca County Department of Public Safety to assess the situation. The Center will be located at the Seneca County Fair Grounds.

Information will be made available to the public through WTTF 1600AM. A list of emergency contact personnel has been provided to the Tiffin Fire Department, The Seneca County Department of Public Safety, and to the Red Cross. The individuals on this list include the President, the Dean of Students (emergency contact person), the Vice Presidents, the Dean of Advising and Freshman Year Experience, and the Assistant Dean of Students.

The emergency contact person will contact the Chief of the Tiffin Fire Department, and the Red Cross as soon as possible for details. The emergency contact person may be asked to attend a meeting of the Seneca County Terrorism Task Force for information and procedures regarding the emergency. This could include information on evacuation procedures.

The University’s Emergency Management Team will consist of the Dean of Students, the Vice Presidents and the Executive Director of Media Relations and Publications. The President will convene the Team to determine procedures. Appropriate response will be determined by information received by the emergency contact person from the above-mentioned organizations. The main topic to be addressed would be whether the threat or emergency is local, regional or national. A local threat would require an immediate response. If the situation requires this type of response, the Associate Vice President for Information and Technology Services and the Executive Director of Media Relations and Publications, will be asked to place a notice on the Tiffin University web site, and the Intranet. E-mail detailing the situation will be sent to all faculty, staff, and students and trustees.

If evacuation is required, contact numbers and information will be placed on the automated answering attendant on the main and 800 phone lines by the Executive Director of Media Relations and Publications. This will include the evacuation location provided by the Seneca County Emergency Operations Center. This will also include phone contact numbers for cell and/or other phones at the evacuation site and phone numbers for the Emergency Operations Center. Appropriate contacts with the media will be made at this time.

The Director of Human Resources will contact all employees, informing them of emergency evacuation procedures. The Dean of Students will contact all resident students and all students on campus at the time, to inform them of emergency evacuation procedures. The parking lot south of Huggins Hall has been designated as the evacuation site. The Dean of Students will arrange for university vehicles to be moved to the evacuation site and will also coordinate ride sharing.

Students and employees are required to check in at the designated emergency evacuation site. They may then proceed elsewhere from that point if they choose. Students have been advised to identify an alternate contact person to facilitate personal emergency contacts for family. Individuals with special training (EMT, First Aid, CPR, etc.) will be asked to identify themselves to authorities or Red Cross personnel. Students, employees and onlookers will be discouraged from loitering near possible disaster sites.

In the event of a tornado watch or warning, designated safety areas have been updated and identified for each building. In the event of a chemical spill, if individuals cannot be evacuated, they should move to the highest level of the building they are in. Windows and doors should be closed and sealed, if possible. Air conditioning or other air intake fans should be turned off.

Tiffin University is an evacuation site for St. Mary’s School and is designated as a possible evacuation site for others in case of emergency. An electrical generator, additional water supply and first aid kits will be made available for the Gillmor Student Center.

Tiffin Campus

If a Level 3 snow emergency is officially declared for Seneca County by the Sheriff, classes on the Tiffin campus will be cancelled and University offices will be closed. Unless otherwise communicated by the president or the president’s designee, classes will be held and University offices will be open if a snow emergency is at Level 1 or Level 2 or in other cases of severe winter weather. When Tiffin University is closed due to Level 3 snow emergency, University employees will be notified on email, the universities official web page www.tiffin.edu. WTOL channel 11 (scrolling across the bottom of the television screen), and through the RAVE system.

If a snow emergency at Level 3 has been officially declared for Seneca County, University employees are not expected to travel to the Tiffin campus. Unless otherwise communicated by the president or the president’s designee, faculty members are expected to travel to the Tiffin campus to teach their classes and staff members are expected to travel to the Tiffin campus to report for work if a snow emergency for Seneca County is at Level 1 or 2 or in other cases of severe winter weather. If a Seneca County snow emergency is at Level 1 or 2 or in other cases of severe winter weather and an employee chooses not to report for work, the employee must inform his or her supervisor as far in advance as possible and staff members must take annual leave.

An exception to this policy will be made for any employee who lives in a county other than Seneca County that officially has a Level 3 snow emergency when Seneca County’s snow emergency is at Level 1 or 2. In this case, the employee is not expected to travel to the Tiffin campus, but must inform his or her supervisor as far in advance as possible.

If an instructor is not able to travel to the Tiffin Campus due to severe weather, the instructor must make arrangements for a colleague or others to take his/her class or may request permission from his or her school dean/provost as far in advance as possible to teach the class electronically using Moodle. Each Tiffin Campus course has a Moodle shell that can be used to create discussion opportunities, send emails to students, and/or communicate assignments. If classes are being held during severe winter weather, and a commuter student does not attend class due to safety concerns, the instructor should allow the student an excused absence.

