Missing Student Notification and Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy

  • I. Introduction
    • A. The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (“Clery Act”) requires institutions of higher education that maintain on-campus student housing to establish a missing student notification policy and related procedures.
    • B. Colorado law (C.R.S. § 23-5-141) requires institutions of higher education to take additional measures when students who are known to last reside in Colorado are reported missing or cannot be located.
    • C. When a Student is reported missing or cannot be located, the University will follow this Missing Student Notification and Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy and related procedures.
       
  • II. Policy Overview
    • A.    As part of the Housing & Residential Education (“HRE”) housing application process for Students seeking to live in University owned or operated housing, and separately through a communication to all Students from the Office of the Registrar, the University informs Students of the opportunity to provide the name of, and contact information for, a person whom the University should contact in case the Student is reported missing or cannot be located.
    • B.    The University will inform Student(s) through its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report and this Policy that the University will:
      • 1.    register their Missing Student Notification Contact confidentially;
      • 2.    limit access to such contact information to authorized University officials; and
      • 3.    only disclose such contact information to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of an investigation into a Student who has been reported missing or cannot be located.
    • C.    If the Student is under 18 years of age and not emancipated, the University will notify the Student’s custodial parent or guardian within six (6) hours of the determination that the Student is missing or cannot be located, in addition to notifying any additional contact person designated by the Student as their Missing Student Notification Contact.
    • D.    The University will notify the local law enforcement agency within six (6) hours of the determination that the Student is missing or cannot be located, unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that the Student is missing or cannot be located.
    • E.    If the University cannot reach the Student’s Missing Person Notification Contact within a reasonable time frame, the University may contact the Student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) if they were not designated as the Missing Person Notification Contact.
       
  • III. Process Overview
    • A.    Reports to Housing & Residential Education
      • If members of the University community and other persons inform HRE staff that a Student may be missing or cannot be located, the HRE staff member must immediately notify the HRE Administrator on Call. HRE Staff member(s) will work with Campus Safety to begin a preliminary wellness assessment using the steps set forth in Section III.B.2 below to determine whether the Student is missing or cannot be located and whether to engage with law enforcement, as appropriate.
    • B.    Reports to Campus Safety
      • 1.    If members of the University community or other persons want to report that a Student may be missing or cannot be located, they may contact Campus Safety’s 24-hour dispatch center at (303) 871-2334 (1-2334). Once Campus Safety is notified, Campus Safety will determine whether the Student is missing or cannot be located. When other University officials are contacted with such a report, those officials must immediately notify Campus Safety, so that Campus Safety may determine whether the Student is missing or cannot be located.
      • 2.    To determine if a Student is missing or cannot be located, Campus Safety will conduct a preliminary wellness assessment by: 
        • a.    Attempting to contact the Student using the digital contact information the Student has provided to the University, including the Student’s University email address;
        • b.    Conducting a physical check of the Student’s residence if the Student resides in University owned or operated housing. HRE staff may conduct the physical check and inform Campus Safety of the results;
        • c.    Contacting the Student’s available instructors about the Student’s most recently known class attendance; and
        • d.    Contacting HRE staff about the Student’s most recent presence in University owned or operated housing, if applicable.
      • 3.    The University may take additional steps, including:
        • a.    Retrieving the Student’s photo, checking the Student’s class schedule, and attempting to contact the Student in class;
        • b.    Contacting other persons on campus who may know the Student, such as their roommate(s), floor mates, other friends, acquaintances, coaches, team members, club advisors, and fellow club members;
        • c.    Determining where and when the Student used their DU ID to enter campus facilities;
        • d.    Checking the Student’s social media accounts for recent activity;
        • e.    Attempting to locate a vehicle that the Student has registered with the University;
        • f.    Contacting persons off-campus who may know where the Student is located, such as employers and associates, parents, guardians, other family members; and
        • g.    Using other measures that Campus Safety deems appropriate.
      • 4.    Should Campus Safety’s preliminary wellness assessment determine that the Student has been missing or cannot be located for six (6) hours, Campus Safety will notify the following persons and entities at the expiration of the six (6) hour period:
        • a.    the Denver Police Department, the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the Student’s last known residential address in Colorado on file with the University, or if the Student does not have a last known residential address in Colorado on file with the University, the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the Student’s permanent address on file with the University, as appropriate, unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that the student is missing; and
        • b.    the Missing Student Notification Contact.
          • i.    For Students who are under the age of 18 and not emancipated, in addition to contacting the Missing Student Notification Contact, University officials must contact the Student’s custodial parent or guardian to inform them that the University has determined that the Student is missing.
      • 5.    If Campus Safety determines there is a credible risk to the Student’s safety prior to or during the preliminary wellness assessment, Campus Safety will immediately conduct the notifications required under Section III.4.B.4a and Section III.B.4.b. If Campus Safety immediately notifies the appropriate law enforcement agency after a missing person report is made, the University will not conduct a preliminary wellness assessment because it is not required.
      • 6.    Campus Safety will document through a case report in its ARMS Records Management System the following information regarding a report that a Student is missing or cannot be located:
        • a.    the date and time the missing person report was received and the name and role of the University employee who received it;
        • b.    the date, time, method, and outcome of each contact attempt made under Section III.B.2;
        • c.    the name and role of each University employee who participated in the preliminary wellness assessment;
        • d.    the reason any step of the preliminary wellness assessment was not completed within the six (6) hour period; and
        • e.    the date and time a missing person report is made to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
      • 7.    The University will maintain Campus Safety case reports consistent with
        the University’s obligations under the Clery Act.
      • 8.    If the Student has not been located within thirty (30) days after the University receives the missing person report, the Department of Campus Safety will provide its report to the Student’s Emergency Contact consistent with applicable federal and state privacy laws.
      • 9.    The University will publish its Missing Student Notification and Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy on the University’s website, and the University will review and update it at least every three (3) years.
         
  • Definitions
    • A.    “Emergency Contact” The person designated by the Student as their authorized contact in case of emergencies.
    • B.    “Missing Student Notification Contact” the person designated by a Student through the housing application process to be contacted if the Student is identified as missing pursuant to this Policy.
    • C.    “Student” is defined in the University’s Honor Code as any persons registered for or auditing classes at the University; admitted to or enrolled in any University program; or on University Premises for any purpose related to the same regardless if the class, program, or other education activity is credit earning or part of a degree or non-degree program. A person is also considered a Student if they have completed the immediately preceding term and are enrolled for a subsequent term or program; if they are representing the University between terms or programs; or, if they have been previously enrolled, but are on a leave of absence or otherwise have a continuing relationship with the University. For purposes of this policy, this definition of Student applies to Students who reside in University owned or operated housing or who were last known to reside in Colorado.
       

Next Section: Fire Safety Report and Fire Statistics

Back to homepage and table of contents