The Campus Police in the Campus Residential Community

CCC offers traditional residence halls, which provide on-campus housing for approximately 600 students. All housing is for undergraduate women. Rooms are designed for single, double or triple occupancy. Security safeguards within the residence halls include restricted access, guest registration and external door prop alarm systems. Access to CCC housing facilities is limited to residents, escorted guests and CCC staff. Professional Residence Life Coordinators and student Resident Advisors, who are all members of the CCC Residence Life staff, live on campus and provide 24-hour staff coverage.

Most importantly, residents are reminded of safety and security issues at orientation, the opening floor meetings and in the student handbook. Students are asked to keep their rooms locked at all times even when occupied, to observe building security procedures and to notify Residence Life Staff or the Campus Police of any unfamiliar guests or unusual incidents within the residence halls.

All Residence Life staff members in the halls undergo training each semester for both prevention and response regarding safety and security issues.

HOUSING ENTRANCE SECURITY
The main door of each residence hall is equipped with a keyless entry system. Persons entering or leaving each residence hall must do so through the main entrance and access to the main door is restricted to authorized personnel and students with electronic access tags. The use of these electronic access tags is recorded by a computer which is located in the Campus Police office. All secondary doors to the residence halls are locked and connected to alarms 24 hours a day.

Each residence hall room is equipped with its own fire detection device. The alarm system is centralized at the College switchboard and is monitored 24 hours a day. Should unauthorized exit or entry occur or, if a fire detector is activated, an alarm will sound both at the site of the problem and at the switchboard. This alarm will audibly and visually identify the site of the problem and display at the switchboard the time, date, location of the problem and print out a complete record of alarms. Once an alarm has been set off and the building identified, an officer will be dispatched to investigate and to take necessary action.

DOOR AND WINDOW SECURITY
Residence hall windows are equipped with locks, and room keys are issued to each resident upon move-in. In the event that a key is lost or stolen, that loss must be reported to the Director of Residence Life and to the Campus Police as quickly as possible. If a room key is lost or a student leaves and does not return her key, a charge of $50 will be assessed for replacement. Keys may not be duplicated. Students are responsible for their keys and are not permitted to loan their keys to anyone. Students found duplicating or lending their room keys may be subject to disciplinary action.

RESIDENCE HALL PERSONNEL
Residence Life Coordinators (hereinafter “RCs”) are full time Student Affairs professionals who also live in the residence halls. Resident Advisors (hereinafter “RAs”) are student staff members who live on each floor of the halls. All RCs and RAs are issued staff manuals that cover protocols to be followed in the event of emergencies. The written material is reinforced by instructional training sessions presented by the Director of Residence Life. Custodial and Maintenance personnel are also instructed on building security protocol and must sign in and out when their duties take them inside the residence halls. Campus Police officers also conduct routine patrols through the residence halls on a continual basis.

HOLIDAY AND VACATION HOUSING
For each vacation period, a specific closing time for the halls will be indicated. All students are expected to vacate their rooms by this deadline. Unauthorized occupancy can lead to disciplinary action being taken. Students may be required to relocate to another building during the break for safety or logistical reasons.

Break periods are used for general maintenance. Students may expect work crews in the buildings during these times. Failure to comply with residence hall break guidelines may result in fines or disciplinary sanctions.

SECURITY EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
During the first week of the academic year, new students are informed about security procedures. They are trained to accept responsibility for maintaining security for themselves and others and given written guidelines reinforcing the College’s policies and procedures via the student handbook which can also be accessed online.

Students participate in two fire drills per semester in their residence halls; any residence hall having an unsatisfactory fire drill is required to have an additional one.

Security related workshops and short courses such as the R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) program are offered periodically throughout the year.  Fliers are distributed regularly to students, faculty and staff on a variety of topics, including self-protection in the home, on the highway and outdoors. Crime prevention programs include orientation workshops, individual floor meetings, residential community-wide presentations and educational programs. Safety and Security will also work with student groups to organize programs focused on campus and personal safety issues.

WEAPONS
Weapons are prohibited on the campus of Cedar Crest College. All federal, state and local laws regulating the possession, use and sale of weapons are in force on the campus. Campus Police Officers do carry fire arms.

INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS
The College pre-screens employment applicants with a thorough reference check, including some or all of the following as applicable: a Pennsylvania Criminal records check, a public records check, a Credit Check, a Pennsylvania Driving Record Check and an Operators License Check.

CAMPUS FACILITIES-SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
In order to discourage criminal activity, the College’s buildings and grounds crew makes sure that the campus is well-lit at night and the bushes and trees are kept trimmed. During routine patrols, Campus Police officers make note of lights that are not operating, defective door and window locks, and safety and fire hazards. A written report is sent to maintenance personnel the following day for timely action.

COMMUNICATION MEDIUMS
Aside from direct, personal contact with the College Community, the Campus Police use campus mail, campus email, telephone and postings to communicate security matters.