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- Questions and Answers About Safety at Miami University:
- Is Miami University safe?
- What can I do to be even safer?
- Where can I find out about crime statistics?
- What does Miami do to alert students of potential problems?
- How will Miami communicate emergency information in the case of a large-scale emergency or natural disaster?
- What services do Miami police provide?
- What's the most common crime on campus?
- What about sexual assault?
- What about hate crimes?
- Safety Resource List
- Is Miami University safe?
Most universities provide a relatively safe environment. Miami University is no exception. Click here for a comparison of personal crime statistics for selected Ohio cities and universities.
What can I do to be even safer?
Follow common-sense safety rules.
- Lock your apartment or residence hall doors.
- Don’t prop open residence hall exterior doors and don’t let people you don’t know into the halls. You wouldn’t let a stranger, even if that person looked like a Miami student, walk through your home, would you?
- Report any suspicious activity to Miami Police (or off campus to Oxford police).
- Make low-risk alcohol choices. The majority of campus crimes—from vandalism to assaults—involve drinking.
- Take advantage of Miami safety programs
- Use the free Nighttime Door-to-Door service (operates from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m. M-W and until 4 a.m. Th-Sun). To request an escort, call 529-2277.
- Use the free Miami Metro (operates until 1 a.m. Sun-Th and until 3 a.m. F-Sat),
- Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault (MARS) addresses rape as a men’s issue. Male students meet in small, all-men’s groups to discuss how men can make a difference. Call John Ward, Student Counseling Service, at 529-4634 for information on scheduling a session or joining the group.
- Miami police provide presentations to small groups on a variety of safety topics, register bicycles and engrave and videotape personal property. Call 529-2222.
- Miami police provide a variety of crime prevention tips, ranging from traveling alone to facts concerning Rohypnol.
- Miami police offer a 12-hour Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training to women. Cost is $25, which includes the RAD manual. Call 529-2226.
Where can I find out about crime statistics?
For the latest crime statistics go to Your Right to Know.
What does Miami do to alert students of potential problems?
Miami will issue crime alerts when a crime that officials believe poses an ongoing threat to the safety of members of the university community has been reported to Miami Police or Oxford Police. Crime alerts are designed to not only heighten safety awareness, but seek information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of perpetrators of crimes. Crime alerts are distributed in residence halls, via announcements in myMiami, via listservs, etc. Another way of alerting the university community is via a campus information bulletin.
How will Miami communicate emergency information in the case of a large-scale emergency or natural disaster?
In the event of a natural disaster or large-scale emergency, Miami will use its homepage to communicate emergency information. Depending upon the situation, e-mails could be sent to students themselves and/or to the emergency contact (parent, guardian) that students have specified. As backup, there are also emergency "swing signs" that could be placed around campus and there is a system in place for distributing posters and fliers to residence halls and academic buildings.
What services do Miami police provide?
The Miami University Police Department is a full-service police agency, providing all the services you would expect from a typical municipal police department. MUPD has an authorized strength of 29 sworn police officers. Miami police officers are always on duty, patrolling the campus on foot, on bikes, and in cars 24 hours a day. Officers respond to calls from the public, initiate enforcement action when they observe a crime, and engage in proactive patrol—especially in the residence halls—to deter crime, apprehend those committing violations, and provide an enhanced feeling of safety for residents and staff. MUPD also has a criminal investigations office staffed by detectives to follow up on criminal offense reports filed with the department.
What’s the most common crime on campus?
Theft offenses, including burglary. By Ohio’s definition, burglary can be as simple as entering an unlocked residence hall room that is not yours. In a typical year, there are almost 400 thefts and burglaries reported on campus and property stolen in those incidents is valued at more than $100,000. Most thefts and burglaries involve unlocked residence hall doors, academic office doors, or unattended valuables. Students, faculty, and staff are reminded how important it is to keep doors locked and avoid leaving valuables unattended.
What about sexual assault?
Sexual assault is an unfortunate reality at Miami and on campuses nationwide. Your Right to Know provides the latest statistics, but since sexual assault is such an underreported crime, statistics alone can not provide an accurate picture.
For example, A 2004 study conducted at 119 colleges and universities found that one in 20 college women had been raped during the school year, typically by individuals they know or have just met. The study was conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health Alcohol Study, Saint Joseph’s University and the University of Arizona. At Miami, a variety of programs are aimed at increasing awareness of sexual assault and supporting students who report sexual assault.
Miami offers a number of educational programs aimed at sexual assault. Contact the Coordinator of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs (100 Health Services Center, 529-1870) or go to www.muohio.edu/sexualassault for a more detailed list of programs.
- Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault (MARS) addresses rape as a men’s issue. Male students meet in small, all-men’s groups to discuss how men can make a difference. Call John Ward (Student Counseling Service) at 529-4634 for information on scheduling a session or becoming a volunteer.
- Peer health educators, or HAWKS (which stands for Health Advocates for Wellness Knowledge and Skills) provide upon request programs on sexual assault and its link to alcohol. Any student organization or residence hall can request such a program by calling 529-8544.
- Various student-initiated programs are available, including Take Back the Night, organized annually by the Association for Women Students. Call 529-5122.
Additional information on sexual assault
What about hate crimes?
This basic guide to university resources covers such topics as what to do if you believe you’re the victim of a hate crime or any incident based on your race, religion, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation that makes you afraid for your safety. Included is information about how a hate crime is distinguished from hate speech and what to do about either.
Safety resource list:
- For Emergency Service
Police, Fire, Medical
If calling from a campus phone or from off campus: 911
- To Report a Crime
- Miami University Police: 529-2222
- Oxford City Police: 523-4321
- Butler County Sheriff: 887-3010
- For Special Services
- Student Counseling Service: 529-4634
- Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution: 529-1417
- Community Counseling and Crisis Center, Oxford: 523-4146
- Butler County Rape Crisis Program: 523-4146
- Alcohol and Chemical Abuse Council (Prevention Center): 868-2100
- McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital: 523-2111
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Important Information:
Information about what to do in the event of an active shooter situation on Miami University's campus. Click to read: GO >
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