Missing Student Notification and Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy

  • I. Introduction
    • A. The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (鈥淐lery Act鈥) 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. 搂 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.
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  • II. Policy Overview
    • A.听听听听As part of the Housing & Residential Education (鈥淗RE鈥) 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.听听听听The University will inform Student(s) through its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report and this Policy that the University will:
      • 1.听听听听register their Missing Student Notification Contact confidentially;
      • 2.听听听听limit access to such contact information to authorized University officials; and
      • 3.听听听听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.听听听听If the Student is under 18 years of age and not emancipated, the University will notify the Student鈥檚 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.听听听听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.听听听听If the University cannot reach the Student鈥檚 Missing Person Notification Contact within a reasonable time frame, the University may contact the Student鈥檚 parent(s) or guardian(s) if they were not designated as the Missing Person Notification Contact.
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  • III. Process Overview
    • A.听听听听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.听听听听Reports to Campus Safety
      • 1.听听听听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鈥檚 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.听听听听To determine if a Student is missing or cannot be located, Campus Safety will conduct a preliminary wellness assessment by:听
        • a.听听听听Attempting to contact the Student using the digital contact information the Student has provided to the University, including the Student鈥檚 University email address;
        • b.听听听听Conducting a physical check of the Student鈥檚 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.听听听听Contacting the Student鈥檚 available instructors about the Student鈥檚 most recently known class attendance; and
        • d.听听听听Contacting HRE staff about the Student鈥檚 most recent presence in University owned or operated housing, if applicable.
      • 3.听听听听The University may take additional steps, including:
        • a.听听听听Retrieving the Student鈥檚 photo, checking the Student鈥檚 class schedule, and attempting to contact the Student in class;
        • b.听听听听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.听听听听Determining where and when the Student used their 吃瓜大本营 ID to enter campus facilities;
        • d.听听听听Checking the Student鈥檚 social media accounts for recent activity;
        • e.听听听听Attempting to locate a vehicle that the Student has registered with the University;
        • f.听听听听Contacting persons off-campus who may know where the Student is located, such as employers and associates, parents, guardians, other family members; and
        • g.听听听听Using other measures that Campus Safety deems appropriate.
      • 4.听听听听Should Campus Safety鈥檚 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.听听听听the Denver Police Department, the local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the Student鈥檚 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鈥檚 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.听听听听the Missing Student Notification Contact.
          • i.听听听听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鈥檚 custodial parent or guardian to inform them that the University has determined that the Student is missing.
      • 5.听听听听If Campus Safety determines there is a credible risk to the Student鈥檚 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.听听听听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.听听听听the date and time the missing person report was received and the name and role of the University employee who received it;
        • b.听听听听the date, time, method, and outcome of each contact attempt made under Section III.B.2;
        • c.听听听听the name and role of each University employee who participated in the preliminary wellness assessment;
        • d.听听听听the reason any step of the preliminary wellness assessment was not completed within the six (6) hour period; and
        • e.听听听听the date and time a missing person report is made to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
      • 7.听听听听The University will maintain Campus Safety case reports consistent with
        the University鈥檚 obligations under the Clery Act.
      • 8.听听听听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鈥檚 Emergency Contact consistent with applicable federal and state privacy laws.
      • 9.听听听听The University will publish its Missing Student Notification and Preliminary Wellness Assessment Policy on the University鈥檚 website, and the University will review and update it at least every three (3) years.
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  • Definitions
    • A.听听听听鈥淓mergency Contact鈥 The person designated by the Student as their authorized contact in case of emergencies.
    • B.听听听听鈥淢issing Student Notification Contact鈥 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.听听听听鈥淪tudent鈥 is defined in the University鈥檚 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.
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