Category: Campus Safety

WSU will participate in the annual statewide severe weather preparedness drill. The annual drill this year is at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 7. If the weather is clear, all severe weather sirens in Sedgwick County will go off at that time. When the severe weather sirens sound, proceed to your designated severe weather shelter area.

Emergency Building Coordinators in each building will ensure that all building occupants safely make their way to the designated severe weather shelter area.

Departments should use this opportunity to ensure that all faculty, staff and students know where to go to protect themselves in a severe weather event.

On behalf of Shocker Nation, we are heartbroken at the news of the horrific violence experienced on another college campus in our nation. We stand with our friends and colleagues at Michigan State University whose lives have been irrevocably changed, and we offer our sincere and wholehearted support as the Michigan State community grieves, heals and rebuilds.  

For our Wichita State family, we understand that events like this can raise concerns. Our highest priority is your safety.  

Please take a moment to go over some of WSU’s safety measures:  

• While walking and attending outdoor events on campus, students, employees and visitors can alert the WSU police department of a safety threat by pressing a button on one of the more than 40 emergency call boxes across campus. Activating the emergency device will dispatch an officer to the area and alert people in the area of the distress with bright flashing lights. 
• The university police department is a fully commissioned enforcement agency, trained and experienced to handle all levels of threat. The dedicated officers here at WSU are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to serve and protect students, faculty, staff and our community. And as always, if you see something, say something. 
• Active shooter training, safety escorts, and emergency and first responder support are also provided by WSU police. More information on training for campus departments or groups can be requested from the university police department at police@wichita.edu or 316-978-3450. 

We are continuously reviewing, improving and updating our campus safety protocols and technology to ensure that our Shockers can learn and grow in a safe and secure environment. If you have any questions, please reach out to UPD or submit a concern on the safety feedback form.  

For those who are struggling to with anxiety about safety, Wichita State offers several mental health resources, including Counseling and Prevention Services, the CARE Team and the Employee Assistance Program.  

Please remember that at WSU, no call is too small, and help is just a phone call away. As Shockers, we’re always here to support each other. 

The Wichita State Police Department encourages all students, faculty, staff and visitors to remain safe while driving and walking across campus.

WSUPD offers the following safety tips to both drivers and pedestrians:

For drivers:

• Follow all traffic laws, including driving at or under speed limits and coming to a full stop at stop signs.
• Stop for all pedestrians and offer proper clearance for them to cross the road.
• Be vigilant when approaching intersections. Even if you have a green light, pedestrians may still be crossing.
• Be prepared for pedestrians to cross the road if you see them approaching a crosswalk. They may not give you adequate signals they will cross before doing so.
• Make sure to use your blinkers when making turns, and check that you don’t accidently have your blinker on when you don’t intend to turn.
• When making turns, make sure to check for pedestrians in front of you as well as where you are turning into.
• If you see a yellow light, slow down and stop if it is safe to do so. Pedestrians may start crossing as you pass through.
• Be extra vigilant when visibility is low, such as at night or in heavy rain, snow or fog.
• Consider using the Wichita State Transit buses when traffic is high or visibility is low, or when you have to drive a considerable distance across campus.

For pedestrians:

• Follow all traffic laws and traffic signals that tell you when and when not to cross.
• Always use marked crosswalks. Many drivers are not expecting pedestrians crossing elsewhere.
• Check for cars coming from both directions before you begin to cross the road.
• Remain vigilant for cars when crossing the road. Pedestrians have the right of way on roads, but drivers may not see you crossing in time to slow down.
• Make sure drivers coming from both directions have clear sight of you before you cross the road.
• When using a crosswalk, make it clear that you are about to cross before doing so to give drivers enough time to see you, slow down and let you through.
• If a driver has their car blinker on, make sure they are slowing down and completing the turn before crossing the road. They may have a malfunction or left it on by mistake and may not be turning.
• Be extra vigilant when visibility is low, such as at night or in heavy rain, snow or fog.
• Consider using the Wichita State Transit buses when traffic is high or visibility is low, or when you have to walk a considerable distance across campus.

Student Conduct & Community Standards (SCCS) is raising awareness regarding certain policies in the Code of Conduct at WSU, and the focus for January is damage and destruction of property.

Damage or destruction of property is defined as “Engaging in the intentional, unintentional, reckless or unauthorized defacement, damage or destruction of University property or the property of another. This includes all acts of vandalism.”

