Campus Security Report

Messiah College has approximately 2,825 full-time, undergraduate students and approximately 770 full-time and part-time College employees. Approximately 2,300 students live in campus housing. The College employs approximately 659 full-time equivalent non-student employees. The College authority for reporting incidents or acquiring information concerning crime prevention is the Department of Safety. The Department of Safety reports to the Vice-President of Operations, the campus office responsible for security on the campus. College authorities who are required to report crime statistics for reporting purposes include campus safety personnel, persons serving in a security function, team coaches, human resources personnel, and officials who have significant responsibility for student activities, including, but not limited to, residence life, student discipline, and campus disciplinary proceedings.

Finding Campus Crime Statistics

Crime statistics for the prior three years and current policies and procedures are made available to current and prospective students and employees as required by federal and state law. These statistics and policies are compiled by the Department of Safety, and are made available in printed and electronic media prior to October 1 of each year. A table containing crime statistics may be found at the end of this Campus Security Report. Federally required statistics are available on the U.S. Department of Education web site, which may be accessed at http://www.ope.ed.gov/security/instDetail.asp?UNITID=213996 .

Complaint and Incident Logs

The Department of Safety maintains a daily electronic log reflecting complaints and incidents which have occurred at the Grantham campus in the prior 30 days. These logs are updated once each month. These logs do not include criminal offenses reported as having occurred at the College's Philadelphia Campus, which is within the jurisdiction of Temple University. They do include offenses reported to the Harrisburg Police Department which occurred in the immediate vicinity of housing provided for Messiah College students in Harrisburg, PA., in so far as accurate information has been furnished to Messiah College by the Harrisburg Police Department . Current logs may be accessed at the following sites:

Complaint Log

Incident Log

To request a log showing complaints and incidents that occurred more than 30 days prior to the request, contact Gary Lippert, Supervisor of Compliance and Investigations, at 717-691-6005 Extension 7146, Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm.

Department of Safety

The Department of Safety is a campus safety and security department. It is not a police force authorized by law to carry firearms or exercise powers of arrest. Safety comprises 15 full-time professional staff, 2 part-time professional staff, 3 dispatchers, as well as student safety escorts and support personnel. Safety officers are well-trained in the appropriate areas of campus safety, including emergency medical response, CPR, first aid, crisis intervention and patrol, crime prevention, sexual assault response, as well as human relations skills. Regular in-service instruction is provided by a full-time safety training coordinator.

Safety enforces Messiah College policies and parking codes and provides campus security patrols, escort service, and emergency response. Safety officers are responsible for and respond quickly to all criminal incidents reported, evaluate matters, and coordinate the investigation of reports. The Department of Safety maintains excellent working relationships with federal, state, county and local police agencies and coordinates with them in responding to criminal incidents. Messiah College maintains a written internal protocol for involving law enforcement agencies in specified on-campus incidents. Upper Allen Township, the jurisdiction in which the majority of the campus is located, also maintains a detailed written protocol for interaction with the College’s Department of Safety in the event of criminal incidents. Safety officers are helpful resources to members of the community seeking information on the process for reporting incidents to local law enforcement. The College cooperates fully with their efforts. Any interaction with Pennsylvania State Police is also coordinated through local police authorities.

All Department of Safety officers carry radios enabling direct communication with one another and local law enforcement. Safety officers do not carry firearms.

Standard office hours are maintained by Safety during which personal contact can be made, and a phonemail system for individual Safety personnel allows recorded messages. A 24-hour dispatch center in Eisenhower Campus Center enables immediate contact with a Safety officer. The dispatch center may be called at (717) 691-6005.

Reporting Criminal Incidents to Campus Security Authorities

Messiah College advises all students, employees, and visitors to report all incidents, crimes, and/or emergency concerns occurring on College owned or supervised property to the Department of Safety at Ext. 6005. The Department of Safety advises every crime victim of his or her right to report the crime to the appropriate law enforcement agency and assist the victim in that process if desired. All reported criminal incidents are promptly investigated by the Department of Safety or turned over to the appropriate local law enforcement agency for investigation.

The College encourages its pastoral staff and professional counselors, if and when they deem appropriate, to inform the person they are counseling of their right to report crimes on a voluntary basis. Off-campus emergency assistance may be contacted by dialing Ext. 9911 from residence halls, apartments, and offices. Specific numbers for other emergency services are posted on telephone receivers. In addition, the Department of Safety maintains a "silent witness" feature on its website which allows students or employees to report crimes without providing their names or other identifying information.

As noted, students are also encouraged to notify proper law enforcement authorities if they are the victim of a crime or have knowledge of criminal activity. Any victim of a criminal act is informed by Safety that he/she has the option of reporting the incident to the local police, who will then handle the investigation with the cooperation of the College. Students may request the assistance of College personnel in this process. Substantiated incidents may result in College disciplinary action as well as referral to local law enforcement for criminal prosecution. College discipline proceedings may be carried out prior to, simultaneously with, or following any off-campus civil or criminal proceedings.

