Missing Student Notification Policy

Policy Title: Missing Student Notification Policy
Policy Number: STU-Cl3-003
Effective Date: January 28, 2013
Responsible Office: Student Affairs

I. Policy Statement

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth complies with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 regarding missing student notification.

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to promote the safety and welfare of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth community through the compliance with the requirements of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA). The Missing Student Policy outlines the communications required of Public Safety, Housing and Residential Education, and Student Affairs pertaining to receiving notice that a student is alleged to be missing.

III. Definitions

A "Missing Student" may be any residential undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a degree or certificate program or taking one or more classes at a UMass Dartmouth site, who is alleged to be missing by a reasonable source of information, i.e. family member, University faculty member, University staff member, personal friend, or person acting as guardian for the student's family.

IV. Procedures

If a member of the University community has reason to believe that a student is missing, s/he should immediately notify the UMass Dartmouth Department of Public Safety (DPS) at 508.999.9191. DPS will generate a missing person report and initiate an investigation. This investigation will include communication with the student's classroom faculty and the Office of Student Affairs. Alternatively, notification may be made to the UMass Dartmouth Housing and Residential Education Department (HRE) at 508.999.8140 during normal business hours to initiate immediate contact with the appropriate Resident Director (RD). Each time an RD receives a report that a residential student has been unreachable by person, phone, email, etc., s/he will attempt to contact the missing student through a roommate/suitemate, floor-mates, and residential friends, will notify the Office of Student Affairs to communicate with classroom faculty, and will notify DPS if the student cannot be immediately located via these means within a 24 hour period.

In addition to listing a general Emergency Contact Person and telephone number in COIN, a residential student will also have the option to confidentially identify an individual to be contacted in the event the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours. If a residential student has identified such an individual, HRE, the Office of Student Affairs, and/or DPS will notify that individual no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing. A residential student who wishes to identify a confidential contact can do so at any time through their Resident Director. A student's confidential contact information will be accessible only by authorized campus officials and law enforcement in the course of the investigation.

After investigating a missing person report, should DPS determine that the student has been missing for 24 hours, they will attempt notification of the student's emergency contact no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to have been reported missing. If the missing student is under the age of 18 and is not an emancipated individual, HRE, DPS, or the Office of Student Affairs will notify the student's parent or legal guardian immediately after DPS has determined that the student has been missing for 24 hours.

V. Responsibility

Information about this Policy and related policies pertaining to UMass Dartmouth students may be directed to Student Affairs, Public Safety, or Housing and Residential Education (if a campus residential student).

VI. Attachments

None.