Campus Notifications & Warnings
Types of Campus Notices
Emergency notifications are alerts issued by the UNCG Police Department through text, email, public address, and/or other methods to inform the campus community about a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus. These alerts are intended to allow campus members to take appropriate precautions to remain safe. An emergency notification expands the definition of a timely warning notice as it includes both Clery Act crimes and other types of emergencies (i.e., a fire, robbery or infectious disease outbreak).
Timely warnings are a specific type of notice related to compliance with the federal Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to notify students and employees whenever there is a threat that a serious crime is ongoing or may be repeated. The Clery Act defines specific crimes that require a timely warning notice when those crimes are reported to officials with significant responsibility for students and the reported crime(s) are believed to have occurred on campus, in or on non-campus buildings or property rented by the University, or on public property contiguous to the campus.
In accordance with the published guidelines used to interpret 34 CFR 668(e), the decision to issue a timely warning is made on a case-by-case basis in light of all facts surrounding the crime, including factors such as the nature of the crime, the continuing danger to the community, and the possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts. Neither the Clery Act nor the Department of Education define “timely”. The warning should be issued as soon as the pertinent information is available. Timely warnings may be issued for other offenses not covered by this regulation if a determination is made that the warning will aid in preventing similar offenses from occurring.
Public Safety Announcements are messages issued by the UNCG Police Department through text, email, public address, and/or other methods to inform the campus community about a significant event or potentially dangerous situations involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus. Such announcements are not required by Clery. These alerts are intended to allow campus members to take appropriate precautions to remain safe. A Public Safety Announcement expands the definition of an emergency notification and a timely warning as it includes crimes and incidents outside of Clery (i.e., suspicious activity or concerning behaviors).
frequently asked questions
- Pay attention to the notices and encourage others to take responsibility for their own safety.
- Take part in Bystander Training.
- Learn about Sexual Violence Campus Advocacy.
- Invite someone from the Dean of Students Office or Wellness Center to speak with your student organizations about sexual misconduct and sexual violence.
- Invite a police officer to your student organization so that you can learn about issues on campus and get to know the people working to keep us safe.
- Learn about consent!
- Sign up for a Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) class.
- When walking on or around campus, be aware of your surroundings. You’re an easy target for crime if you walk around with headphones on or you’re looking only at your phone screen.
- Follow UNCG Police on Facebook and Twitter to see more tips on safety and to see posts when arrests are made.
- Learn about resources for survivors of sexual assault here.
- Download the Spartan Safe mobile security app.
Emergency Notifications are triggered by an event that is currently occurring on campus or imminently threatening the campus. Emergency Notifications focus on significant emergency or dangerous situation and may or may not include Clery crimes (e.g. Fires, Weather, Active Shooters, etc…). Upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situations, an Emergency Notification will be sent containing instructions and information regarding the incident via text, email, network pop-up, RSS feed, and social media. Subsequent messages with additional information and instructions are sent as they become available. Emergency Notifications are intend to direct all individuals to take immediate action (e.g. Shelter-in-Place, avoid affected areas, evacuate the campus, etc.) and should be taken immediately.
Timely Warnings are triggered by Clery crimes that have already occurred within our Clery geography and represent a continuing threat to the campus and have been reported to our campus security authorities and/or a local law enforcement agencies. Timely Warnings are issued by email as soon as the pertinent information is available. Timely Warnings are intended to aid in the prevention of similar crimes and are required to include information that would promote safety (e.g. Crime Prevention Tips). The law specifies that “an institution that follows its emergency notification procedures is not required to issue a timely warning based on the same circumstances. The decision to issue a timely warning is on a case-by-case basis in light of all the facts surrounding a crime. If the incident is confirmed to be an ongoing significant emergency or dangerous situation, then an Emergency Notification will be sent in lieu of a Timely Warning. Unlike Emergency Notification, Timely Warnings will not contain specific instructions to follow immediately.
Public Safety Announcements are similar to Timely Warnings but are not required by federal law. In an effort to increase awareness and improve safety, the UNCG Police Department will share information about suspicious activity or other crimes that are not covered by the Clery Act. Like Timely Warnings, these messages are issued by email and may include incidents that occur outside of our Clery geography. Public Safety Announcements are intended to aid in the prevention of similar crimes and increase awareness. Again, if the incident is confirmed to be an ongoing significant emergency or dangerous situation, then an Emergency Notification will be sent in lieu of a Timely Warning or the Public Safety Announcement.