If classes have been cancelled and University offices have been closed, certain staff members may be designated by the president or the president’s designee as “essential personnel” and may be asked to report for work. Any hourly staff member who is asked to work when the campus has been closed will be paid at a rate of time and one‐half per hour. Any exempt staff member who is asked to work when the campus is closed will be given compensatory time off at a later date.

Locations Other Than the Tiffin Campus

For Tiffin University classes that are taught at locations other than the Tiffin campus, instructors and other University employees should follow the same procedure as described above. The director of each academic center will serve as the president’s designee to determine and communicate any exceptions when there is a snow emergency of Level 1 or 2 for the county where the academic center is located. Tiffin University classes that are taught on a community college campus will be cancelled if the community college cancels its classes.

In November of 1990, President George Bush signed into law the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act. The following policies and procedures have been established to comply with the provisions of this Act.

FIRE EVACUATION PROCEDURES

When the alarm sounds:

  1. Close the windows.
  2. Raise the shades.
  3. Leave the lights on.
  4. Wear coat and hard-soled shoes.
  5. Carry towel and place over face in case of smoke.
  6. The room will be checked after you leave.
  7. Go, without talking, to your exit in single file. Walk swiftly. Do not run or push.
  8. If you are not in your room, go to the nearest exit.
  9. Assemble outside the hall or house at your designated spot so that roll call may be taken quickly.
  10. Face away from the building in case of explosion.
  11. Do not return to your room for any reason until the signal is given.
  12. Everyone must leave the building, Residence Hall, house, or other, in which a fire alarm is activated. Failure to do so may result in probation, removal from housing, and/or other appropriate sanctions, including a $50.00 fine.

DO NOT argue with Fire Safety personnel. Failure to comply could result in your arrest.

In compliance with The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Tiffin University will implement the following notification guidelines in the event of a missing student.

  • In the event it is believed a student (residential or commuter) is missing, especially if the student has been missing for 24 hours or more, the Dean of Students Office should be contacted immediately (419) 448-3421 or the Student Affairs Office (419) 448-3264. If the student is a residential student, and an initial report is made to a resident assistant or to the Director of Residence Life, the Dean of Students will also be contacted by the appropriate staff members.
  • Any student living in an on-campus housing facility has the option to register a confidential contact person to be notified in the case that student is determined to be missing. Only authorized campus officials and law enforcement officers in furtherance of a missing person investigation may have access to this information, unless otherwise specified by the student. The student should include any other information in his or her registration. Registration forms may be filled out in the Student Affairs Office (Tiffin Campus).
  • All students should be advised that even if they have not registered a contact person in the Student Affairs Office (Tiffin Campus), local law enforcement officials will be notified to aid in an investigation, as will other agencies as necessity dictates.
  • Parents or guardians of any student less than 18 years of age and not emancipated will be notified immediately, regardless of registration status.
  • Any reports or notification of missing students will be referred immediately to local law enforcement officials.
  • If a student residing in a campus housing facility is determined to have been missing for 24 hours or more, the following procedures will be implemented:
    • Local law enforcement will be contacted immediately as will the President the President’s Cabinet. The President and the President’s staff will receive notifications of the investigation from the Dean of Students.
    • Campus officials will aid local law enforcement in whatever capacity, as well as aid in seeking and obtaining information from any campus sources, such as roommates, classmates, teammates, professors, staff members, and any other campus constituents who may have information pertinent to the investigation.
    • The President will coordinate all media efforts with the Vice-President for Development and Public Affairs and the Executive Director of Media Relations.
    • The Dean of Students and members of the Student Affairs Staff will work with family members to keep them apprised of the situation and to offer support.
    • The President will determine and coordinate any other responsibilities as needed.
  • NOTE: This procedures may be implemented in less than 24 hours if circumstances warrant a faster implementation.

For International Students:

Initial Attendance:

  • An international student attending Tiffin University on an F-1 visa is required to report to school no sooner than 30 days prior to the start of classes and no later than7 days after the start of classes. The Primary Designated School Official (PDSO) is notified when a student successfully obtains his/her F-1 visa. From this point, the Director of International Student Services requires a flight itinerary from the student that shows the departure and arrival time of the flight, the flight number, and contact information. The flight itinerary paperwork is required to be submitted at least 2 weeks before the student arrives at the airport. The paperwork has contact information for the Director of International Student Services, the graduate assistant for International Student Services, and the assistant to the Director.
  • The Director of International Student Services or a member or the staff greets every student at the airport. If the student fails to report to the airport, the Director of International Student Services first attempts to contact airport security to notify authorities of the missing student. Attempts to contact the parents or guardian of the student or the recruiting agent from the student’s home country follow if no contact is made through airport security. If all attempts to contact the student prove unsuccessful, the PDSO is required to terminate the student’s I-20 document and notify the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) and The Department of Homeland Security via the Student and Exchange Visitor information Services (SEVIS) database of the failure to report. At this point, the student is considered an illegal alien to the United States and subject to deportation.

