Safety Tips

Take Immediate Action

• Report any suspicious activity or safety incident immediately. Immediate reporting greatly increases the ability of law enforcement officers to apprehend suspects.

Get Out of Harm's Way

• Follow an AVOID, DENY, DEFEND protocol – in that order.

  • Avoid the aggressor entirely by leaving the area -- identify exits whenever you go to a new place and have a mental plan on how you can escape.

  • Actively deny entry to your area. Engage door locks, jam door frames, barricade doors, and improvise other ways to secure your location. Once secure, stay out of the line of sight of the door. Continue looking for ways to safely escape the area.

  • Defend yourself. You have the right to defend yourself in an active threat incident. If you cannot avoid or deny the aggressor, prepare yourself to fight. Use your surroundings to find make-shift weapons and rally others to help fight. Research shows that feigning unconsciousness usually does not stop an aggressor from harming you.

• Get to a safe place and secure yourself there. Lock and/or barricade doors as you are able. (Don't leave a safe space to reach your own room, office, etc.)
• Stay sheltered until you get an all-clear message. This message likely will be sent via the OWU ALERT emergency notification system.
• Use an emergency call box. OWU has ten (10) emergency call boxes that connect directly to the Delaware County 911 Dispatch Center. When a call is placed, a light on top of each call box is activated.
  • Academic (east) side of campus:
    • On the north side of University Hall on the academic (east) side of campus.
    • Between Slocum and Elliott Halls
    • On the northwest side of Schimmel/Conrades Science Center (near the science library) on the academic (east) side of campus.
    • On the southwest side of Schimmel/Conrades Science Center (near the Atrium stairwell) on the academic (east) side of campus.
    • Outside the Meek Aquatics and Recreation Center on the academic (east) side of campus.
  • Residential (west) side of campus:
    • Between Hayes Hall and Smith West.
    • Between 23 Williams Drive and 20 Williams Drive (Delta Tau Delta).
    • Between Cafe 1842 and 9 Williams Drive.
    • Outside Stuyvesant Hall in the parking lot area.
    • Between Bradford Milligan Hall and Liberty Street crosswalk.

Be Proactive in Protecting Yourself

• Walk and jog with others in busy, well-lighted areas. If you have safety concerns and need a Public Safety escort, call 740-368-2222.
• Assess your surroundings to identify possible escape routes and ways to subdue/disarm an assailant in life-threatening situations. (Could you break a window? Do you have pepper spray? Do you have access to heavy objects to throw or use as weapons?)
• Check twice before entering a crosswalk. Even if you have the right-of-way, check both ways to ensure that motorists see you and are stopping to let you cross. Use push-button "walk" mechanisms when available.
• Don't use headphones, text, or talk on the phone as you walk. You need to hear, see, and quickly respond to what is going on around you.
• If you feel threatened, get to a safe place and call for help as soon you feel you are out of immediate danger.

Prepare Your Cell Phone

• Carry a charged cell phone at all times. Add OWU Public Safety to your contacts and mark it as a favorite. The number is 740-368-2222.
• Download the free CampusShield app (Android) (iOS) for access to safety systems including:
  • Emergency "slider." Activating the feature connects you immediately to a dispatcher. You'll be prompted for location permissions. We recommend you accept. This allows our dispatching partner, Campus Dispatch, to see your location ONLY when you activate the emergency slider.
  • Friend Watch. The people you choose can see your location for a timed duration or until you mark yourself safe. While we encourage you to walk with friends, this feature adds a layer of safety if you have to travel alone.
  • OWU Resources. We've put some useful information in this area. This includes links to the Student Handbook, Counseling Services, Student Health Center, parking information, and safety resources.
  • Public Safety phone link. Just tap the button once and hit "call." It's that easy.
  • Safety/AED map. We're building a map that shows where automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and Blue Lights are located around campus. We've also tossed in some useful locations, including the Public Safety Office, to make it easier to find us.
  • Anonymous Tips. Not comfortable calling Public Safety directly? Use Anonymous Tips to report concerns such as hate crimes, safety concerns, criminal activity, or hazing.

(Check out the app (Android) (iOS) to see the full list. Use your username@owu.edu email address to become part of the Ohio Wesleyan CampusShield system.)

• Pay attention to OWU ALERT emergency notifications. We issue OWU ALERT messages in situations that require urgent action and in case of weather-related delays or closings. The University enrolls you automatically to receive email alerts via your owu.edu email address and voice/text alerts via your cell phone of record.

Get Help If Harassed

• Communicate clearly and directly that you are bothered by the actions and/or words of the offender(s) and want the behavior to stop immediately.
• If the behavior persists, let the offender(s) know their actions and/or words are unwelcome and, if their behavior does not stop, you will report them to a University authority.
• If the harassment is more severe and/or requires urgent intervention, contact a University authority right away. Report the activity to the Department of Public Safety, Residential Life Office, Dean of Students Office, or Coordinator of Student Conduct. Ohio Wesleyan has a number of resources and procedures available to support you and ensure the unwanted activity stops.

Safeguard Your Card

• Protect your Ohio Wesleyan ID card. If it is lost or stolen, report the incident immediately to Public Safety so that the card can be deactivated.

Be an Advocate

• If you witness others who are impaired or in distress, ensure they get help and get to a safe, secure environment.

Lock It Up

• Lock doors and windows when you leave an area, even for short periods of time.
• Don't prop open doors or allow strangers to follow you into locked buildings.
• Report broken/malfunctioning locks to OWU Facilities as soon as problems are detected.
• Lock vehicles and remove valuables from view.
• Never leave valuables unattended. This includes purses, laptop computers, cell phones, and other valuables.
• Password-protect all electronic devices and use two-step authentication for your Google email and other accounts when available.

Don't Bring Weapons

• The following weapons are prohibited at Ohio Wesleyan University:
  • martial arts weapons
  • brass knuckles
  • knives
  • paintball guns and cartridges
  • slingshots
  • explosives (including fireworks of any kind)
• Firearms are prohibited except as provided by Ohio Revised Code.
  • Firearms include BB guns, paintball guns, pellet guns, stun guns, and air guns.
• Weapons are subject to confiscation and student-violators will be referred to the University Conduct System.
• If you are aware of weapons on campus, report the information to Public Safety immediately.