When you receive an Emergency Notification, pay close attention to the instructions and follow them without hesitation. Remember, Emergency Notifications are triggered by events that are currently occurring on or imminently threatening the campus. If you are not in the vicinity of the incident, avoid the area until further notice. If you are injured or have critical information about the incident call or text the police department as soon as possible. DO NOT call to inquire about the incident; additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
If you receive a Timely Warning, pay attention to the dates, times, and locations of the incident and consider the crime prevention tips in the warning. Remember, Timely Warnings are triggered by Clery crimes that have already occurred within our Clery geography and represent a continuing threat to the campus. If you have information about the incident, call or text the police department as soon as possible. DO NOT call to inquire about the incident.
Public Safety Announcements are awareness only messages that are intended to serve the same purpose as Timely Warnings regardless of the crime, geography, or other federal requirements.
Yes. Visit Spartan Safe Stay Informed for instructions on how to sign up for text messages.
Yes, but we don’t recommend it. You have the option of opting out of the text messages and the emails if you decide you do not want to receive any of the notifications, warnings, or announcements.
In 2014 UNC General Administration provided additional training to all the UNC System campuses. The training prompted UNCG and other UNC schools to re-evaluate the Timely Warning requirements. Many discovered that the Department of Education had conducted program reviews of other schools that were not consistent with our previous Timely Warning practices. In our efforts to be more vigilant in complying with the Timely Warning requirements, we changed our protocols to match the expectations of the Department of Education. This change coincided with increased training and participation of the Campus Security Authorities (CSA) who are employed on campus but outside of the police department. A CSA is anyone with significant responsibilities for student activities and include not only security personnel but residence life staff, student organization advisors, athletics, and the like. The CSAs and new protocols have resulted in more Timely Warnings being sent for sex-based offenses. Many of the cases involve complainants who decline police involvement and are based solely on a CSA reports. The law requires that victims have the right to decline police involvement while mandating other requirements like Timely Warnings.
If a student, employee or visitor has been the victim of an incident of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, they should immediately report it to the UNCG Police. In the case of an emergency or ongoing threat, they should get to a safe location and report the incident to the UNCG Police by calling 336-334-4444 or by calling the Greensboro City Police at 911. Students may also report to the Dean of Students at 336-334-5514. Employees may report to Human Resources at 336-334-5009. UNCG officials will assist any complainant in notifying law enforcement, including local police, if they elect to do so. Any student or employee who reports an incident of sexual assault, involving dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, whether the offense occurred on or off campus, shall receive a written explanation of their rights and options. Depending on the nature and circumstances of the incident, a notice, warning, or announcement may be sent to the campus.
Sexual assaults reported by students to Campus Security Authorities must be reported to the Dean of Students Office. The office will make contact with the victim to explain options should a student wish to file police charges or conduct charges. The office will also provide information about support services, including counseling, medical services, and victim advocacy. Conversations are kept as confidential as possible, but information about incidents of sexual misconduct must be shared with relevant administrators and the Title IX Coordinator so that the University can take action if necessary for reasons of safety. In planning a response, the wishes of the individual are given full consideration.
Report it to the police.
Support victims. Anyone – male or female – who reports an incident deserves respect, care, and compassion. Help a victim find the appropriate resources and support so that they can receive the care that they need. If you are not a trained counselor – do not attempt to counsel a victim/survivor. Find a qualified professional who can help.
Learn how to create a culture that does not tolerate sexual assault. One way to do this is through bystander training, offered by the UNCG Wellness Center. Click here for details.
Talk to your friends and family about this issue. Let others know that you take this topic seriously. Watch out for your friends. Be aware of how alcohol can make you at risk to be involved in sexual assault – as a perpetrator and as a victim.
If you are aware that a crime was committed, contact the UNCG Police Department or the Dean of Students Office. Professionals in these offices are used to dealing with these matters and can ensure that they are handled properly.
Yes! It’s important to remember that both Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications are sent out to the UNCG community so that individuals can be aware of possible threats and act appropriately. Notices are not sent out when suspects are arrested. It’s also important to remember that by the time a crime or suspicious person is reported to police and the police respond, the suspect has usually left the area and may be difficult to locate. Messages are still sent to the campus community so that individuals can be aware of the situation and take appropriate precautions.
The average emergency response time of the UNCG Police is 2 to 3 minutes. UNCG Police charge and arrests hundreds of people every year for a wide variety of crimes committed on or near the campus. See the crimes reported and arrests made on campus for the most recent 60 days: Clery Crime Log-UNCG