Active Status International Student:

  • International students are required to supply the Director of International Student Services with a phone number, off-campus address, as well as, contact information for parents or guardians in case of emergency. This information is available to the staff of the Student Affairs office. If an international student is missing from the university the Director of International Students in conjunction with the Office of Residence Life will investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance. The friends and parents of the missing student will immediately be notified in attempt to locate the student’s whereabouts. If the student is missing for more than 24 hours, the local authorities will be notified.
  • If the student does not report back to campus, the PDSO is required to terminate his/her I-20 document and notify the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) and The Department of Homeland Security via the Student and Exchange Visitor information Services (SEVIS) within 30 days.

Should a criminal action occur on campus students or employees should report details to the Office of Campus Safety & Security (419) 934-0721. If the situation is an emergency, contact the Tiffin Police Department at 911 or 419-447-2323.

CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS

1. During the first several weeks of school, the University provides a wide array of educational activities and programs to inform students of the necessity of making strong personal choices for their overall safety and wellness. These activities include bringing local law enforcement and judicial officers to campus to discuss safety and security issues. During this time, the Residence Life Staff also conducts educational programs and facilitates discussions on a variety of topics ranging from alcohol issues to maintaining personal safety and awareness.

2. Tiffin University, the Tiffin Police Department and the Seneca County Municipal Court work cooperatively to provide an educational environment to students regarding the laws of the State of Ohio and students’ responsibilities regarding those laws. We provide educational programs, such as the Diversion Program for first time underage alcohol violations, as a way to educate students on responsible behavior and the necessity of making wise personal decisions and choices. The Municipal Court Judge and the Chief Probation Officer visit campus approximately twice per semester to meet with students and administrators to address concerns, develop strategies for proactive programs and to ensure that the University and the City of Tiffin are working together on ways to best meet the needs and address the issues of our students.

3. Personal bodily security is promoted by encouraging students to walk in well-lighted areas and to always have an escort with them. Students are expected to report any suspicious persons to the appropriate campus authorities or to the police immediately. This type of information is presented to the students during the first week of each new semester.

4. Other security concerns, (i.e. vandalism, damaged equipment, etc.) are addressed and corrected immediately while steps are taken to ensure security and safety until repairs can be made.

5. Students are expected to assist in promoting security campus wide by reminding others of proper procedures.

Security Policies Regarding Campus Facilities.

Keys that will allow access to the building or floor on which they live and for the room in which they live. Students cannot enter another residence except as a guest of a student in that residence. Keys cannot be duplicated locally.

Students do not have access to keys for other buildings on campus. Front door and individual office keys are provided to employees for their respective buildings. Members of the President’s Staff or directors of large administrative areas will have master keys for buildings under their supervision. Members of the maintenance staff will hold grand master keys to all buildings.

Contact Person

In the absence of a formal Security Department, the Dean of Students remains the primary contact for students and employees regarding campus law enforcement. The Dean of Students maintains an effective relationship with the local law enforcement agencies. The University, through the Dean of Students, or any member of the President’s Staff, is required to report any felony occurring on campus to the Tiffin Police Department.

Security information programs

Students and employees are encouraged to be responsible for their own security and for the security of others. Each year during Welcome Weekend, all incoming students are presented with safety and legal information during one of the large group seminars. Resident students meet with Resident Assistants during the first week of classes to review safety and security policies found in the Student Handbook. Speakers from local law enforcement agencies are brought on campus each year to present information to students and employees on security and crime prevention.

INFORMING THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY

When a security problem arises, steps will be taken to inform the campus community through a weekly college newsletter. Information will be disseminated through the Residence Life staff as well as the Student Affairs Office. When necessary, the local authorities will be notified and the university and its students are expected to cooperate fully during any investigation.

The university’s response to criminal actions or emergencies is to evaluate the situations, record details and statements of all involved, and contact the appropriate agency, if necessary (police, fire, ambulance service, counselor, etc.). Disciplinary action will be imposed upon any student involved in criminal actions. A timely report, via the weekly college newsletter, will be made regarding any crimes considered to be a threat to students or employees for prevention purposes.

Questions?

Contact the Director of Campus Security 419-448-5136 or security@tiffin.edu

To truly stand out, we must not feel compelled to fit in.