Safety Communications Protocol
Emergency Response and Evacuation
Xavier University will immediately notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation, occurring on the campus, involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students and employees on campus. In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, the University has implemented a comprehensive communications system with the primary method of communication being the XU Alert Me System (Text, Phone, email, and electronic message signs, where available) to provide prompt warning notifications and alerts of immediate threats to the health and safety of members of the campus community. The University may also use additional communication methods, including: outdoor mass notification system, University website notices, Public Address System (where available), and building fire alarm systems.
Members of the Xavier community are automatically signed up for immediate email notification through Xavier University XU Alert Me. Additionally, all students are automatically signed up to receive immediate phone notification though the XU Alert Me system if the student registered a phone number during the enrollment process. Others may check the University website at www.xavier.edu and the Xavier Safety site at www.xavier.edu/safety for updates during an emergency on campus.
The XUPD is primarily responsible for confirming that there is a significant emergency or dangerous situation on campus that could cause an immediate threat to the health and safety of the members of the campus community. The XUPD may be assisted in confirming an emergency by other XU administrators, the local first responder agencies and/or the National Weather Service. For example, there are other departments on campus that could be in a position to assist with confirming certain types of emergencies, such as a pandemic flu outbreak, etc. The Office of University Communications, the XUPD, and/or Clery Compliance and Safety Coordinator have access to the systems to notify the campus community of immediate threats that have occurred and necessitate evacuation, shelter in place, or other action on the part of students, employees, and campus visitors. These departments in conjunction with the Xavier University Campus Emergency Response Team have the authority to determine the appropriate segment or segments of the campus community that will receive alerts, to determine the content of the alert, and to initiate the notification system.
In the event of a failure in the systems (technology) listed above, the University may use face to face communication.
The institution typically provides follow-up information to the community using the same systems that were used to send out the original alert. The information will also be updated on the Xavier University Safety web site.
Members of the larger community, such as parents, neighbors, etc interested in receiving information about emergencies on campus may access the Xavier University Safety website at www.xavier.edu/safety and via local and/or national news coverage.
Timely Warnings
Timely Warnings are generally distributed for the following Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR)/National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) classifications: major incidents of arson, aggravated assault, criminal homicide, and robbery and sex offenses. Cases of aggravated assault and sex offenses are considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the facts of the case and the information known by XUPD. For example, if an assault occurs between two students who have a disagreement, there may be no on-going threat to other Xavier University community members and a Timely Warning would not be distributed. In cases involving sexual assault, they are often reported long after the incident occurred, thus there is no ability to distribute a "timely" warning notice to the community. Sex offenses will be considered on a case by case basis depending on when and where the incident occurred, when it was reported, and the amount information known by the Xavier University Police Department. Timely warnings are not limited to violent crimes or crimes against persons and may be issued for threats to persons or to property. Whether a case warrants issuance of a Timely Warning will be evaluated by the Xavier University Police Chief or designee on a case by-case basis in light of all the facts surrounding a crime, including, but not limited to, the nature of the crime, continuing danger to the campus community, and the possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts. Timely Warnings will contain information that would promote safety and that would aid in the prevention of similar crimes