There are several departments here at Auburn University at Montgomery that are dedicated to making the campus a comfortable and safe environment for students to thrive in. The AUM campus police and Office of Student Affairs are two of those departments who, in collaboration with one another, develop programs to support and ensure student safety. Dr. Nichole Thompson, Assistant Vice Chancellor in the Division of Student Affairs, states that “It is our responsibility to make sure that [students] are safe and that they have a very good experience on campus. We take that very serious and we are always trying to stay on the cusp of finding out what is happening with our students [through different] modes of communication so that we can meet them where they are.”
Creating student awareness begins at orientation when various departments have an opportunity to speak with the students directly and explain what their departments do, what service they provide and how they can access information through various technological platforms. One of the things these safety departments do is urge students to sign up for the Auburn Montgomery Alert System. This allows for students to receive vital emergency notifications through the method of their choice. There are a variety of message options to choose from. Students can go to the AUM website or MyAUM to sign up for AUM alert.
Students are living in a technological world where most forms of communication are often electronic via messaging, Facebook, Twitter and several other social media platforms. Brenda Mitchell, Director of Police Operations at AUM states, “We have to look at technology and what it has to offer and the things that we all have, such as cell phones. Students rely heavily on their cell phones for information.” AUM tries to use such resources, such as AUM Alert, as a way to provide students with important information regarding safety on campus.
One of the latest programs that the university has implemented is the “See Something, Say Something” conduct software. It is an electronic method for students to be able to report incidents, whether anonymously or known, to the campus police. It is nationally recognized and a leading software in use by several universities. The fact that reports can be anonymous allows for the proper persons to be notified and begin investigating more quickly. To report an incident, you can access this software via MyAUM and you can also find more information on the AUM website.
For AUM students living on campus, there are additional useful tools for staying safe. Dr. Nichole Thompson stated, “There are several apps [students] can download that allows their roommate to know that they’re [heading out] and they can track them.” One of those apps that Dr. Thompson specifically mentioned was Glympse, an app that students can download for free from the app store.
Dr. Lyn explained, “Students will find that [police operations and student affairs], in collaboration with other offices, [are] constantly rolling out educational programming and development opportunities to our students to know about various initiatives. We have to take care of our students.” For example, SGA’s recent initiative, the “Light It Up Campaign,” is currently working with campus safety and facility services to create a safer environment for our students. Brenda Mitchel, the Director of Police Operations at AUM, explained how her office provides programs to students, such as self-defense training that took place in September, to inform students on how to stay safe.
The office of police operations, as well as other offices, often collaborate with other universities to discuss strategy, paying close attention to things that have happen and ways to prevent such an event from happening again. The university is constantly evaluating security for this campus. Departments at AUM look at “best practices” and the latest technological trends to analyze and implement safety procedures. Dr. Janice Lyn also said, “We want to be mindful of what the pulse of AUM is and how we can best provide services for this campus.”
Students should be aware of the various methods that offices inform them of important safety information. The Division of Student Affairs sends out emails two to three times each semester. Another source for this information is through the electronic message boards that are in most buildings on campus. There are also ways to stay informed via social media and the AUM website. Students can also attend the different programs on campus that are offered at various times of the year that discusses important topics, such as alcohol, drugs, dating tips and bystander safety.
The Office of Police Operations has posted several safety tips for students on the AUM website. These tips are helpful to any student whether on or off campus. It is important for a student to be aware of his or her surroundings at all times. Being alert and keeping your head up, even making eye contact will make an impression. The list further explains that students should stay in populated areas of campus buildings. Criminals thrive on anonymity. Your chance of depriving them of that is increased in well-populated areas. If one for some reason isn’t in such an area, it is suggested to always walk with others in a group. The campus is regularly patrolled, but surveillance by students around the parking lot is most beneficial to keeping you or someone else safe on campus, try to use these helpful tips. You can find the full list of tips in greater detail on the public safety page of the AUM website.
“I want everyone to know that we all play a role in our safety and I want everyone to commit to being a part of this AUM family and assisting with the safety of everyone on campus,” say Brenda Mitchell. Students, alongside everyone else on campus, should take part in keeping Auburn University at Montgomery a safe environment to thrive.
By Rachel Son