Missing Persons Policy
The Higher Education Act requires that all institutions that provide on campus student housing must establish missing student notification policy and procedures.
The following policy and procedure has been established to assist in locating Southwestern College students living in Southwestern College owned on-campus housing, who, based on the facts and circumstances known to Southwestern College, Southwestern College has determined to be missing.
Emergency Contact: Students have the option to identify an emergency contact when they apply for on-campus housing. Students may also register this confidential contact information through the office of the registrar or the student affairs office.
Reporting a Missing Student: Any missing person report relating to a student shall be referred immediately to the student affairs office and its departments (residence life, and security).
Investigating a Missing Student: Upon notification from any entity that any student may be missing, Southwestern College may use any of the following resources to assist in locating the student. The resources may be used in any order and combination.
- Resident assistants, resident directors, apartment managers, the director of residence life, the vice president for student affairs/dean of students, the director of safety and security, or security officers may assist in the search for a student.
- Student Affairs staff may check the student’s ID card usage, including residence hall access and meal plan use.
- Student Affairs staff may key into the student’s assigned room. They may also search on-campus public locations (classrooms, library, athletic facilities, and cafeteria).
- Student Affairs staff may try to contact known friends, family, coaches, faculty members, or other administrative offices to seek last sighting information or other contact information.
- Student Affairs staff may work with IT to look up email logs for the last login and use of the Southwestern College email system.
If there is any reason for concern or indication of foul play, the local policedepartment will immediately be contacted forassistance.
Notification: If Southwestern College, after investigating a report of a missing student, determines the student is missing and has not returned to campus, Southwestern College will initiate the notification procedure. The president of the college will be notified. The missing individual’s designated emergency contact will be notified. If the student is under 18 years of age, and not an emancipated individual, Southwestern College must notify a custodial parent or guardian that the student is determined to be missing. If emergency contact information has not been supplied by the student, local law enforcement will be notified.
