ABC 40 KRHD-TV - Bryan/College Station News and Weather | Campus safety tips for your college student

By Diane Griffith
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As she leaves the nest and heads for college, you feel a sense of pride mixed with apprehension. Will she be homesick? Will she get good grades? Will she make friends? And - maybe most importantly - will she be safe?

The images of your child walking on campus at night and living in a dorm with strangers may worry you. College administrators tend to agree: No matter how good campus security may be, it's ultimately up to students to use good judgment to ensure their personal safety.

Make sure your child knows to contact campus security if he or she sees anyone or anything that seems suspicious. Here are more tips to teach your child about staying safe on campus.

When out and about

• Don't walk alone at night. If none of your friends can accompany you, ask campus security for an escort.
• Walk on the sidewalk, away from bushes and doorways.
• Walk in well-lit areas.
• Don't respond if a stranger wants you to stop and talk.
• Put the headphones away so you can hear what's going on around you. Save the MP3 player for the library or bus.
• Carry a whistle, mace or pepper spray.
• Consider taking a self-defense course.
• Always have your cell phone with you. Have the number for campus security programmed on your speed dial.
• Limit outdoor exercise - such as running - to daylight hours.

In the dorm

• Keep the door to your dorm room locked.
• Leave valuables at home with Mom and Dad.
• If you are suspicious of someone on an elevator, don't get on. Wait for the next one.
• Don't prop dormitory doors open or let people in who don't belong there. If they are visiting, they can call a friend to let them in.
• When you leave the dorm, let someone know where you are going and when you'll be back. Share your class schedule with your parents and your roommate.

When driving

• If you have a car on campus, park in well-lit areas.
• If you're walking to your car, have your keys ready.
• Keep your car doors locked and don't leave valuables in your car.

Campus security

Letting your child set off on his own can be a little scary. And memories of violent incidents like the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings may compound your worries.

Parents and students can learn the facts about crime on college campuses before they even select a school. The Jeanne Clery Act is a law that requires colleges to disclose to the public all crimes that have occurred on their campuses. Also, in response to the Virginia Tech shootings, colleges must now immediately notify everyone on campus when a crime occurs.

Campuses around the country have systems in place to help protect students from crime. These include old-fashioned methods like sirens and public address systems to "smart" video cameras that send an alert to campus security when they detect suspicious activity.

One popular system on many campuses allows students to sign up for emergency alerts. When there is a safety threat on campus, text messages, e-mails and phone calls are sent to students to let them know about the situation and inform them of how to proceed.

SOURCES:

• Security on Campus, Inc. Accessed: 06/29/2009
• University of California Women's Resource Center. Safety tips. Accessed: 06/29/2009
• U.S. Department of Education. Action guide for emergency management at institutions of higher education Accessed: 06/30/2009