Staying Safe on Campus

When arriving at college, one of the main concerns on parent’s minds is campus safety. Understandably, you want to make sure your child has all the resources they need to stay safe on campus. I personally feel that Ole Miss is a very safe campus and I will be sharing some of the resources that I feel guarantee my safety.

One of the first things you may notice on campus is the blue light poles that make up the Emergency Phone Tower system. If a student in need comes across a phone tower they are able press a button and be automatically connected with the University Police Department (UPD). The locations of these towers can be found on the campus parking map and are easily findable on campus.

Another resource on campus is Rebel Patrol Safe Walks. Rebel Patrol offers campus wide walk-alongs for any student that may feel unsafe walking alone on campus. If a Rebel Patrol officer is not available, UPD will assist and make sure your student gets wherever they need to be safely. UPD also has an active crime prevention program which strives to eliminate or minimize criminal opportunities when possible. Crime prevention presentations are routinely scheduled for campus residents, as well as faculty and staff groups. Topics generally covered are:

• Rape and Sexual Assault Risk Reduction

• Domestic Violence Education

• Workplace Violence Education

• Personal Safety

• Rape Aggression Defense Systems

• Sexual Assault

• Alcohol and Drug Awareness

• Travel Safety

• Operation Identification – Property Protection

Something I would highly encourage discussing with your student is always using the buddy system. When walking around campus as a new student, you are still learning the names of buildings and the lay of the land. Walking with a friend ensures that you are never put in the position of navigating campus alone, especially at night.

I have always felt safe on campus as UPD has a large presence and will assist students whenever it is needed. If you are interested in looking into additional resources, I highly recommend checking out UPD's website .