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Missing Student Policy
In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, RISD
takes student safety seriously. To this end, the following policy and procedure
has been established to assist in locating RISD students living in college
owned on-campus housing who, based on the facts and circumstances known to
RISD, are determined to be missing.
At the beginning of each academic year, RISD will inform students
that:
- Each RISD residential student, 18 years of age or older,
has the option to identify an individual to be contacted by RISD not later than
24 hours after RISD has determined the student to be missing. Students may
register this “confidential contact” information through the RISD!Alert
Emergency Notification System.
A confidential
contact is a person designated by the student in addition to the emergency
contact listed with the college on RISD!Alert. This contact information is
registered confidentially, will be accessible only to authorized campus
officials, and may not be disclosed, except to law enforcement personnel in furtherance
of a missing person investigation. In cases where a confidential contact is not
designated, or the confidential contact cannot be reached at the number
provided by the student, the emergency contact, or other available contacts
provided to the college will be used. The emergency contact may be notified in
addition to any confidential contact provided.
- If the student is under 18 years of age, and not an
emancipated individual, RISD is required to notify a custodial parent or
guardian not later 24 hours after the time that the student is determined to be
missing.
- RISD will notify the appropriate law enforcement agency
not later than 24 hours after the time that the student is determined to be
missing, regardless of any other contacts that may be requested by the student
or initiated by the institution.
- If RISD Public Safety or law enforcement personnel make a
determination that a student who is the subject of a missing person report has
been missing for more than 24 hours and has not returned to campus, RISD will
initiate the Missing Student Policy and Procedures in accordance with
the student’s designation.
RISD will follow the following notification procedure for a missing
student who resides in on-campus housing:
- A missing student report may be made to the Public Safety
Office, or the Residence Life Office. Any official missing person report
relating to this student shall be referred immediately to RISD Public Safety for investigation. Once a report is received, the following offices will be
notified:
o
RISD Public Safety
o
Academic Affairs
o
Student Affairs
o
Residence Life
- If RISD Public Safety, after investigating the official
report, determines the student has been missing for more than 24 hours, RISD
will contact the individual identified by the student, the custodial parent or
legal guardian if the student is under 18 and not emancipated, and local law
enforcement if these do not apply.
Upon notification from any entity that any student may be missing,
RISD may use any of the following resources, as well as any other means the
college deems to be of value to assist in locating the student. These resources
may be used in any order and combination.
- Through the Residence Life Office, college staff may be
asked to assist in physically locating the student by keying into the student’s
assigned room and talking with known associates. Resident Assistants may be
enlisted to gather information from neighboring students, friends, and
roommates.
- Public Safety may search on-campus public locations to
find the student (library, dining areas, etc.).
- Public Safety may issue an ID picture to assist in
identifying the missing student.
- The Student Affairs Office may try to contact known
friends, family or faculty members for last sighting or additional contact information.
- Academic departments may be contacted to seek information
on last sighting or other contact information.
- Public Safety may access card access logs and/or video
monitoring recordings to determine last use of the card and track the card for
future uses.
- OIT may be asked to look up email logs for last login and
use of RISD email system.
- If there is any indication of foul play, the local police
department will immediately be contacted for assistance