More details regarding Damage and/or Destruction of Property and other policies in the Student Code of Conduct can be found in Section VI: Prohibited Conduct in the Student Code of Conduct Handbook.

SCCS is here to help ensure that students have a safe experience at Wichita State. WSU faculty or staff members should use the conduct incident response form to report any potential conduct issues to the SCCS office throughout the school year. To explore other reporting forms (such as the Academic Integrity Reporting Form) at WSU, visit the “Report It” homepage.

Student Conduct & Community Standards (SCCS) is raising awareness regarding certain policies in the Code of Conduct at WSU, and the focus for January is damage and destruction of property.

Damage or destruction of property is defined as “Engaging in the intentional, unintentional, reckless or unauthorized defacement, damage or destruction of University property or the property of another. This includes all acts of vandalism.”

More details regarding Damage and/or Destruction of Property and other policies in the Student Code of Conduct can be found in Section VI: Prohibited Conduct in the Student Code of Conduct Handbook.

SCCS is here to help ensure that students have a safe experience at Wichita State. To report any potential conduct issues to our office throughout the school year, please use the conduct incident response form. To explore other reporting forms at WSU, visit the “Report It” homepage.

Wichita State University and the WSU Police Department are committed to the safety and security of our students, staff and faculty.  With this in mind, everyone in the campus community is encouraged to download the Rave Guardian Mobile Safety app.

This app is available for both iPhones and Android devices and can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Guardian sends alerts when there is a safety concern on or near campus. It also provides users access to safety resources to report tips and contact information for various campus offices. The app also includes a feature that allows user-designated, virtual guardians to follow you as you walk on campus, send tips to the WSU Police Department to report information, and connect to the ShockerAlert system.

Shockers, with more people on the WSU campus each year, there are naturally more people traveling to and from classes, offices and events.

Drivers should drive the proper speed throughout campus: 20 mph on streets, 15 mph in parking lots and 10 mph in the parking garage. Please stop for pedestrians crossing the road and always be prepared to stop at crosswalks.

If you’re walking or riding a bike, skateboard, etc., please only cross streets at crosswalks and look before you cross. Keep your eyes up when walking through parking area, as well.

Let’s all do our part to keep our fellow Shockers and campus guests safe!

Students, faculty and staff are invited to join us for a discussion about campus safety from different perspectives. A panel of diverse representatives of Wichita State University will discuss campus safety from their own unique perspectives at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 in 233 RSC (Santa Fe Trail room).

• Moderator: Dr. Michael Birzer, professor in the School of Criminal Justice

Panelists:

• Guy Schroeder, chief of police  for Wichita State University Police Department
• Dr. Marche Fleming Randle, vice president and chief diversity officer
• Dr. Teri Hall, vice president for student affairs
• Alicia Newell, assistant vice president for student affairs, assessment and retention
• Dr. Kevin Harrison, assistant teaching professor and director of diversity, equity and inclusion
• Gabriel Fonseca, director of student engagement, advocacy and leadership
• Josh Davis, graduate student in the School of Criminal Justice and former police officer

Bring your lunch and join us for this informative discussion. This event is open to the public.

The cooler weather is finally upon us, and with the drop in temperature comes the use of space heaters. Each year, about 1,700 fires, 80 deaths and 160 injuries are caused by portable space heaters, as estimated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Space heaters also use considerably more energy than other heating sources.

WSU Fire Safety would like to remind you that the use of space heaters is prohibited in campus buildings. Please remove all space heaters from campus buildings, whether they are in use or not. Please review WSU Policies 11.20 Space Heaters and 11.27 HVAC Systems Standards.

As we head into the mid-point of the fall semester, please remember these tips to continue to have a safe and productive year. 

• Hide any valuable items that are in your vehicle, take your keys and lock your vehicles. 
  
• Be alert and aware of your surroundings and utilize the buddy system when walking at night or very early in the morning.  
  
• WSU Police are here for you. If, at any time, you feel unsafe or would prefer to have an escort on campus, you can contact the WSU Police Department at 316-978-3450, dial 911 from an on-campus phone, use the emergency call boxes (blue lights) or use the RAVE Guardian App.  
  
• Please report any suspected criminal activity on campus to the WSU Police Department. 

The university has resources available to support victims of crime, including confidential counseling support available through Counseling and Prevention Services (CAPS). CAPS can be contacted at 316-978-4792.