Dear Spartans,
As we welcome our new and returning Spartans back to campus, we want to take the opportunity to highlight safety procedures and services to help ensure that everyone is prepared to have a safe, productive semester. The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors is our highest priority.
Our team is trained, prepared, and focused. The UNCG Police Department is staffed with full-time officers who have been professionally trained and are fully equipped to respond to emergency calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Student Affairs personnel are also intensely focused on supporting student well-being and helping those in crisis. Part of their work in the Dean of Students Office is to ensure students, faculty, and staff have access to support resources they need to help individuals who may be facing personal challenges in their lives. If you are concerned about the behavior of any member of our community, you are encouraged to submit your concern through the Report Concerning Behavior form. For assistance or consultation prior to completing the referral form, please contact the Dean of Students Office (336.334.5514) or UNCG Police (336.334.5963). If the concerning behavior requires immediate attention, please contact UNCG Police at 336.334.4444 or dial 911. We must remain vigilant and prepared for any and all safety and security incidents. You can help us make the campus safer by participating as follows:
- React immediately and without hesitation to Emergency Alerts (only sent in the time of an emergency or critical incident): To receive Spartan Alert text messages, you must register your mobile phone and opt-in to text alerts in UNCGenie. It only takes a minute. Click here for instructions. You can also add friends and family to Spartan Alert through the MyConnect Portal. Instructions are available here.
- Download the UNCG and Spartan Safe mobile apps: The UNCG mobile app is a crucial component of our safety efforts, providing you with easy access to support resources, emergency information, and alerts, as well as services such as the Spartan Chariot locator. The Spartan Safe app works in conjunction with UNCG Mobile. With the Spartan Safe app, you have the power of a BlueLight in the palm of your hand. Through Spartan Safe, you can submit tips via the mobile app and chat directly with UNCG Police, request the Walk Safe service, and receive active crime alerts. Download the Spartan Safe app through Google Play or Apple App Store.
- Understand UNCG Police Department policies: The UNCG Police Department is committed not only to making our campus safe, but working with our community on the very real issues of racial equity as they interact with law enforcement. Equity, diversity, and inclusion will consistently be top of mind here at UNCG, and especially among our police department and leadership team. It is a top priority for us to ensure that our procedures are well documented, our officers are well trained, and you – our community – feel safe, respected, and confident in the people and processes we have put in place to keep our campus safe. Our latest policy documentation is here.
- Be aware of classroom locks: UNCG has worked closely with our Facilities Staff to ensure that classrooms with an occupancy of less than 50 people are equipped with a thumb-turn indicator lock. If you are unable to leave the building, locked doors may be used to help protect occupants from an active threat. To support this effort, make yourself aware of the doors that have these locks and do not prop them open or prevent them from being secured quickly.
- Use (and refer those in need to) the Campus Violence Response Center (CVRC): Too often the situations that make us feel unsafe happen within the context of interpersonal relationships. If you or someone you know is experiencing a relationship that feels threatening in any way, the CVRC can help you think through the situation and develop a plan for safety. The CVRC is located on the ground floor of Gove Student Health Center and can be reached at 336.334.9839.
- Pedestrian safety: Be sure to pay attention to your surroundings when crossing major streets like Gate City, Josephine Boyd, Walker, and Spring Garden. Always cross at designated crosswalks and look up – don’t risk a car not seeing you.
Keeping our community safe is a top priority for our administration and our team, and it is a shared responsibility. Be alert about the situations you encounter, the people you interact with, and the places you go. Respond as directed in emergencies. Access the tools and training available to you. If you see something that seems wrong, out of place, or dangerous, report it right away. If you have any questions or if there is anything we can do to help, please ask.
We look forward to working together with all in our community to make this another amazing year at UNCG.
Sincerely,
Eric S. Boyce
Chief of Police
Dr. Cathy Akens
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
