Safety and Security

Campus 2008 Safety and Security Pamphlet
Minot State University understands the concern of students and parents regarding the safety on the campus of the university. The university accepts its responsibility to employ security measures to ensure that students at Minot State are as free as possible from any threats to their safety or well-being.

Minot State University is a community of about 3,500 residents, located within the city of Minot, a community with a population of about 40,000. As part of that larger community, the university shares many of the same interests and problems, including the concern about crime.

Although the University does not experience a significant number of crimes, it would not be honest to say that crime does not happen on campus. It does. To prevent such incidents, a competent residence hall staff, professionally trained security officers and the students themselves are responsible for a number of measures to ensure that the students and their possessions are protected as much as possible.

Crime Statistics and Crime Rates
Minot State University makes available information relating to crime statistics and security measures to prospective students, enrolled students and employees. The university’s Plant Services office is responsible for collecting the information from the Minot Police Department and MSU Student Life Office, which maintains incident reports for the university campus. The statistics reported here reflect incidents on file for the university for the period of January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2007.

Crime Statistics
Crimes committed on campus or occuring on the property of the University affiliated organizations or affecting University sanctioned events.

Arrests for the folowing crimes occuring on campus, on property belonging to University affiliated organizations or affecting University sanctioned events.

Security Policies and Procedures
During fall and spring semesters, Minot State University has an average week-day population of 3,500, including students, faculty and staff. The campus has four residence halls, which can house approximately 600 students. Two facilities, Campus Heights Apartments and Pioneer Hall, provide family housing. Campus Heights contains 18 efficiency and 12 two-bedroom apartments. Pioneer Hall contains 40 one-bedroom units.

The university does not currently request information from student applicants concerning involvement in criminal offenses. The campus is currently developing procedures to conduct criminal history background checks for all regular staff and faculty members at the time of hire. Some student positions will also be included. Information in regard to registered sex offenders may be obtained by contacting the Minot Police Department at 852-0111 (Megan’s Law) or from the Office of Plant Services at 858-3210.

Students, faculty and employees at Minot State have access to academic, recreational and administrative facilities on campus. Access to the residence halls, however, is limited to students and their guests, according to university procedures outlined elsewhere in this brochure. Access to the residence halls by university employees is on an "as-needed" basis and incorporates strict key control procedures. The general public has access to the campus, but they have no access to residence halls, unless as an accompanied guest.

Office of Plant Services
Campus safety and security are coordinated by the Office of Plant Services which employs part-time campus security officers. These men and women are licensed officers of the Minot Police Department, and staff of Mid-Dakota Security. All have been trained in emergency medical procedures, first aid and CPR.

In accordance with scheduled campus activities, security officers tour all campus buildings to insure that all interior and exterior doors are secure. Vehicular patrols of the campus are also conducted.

Plant Services oversees security at all events on campus, including those sponsored by non-university groups. The security officers, working closely with the Minot Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, enforce all regulations and laws.

Campus security officers enforce laws regulating underage drinking, the use of controlled substances and weapons. Alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs are not permitted on the Minot State University campus. Firearms and dangerous weapons of any kind are not permitted on university property or in the residence halls. Intentional use, possession or sale of firearms or other dangerous weapons by students is strictly forbidden.

Potential criminal actions and other emergencies on campus can be reported directly by any student, faculty member or employee to the Minot Police Department by dialing 911. Upon receipt of the call, members of the police force are dispatched immediately. Campus Security Officers also have the authority to make arrests if necessary. In addition to 911 services, the University maintains a 24-hour on-campus number, extension 6-3567, to handle emergencies.

The Office of Plant Services maintains university buildings and grounds with a concern for safety and security. Staff members inspect campus facilities regularly, promptly make repairs affecting safety and security and respond immediately to reports of potential safety and security hazards, such as broken windows and locks. Exterior lighting has been enhanced throughout the campus by photocells and high pressure sodium light fixtures.

The university provides telephone service to each residence hall room. Students, however, must provide the telephone. University phones, with restricted lines to the campus only, are also available in athletic facilities, classroom buildings and the library. A university directory, including the campus emergency number and the extension of each residence hall head resident, is available at each telephone. University-only telephones are also located at the main entrance to each residence hall.

Residence Hall Security
Minot State University has both single-sex and optional coed residence halls. These residence halls and apartment-style residences accommodate three lifestyles: single-sex halls for women, single-sex halls for men and coeducational residence halls. There is also on-campus housing for families.

Cook Hall is primarily for freshmen women. Dakota Hall is for sophomore through graduate women. McCulloch Hall houses male residents. Lura Manor is a coed residence hall. Junior and senior students have priority for placement in Lura Manor and Crane Hall.

Campus Heights Apartments and Pioneer Hall provide family living accommodations. All students have the opportunity to request changes in room assignments, which are accommodated as quickly as possible based upon available facilities.

Professional head residents and resident assistants, who all are members of the university residence hall staff, live in the residence halls and are on call 24 hours a day. All residence hall staff members undergo thorough training in enforcing residence hall security policies. Desk assistants are assigned to the desk at the main entrance of each residence hall during specific hours according to traffic patterns in each residence hall. These assistants are in immediate telephone contact with campus security personnel and the Minot Police Department.

All residence hall entrance doors are locked 24 hours a day and only students who are residents of the hall have keys and cards. Both on-campus and off-campus guests of the opposite sex must be escorted through the residence hall by a resident. Overnight guests must register with the appropriate housing staff. All student rooms in residence halls are equipped with dead-bolt locks or other security hardware. All windows have locking devices.

As part of the programs sponsored by the residence hall staff and by other university organizations—including the Student Association, Student Social Work Organization, Criminal Justice Club and Campus Ministries—sessions are conducted each semester on topics that have ranged from date rape to personal safety to depression and suicide. These programs and others provide information to students and employees about safety and personal well-being. The Student Development Center offers information in regard to counseling opportunities.

Student Responsibility
The cooperation and involvement of students themselves in maintaining campus safety is absolutely necessary. Students must assume responsibility for their own personal safety and the security of their personal belongings by taking simple, common sense precautions. For example, a university telephone located in the library can be used by a student at night to inform a roommate that he or she is leaving the library to walk back to the residence hall. Room doors should be locked at night and when the room is unoccupied. Valuable items should be marked with engraving instruments. Bicycles should be registered with the Minot Police Department. Vehicles should be parked in assigned parking lots and doors should be locked. Students should report any suspicious individuals whom they feel do not belong in their residence halls or any unusual incidents in and around the residence halls to the residence hall staff or to the Minot Police Department. Keys should be carried at all times and never lent to others.

Further Information
Further information about campus safety can be obtained from the Office of Plant Services, 701-858-3210.

Source:
2008 Campus Safety and Security pamphlet [pdf]