ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY


Title: Missing Student Policy
Subject: Public Safety
Policy No: PS:2021:01
Applies: University-Wide
Issuing Authority: Department of Public Safety
Responsible Officer: Assistant Vice President of Public Safety and Office of Emergency Management and Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students
Adopted: 05/14/2021
Last Revision: 05/14/2021
Last Reviewed: 05/14/2021

I.     PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Rowan University (“the University”) complies with the Higher Education Opportunity Act, requiring any institution participating in a Title IV federal student financial aid program, that also maintains on-campus housing facilities, to establish a missing student notification policy and related procedures for students living in on-campus housing. This policy also addresses the Universities’ missing student notification procedure for students living off-campus.

II.    ACCOUNTABILITY

The Assistant Vice President for Public Safety and Emergency Management and Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students, as well as other managers responsible for campus safety and student housing, shall implement and ensure compliance with this policy.

III.  APPLICABILITY

This policy is applicable to all students, faculty and staff of Rowan University.  

IV.  DEFINITIONS

  1. Student: the University defines a student as any person enrolled in any class or program of the University, full or part time, as well as students enrolled at Rowan College of South Jersey, who reside in Rowan University housing facilities as participants in the Rowan Choice program.

  2. Emancipated Individual: an individual less than 18 years of age who has been declared by a court to be independent of his or her parents.

  3. VP: for purposes of this policy, “VP” refers to the Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students, or his/her authorized designee, assigned to respond to student emergencies.
  4. On-Campus Student Housing: for purposes of this policy, means housing facilities owned or leased and operated by the University, as well as student housing provided for the benefit of students by third parties (affiliated housing).

V.   POLICY

  1. Missing Student Contact Person
    1. All students, whether living in On-Campus Student Housing or not, are provided with the opportunity and means to identify a “missing student contact person” to be used in the event the student is reported missing. Missing student contact information will be registered confidentially and will be accessible only to authorized University officials, and may not be disclosed except to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of a missing person investigation.
    2. In accordance with the procedures established within this policy, within 24 hours after a student living in On-Campus Student Housing or living off-campus has been reported missing and the student is not known to have returned to the University or otherwise been located, the VP or his/her designee will notify the individual the student has designated as his/her missing student contact person. If the missing student is under 18 years of age and not an emancipated individual, the VP or his/her designee will also notify the student’s custodial parent(s) or guardian.
    3. Students will be notified annually that they have the option to confidentially designate an individual to be contacted by the University administration no later than 24 hours after the time that it is determined the student is missing. The University provides each student with the means and opportunity to register their confidential missing student contact person’s information. This confidential missing student contact can be any adult person. This option is provided to students even if a student has already registered an individual(s) as a general emergency contact. The student also has the option to identify the same individual for both their general emergency contact and missing student contact.
  2. Procedure for Students in On-Campus Student Housing
    1. The University’s Department of Public Safety shall investigate all reports of missing students and will notify and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies, as necessary, to further the investigation.
    2. Any individual who believes a student living in On-Campus Student Housing may be missing should immediately contact the Department of Public Safety. The Department of Public Safety may notify the VP, or his/her designee, upon receipt of a missing student report. When receiving such a report, both the VP (or designee) and Department of Public Safety will attempt to determine whether the student is, in fact, missing. Among other steps that may be taken depending on the circumstances:
      1. VP or his/her designee will attempt to contact the student through all reasonable and available means.
      2. The Department of Public Safety will investigate the validity of the missing person report and manage the information according to its established investigative standards.
      3. The Department of Public Safety may notify appropriate University personnel and seek their aid in the investigation (e.g., Student Life, Residential Learning and University Housing, Counseling and Psychological Services, etc.).
      4. The Department of Public Safety will notify local law enforcement agencies within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing, unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that the student is missing.
    3. If, within 24 hours of the report, the Department of Public Safety is unable to locate the missing student and the student is not known to have returned to the University or otherwise located, the Department of Public Safety will notify the VP and he/she or his/her designee will take the following action(s):
      1. The VP or his/her designee will promptly notify the individual the student has designated as his/her missing student contact person and document the date and time of the notification. In the event the student has not designated a missing person contact, the University will attempt to notify an alternate person such as a designated emergency contact or a parent, guardian or other family member.
      2. If the missing student is under 18 years of age and not an emancipated individual, the VP or his/her designee will also notify the student’s custodial parent(s) or guardian(s) and document the date and time of the notification.
    4. The Department of Public Safety and the VP or his/her designee will coordinate their efforts to locate the missing student.
    5. When the missing student is located, the VP or his/her designee will contact the student to offer any appropriate support, as well as the missing person contact, emergency contacts and/or parents to confirm the student has been located.
    6. If the initial investigation is unsuccessful in locating the missing student, the Department of Public Safety will continue to investigate according to established police procedures. The VP in consultation with the Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students will decide what further action, if any, should be taken by the Division of Student Life.
  3. Procedure for Students Not Living in On-Campus Student Housing

    1. Any individual who believes a student living off-campus may be missing should immediately contact the Department of Public Safety. Reports of students missing from off-campus residences will be referred to the police department having jurisdiction over the student’s local residence, if known, or the student’s permanent residence if a local residence cannot be determined. In addition, the University will cooperate within its legal limitations with any subsequent investigation.

    2. In addition to notifying the police department having jurisdiction, the Department of Public Safety may notify the VP, or his/her designee, upon receipt of a missing student report. When receiving such a report, the VP (or designee) will attempt to contact the student through all reasonable and available means.

    3. If, within 24 hours of the report, the University has been advised by the police department having jurisdiction, that they have been unable to locate the missing student, the Department of Public Safety will notify the VP and he/she or his/her designee will take the following action(s):

      1. The VP or his/her designee will promptly notify the individual the student has designated as his/her missing student contact person and document the date and time of the notification. In the event the student has not designated a missing person contact, the University will attempt to notify an alternate person such as a designated emergency contact or a parent, guardian or other family member.

      2. If the missing student is under 18 years of age and not an emancipated individual, the VP or his/her designee will also notify the student’s custodial parent(s) or guardian(s) and document the date and time of the notification.

    4. When the missing student is located, the VP or his/her designee will contact the student to offer any appropriate support, as well as the missing person contact, emergency contacts and/or parents to confirm the student has been located.

    5. The University will continue to cooperate within its legal limitations with any investigation conducted by the police department having jurisdiction.

VI.  UNIVERSITY CONTACTS FOR MISSING STUDENTS

1.   Rowan Department of Public Safety at (856) 256-4911 or 4922
2.   Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students at (856) 256-4283

VII.  REFERENCES

  1. Compliance with Clery Act Policy