RESIDENTIAL LIVING
A tightly knit community is vital to maintaining campus safety — it is important to report all suspicious activity immediately to the proper authorities. According to Virginia Tech Police, there are an average of 250 thefts each year at Tech.
Simply locking your door can make all the difference. Also, be sure to close all card swiped exterior doors when not in use and use your peephole when necessary. Remember that Hokie Passports contain personal information and are a key to your building. If your Hokie Passport is lost, contact Student Services immediately. Never attach
your name or address to your key chain.
Be aware of who is the RA on duty each Friday and Saturday night, so that you know who to go to in case of an issue in the residence hall.
PERSONAL SECURITY
It is essential to travel in groups whenever possible — just one other person can take away a perpetrator’s opportunity for individuals who can be considered easy targets.
Stay in well-lit areas at night and try to avoid any shortcuts through unfamiliar, isolated areas. Be sure to be constantly aware of your surroundings.
Avoid walking on campus alone at night and take advantage of Safe Ride, a nighttime safety escort service provided by the Tech Police. Safe Ride will provide transportation or a walking escort to all persons to any campus building for free from dusk until dawn. For an escort, call 540-231-SAFE.
Sometimes you have to wait 10-20 minutes after you call Safe Ride, so if you can, call a few minutes before you’re finished with an activity so that you don’t have to wait alone or outside as long.
At Tech, there are blue-light emergency phone beacons that are directly connected to the Tech Police in every student lot on campus. It would be a good idea to become familiar with their locations.
Tech offers self-defense classes for students. Rape Aggregation Defense is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques. The program is a comprehensive course for women that begins by teaching awareness, prevention and reduction. It then progresses to the basics of hands-on defense training.
A great way to increase awareness is to participate in safety programs that are offered on campus. Specialized training can promote a safe and healthy environment.
Tech’s very own Environmental, Health and Safety Services promotes a positive, integrated safety culture for the university community, advocates safe and healthy living, learning, and working environments, and helps departments comply with regulations and mandates. Its mission is to fulfill the role of a regulatory liaison through education, consultation, and compliance monitoring.
Be sure to provide vague information even on social networking Web sites such as Facebook. Information that can be considered too personal (such as class schedule) can often have unwarranted
consequences.
Additionally, make sure you are completely logged out of public computers in the library or other parts of campus.
VEHICLE SECURITY
For those students who brought a vehicle to Tech, make sure to keep all valuables out of view from outside. Use the glove box and the trunk to hide valuables.
Parking in well-lit, highly visible lots that are close to traffic can make all the difference.
When it comes to theft, it is important to engrave your valuables, especially your bicycle. You are more likely to have your valuables returned to you in the event of a theft. The Tech Police can provide free engraving.
WARNING OF EVENTS
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