Crime victims or concerned persons may address questions regarding counseling and health resources, changes in academic or living situations, college discipline processes, and/or crime reporting to the Office of the Vice Provost/Dean of Students (Ext. 5234). The Engle Center for Counseling and Health (Ext. 5357) can be reached for counseling and health questions.

Finding Registered Sex Offender Information

The federal Sex Crime Prevention Act requires colleges and universities to advise campus community members where to locate law enforcement agency information provided by the state concerning registered sex offenders. It also requires sex offenders already required to register in the state to provide notice of each institution of higher education in the state at which the person is employed, carries on a vocation, or is a student. In Pennsylvania, information regarding registered sex offenders may be obtained from the Pennsylvania State Police or a local municipal police agency with jurisdiction for the campus. The Pennsylvania State Police website relative to registered sex offenders may be accessed at http://www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us/ . Similar information is maintained by the National Sex Offender Registry and is available at http://www.familywatchdog.us/Default.asp Local police agencies having jurisdiction for portions of the Messiah College campus are Upper Allen Township (795-2445) and Carroll Township (432-3317).

Sexual Assault Prevention and Reporting

College policy and procedures related to sexual assault are included in the Student Handbook and employee Policy and Procedure Manual. This policy complies with all local, state, and federal laws regarding the reporting of sexual offenses. Survivors of, and witnesses to, sexual offenses are encouraged to report all incidents to the Department of Safety and the local police. A detailed protocol is maintained which coordinates the responses of Student Affairs, Safety, and Engle Center for Health and Counseling Services in the event of a reported sexual assault.

To promote awareness and prevention of rape, the Department of Safety offers a class for women on Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.). The Rape Aggression Defense system is a program of realistic, self-defense tactics and techniques. It is a comprehensive 12-hour course covering awareness, prevention, risk reduction and avoidance, as well as the basics of hands-on defense training. The class provides effective options by teaching women to take an active role in their own self-defense and psychological well being, and is taught by Department of Safety personnel who are certified R.A.D. instructors.

The Department of Safety also offers a 2-hour Self-Defense Awareness and Familiarization Exchange (S.A..F. E.) course. S.A.F.E. is a program of educational awareness which teaches strategies, techniques, options, and victim prevention. Its goal is to reduce a woman's risk of exposure to violence and to introduce them to the physical aspects of self-defense.

A student who commits a sexual assault is subject to College disciplinary proceedings with sanctions up to expulsion from the College. An employee who commits a sexual assault is subject to disciplinary action with sanctions up to termination of College employment. Any perpetrator of a sexual assault is liable to criminal prosecution. A College brochure on Sexual Assault awareness and adjudication describes procedures for victims to follow in reporting an assault as well as the availability of educational programs, disciplinary procedures, rights and options for the victim, rights and options for the accused, medical and legal counseling resources, and options for changing academic and/or living situations. In all cases of sexual offenses, protecting the privacy and safety of the victim is of paramount importance.

Crime Prevention and Awareness

Crime prevention programs are conducted and publications distributed to the campus community periodically throughout the year. Emergency telephones, an escort service, around the clock emergency dispatch, and 24-hour campus safety operations are a few of the crime prevention and campus safety resources available to the campus community. Crime prevention programs are presented regularly to students. Periodically, Safety informs employees of security and crime prevention procedures by notices published in The Intercom, the campus employee newsletter. Crime awareness information is distributed regularly to students and employees, and crime prevention tips are printed in The Intercom and the student newsletter. All students are reminded of security and safety procedures annually.

In the event of a substantiated serious safety concern, the campus community is notified promptly through electronic media, public announcements, and by postings in the residence halls, academic buildings and employee lounges. The college has also implemented an emergency text alert system which will transmit text messages to the cell phones of students and employees who enroll for the service.

Campus Environment

Messiah College supports a substance-free community. Possession, use, sale or transportation of illegal drugs or alcoholic beverages by any student, employee or visitor on College property is strictly prohibited. Disciplinary action may be instituted against the violator through the College and/or referral to local law enforcement. Alcohol awareness and abuse prevention programs are offered by Safety, the Community Development Offices and the Engle Center. Messiah College also distributes twice yearly a summary statement which explains compliance standards under the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, and describes help available to members of the campus community with drug or alcohol related problems. This policy coincides with state and federal law. College policy as to substances, including alcohol, is more fully explained in the Student Handbook and in the employee Policy and Procedure Manual, both of which are available on the College’s web site. Drug and alcohol awareness training and preventive substance abuse education are offered by Safety, Community Development, and the Engle Center.

Since January 1, 2003, Messiah College has required criminal history record checks of all applicants to whom employment is offered. Any offer of employment prior to the completion of a criminal history record check is made subject to the receipt of a report which is satisfactory to the College. The offer is withdrawn if a satisfactory report is not received. College employees are responsible to disclose to the Department of Human Resources any felony or misdemeanor convictions which occur subsequent to the date of employment. Applicants for student admission are required to disclose any prior felony or misdemeanor conviction, and to provide additional documentation as necessary. A criminal conviction may or may not disqualify a student applicant.

Firearms and other weapons are not permitted on campus.

College Residences and Other Buildings

All College buildings and residences are private property of Messiah College. Messiah College is located on private property intersected by public roadways. Locations of all campus buildings and roadways may be found by referring to the Messiah College map at http://www.messiah.edu/visitors/map.html.

Non-residential buildings are opened for business at a designated time each morning and secured at a designated time each evening by Safety personnel. Residential buildings are secured at all times and access is limited to authorized persons. Unauthorized persons who trespass on college property are subject to prosecution under state law. A numbered personal identification card with a photograph is issued to each student and employee of the College. This card identifies the holder as a member of the College community and is used to gain access to certain College events and facilities. It must be shown if requested by authorized Department of Safety personnel. Access restrictions to both residential and non-residential facilities are enforced by the College Department of Safety.

Messiah College residential facilities include traditional residence halls and campus apartments for enrolled students. In addition, the College maintains several satellite “special interest” residences in houses near the campus. Exterior entry doors and hall doors of traditional residences and apartments are equipped with identification card readers which allow after-hours access only to students residing in that building. Windows in traditional residences and apartments are equipped with standard locking devices. Doors to apartments, satellite residences, and individual rooms in traditional residences are secured by approved locks. During holidays and vacation periods, card access codes are altered and traditional, apartment, and satellite residences are locked.

Security considerations in the maintenance of campus facilities also include trimming landscaping away from building entranceways, maintaining 15 emergency telephones in parking lots, and regularly checking lighting to insure that lighting is operational around all buildings. Department of Safety personnel routinely undertake security patrols of the entire campus and respond to reported incidents and requests for assistance. They continue their practice of checking entry doors at regular intervals during periods of low or no student occupancy.

Policies relative to housing assignments and other student housing issues are maintained and administered by the College’s Office of Residence Life, and may be viewed at http://www.messiah.edu/offices/residence_life/ Room changes within a residence may be made with the consent of the Residence Director and the Director of Housing.

Messiah College ’s Campus Visitor and Solicitation Policy may be viewed at http://www.messiah.edu/community/Campus_Visitor_and_Solicitation_Policy.html.

During the academic year, employees assigned to student housing facilities include 8 full-time professional Residence Directors who live in and supervise traditional residence halls and apartments. They are aided by a staff of 69 student Resident Assistants, at least one of whom lives on each floor of the traditional residences. Residence personnel receive regular training which includes security procedures, fire safety (including fire extinguisher) training, drug information and protocol, sexual assault prevention and response protocol, and alcohol intervention. One custodian is assigned to each residence facility.

Student Housing Beyond Grantham

Messiah College also maintains satellite student housing in Harrisburg in addition to our Philadelphia Campus. The entrances to these townhouse and apartment facilities are secured by approved locks. Access is granted only to authorized personnel who are issued keys. Guests must be personally admitted at the exterior door and cannot be admitted by remote buzzer. A security force performs an exterior security check 3 times each day. Key access is also needed for the interior bedrooms of the townhouses at the Philadelphia campus as well in the apartments in Harrisburg. During the academic year, professional Residence Life personnel live in and supervise these facilities. They are assisted by a staff of trained student Resident Assistants.

Crime Statistics

Crime statistics are furnished to current students and employees on an annual basis, and upon request to prospective students and employees.

The following table reflects criminal offenses reported to the Messiah College Department of Safety as having occurred on or adjacent to the College's Grantham Campus*. "Reported" incidents do not include those which have been determined to be unfounded. Incidents which are designated as "cleared" have been resolved through the college discipline process and/or referred to local law enforcement.

This table does not include criminal offenses reported as having occurred at the College's Philadelphia Campus, which is within the jurisdiction of Temple University. It does include offenses reported to the Harrisburg Police Department which occurred in the immediate vicinity of housing provided for Messiah College students in Harrisburg, PA., insofar as accurate information has been furnished to Messiah College by the Harrisburg Police Department.

* No reported offenses of this type manifested evidence of being a hate crime (i.e. a crime where "the victim was intentionally selected because of the victim's actual or perceived race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or disability").

** The crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported offenses by 3,437, which is the sum of full-time equivalent undergraduate students (2,778) and full-time equivalent non student employees (659).

Revised September 2007