Providing a healthy living, learning and working environment.
The Department of Public Safety is committed to providing a safe environment to the University of Ozarks Community. The Public Safety officers work with the University community, using cooperative dialogue, using crime prevention and interdiction methods, and maintaining an adaptive attitude to provide quality service through activities with a dedicated, educated, and responsible group of officers.
Our Public Safety officers are on duty 24 hours a day, every day of the year. They patrol all areas of campus, including residence halls & University housing, parking lots, athletic facilities, and contiguous streets.
Services
Public Safety is here to help students, faculty, and staff beyond basic safety issues. Our staff is trained in CPR and first aid. They are trained to identify possible opioid overdoses and carry NARCAN.
- On Campus escorts available 24/7 for safety or injured students who need a ride
- Motorist assistance – jump starts for dead batteries, getting keys out of locked cars, or assisting in calling a tow truck, if needed
- Replace lost keys & Lock changes for residential spaces
- Building or room access to authorized students
- Issues & replaces student, faculty, and staff ID cards
- Manages Vehicle & bicycle registration
- Maintains the campus lost & found items
Emergency Notifications
In the case of a campus emergency, we utilize the Everbridge app that is designed to keep students, faculty and staff informed. This app allows University officials to quickly contact registered recipients to communicate important information during any potential emergency, such as severe weather, fire or other crisis event.
Campus Security Authorities & Responsible Employees
The Department of Public Safety encourages all members of the campus community to report crimes to us on a timely basis. However, under the Clery Act, CSAs are required to report Clery Act qualifying crimes which occurred on campus, in public areas bordering campus and in certain non-campus buildings owned or controlled (leased) by the College. These are Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) and Responsible Employees.
The Officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities category is defined broadly to ensure complete coverage and thorough reporting of crimes. CSAs in this category include, but are not limited to: deans, student affairs professionals, student housing staff, athletic director/assistant directors, coaches, student activities coordinators, student judicial officers, and faculty/staff advisors to student organizations
A responsible employee is any employee who has the authority to take action to redress sexual violence, who has been given the duty to report to appropriate school officials about incidents of sexual violence or any other misconduct by students, or who a student could reasonably believe has this authority or responsibility.
Who is not a CSA?
The following non-CSA positions/functions include but are not limited to: administrative staff members who are not responsible for students; clerical staff, individual faculty with no student activity duties outside the classroom, pastoral counselors, or counselors in Counseling Services who only provide care to individual students.
Parking/Vehicle Registration
Students, staff, and faculty who drive motor vehicles on campus must register their vehicle via the Eaglenet web portal. Once registered they will receive an e-mail instructing them to pick up their parking permit at Public Safety. The parking permit is to be displayed in or on the vehicle at all times while on campus. Campus maps indicating parking lots/areas can be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.
There are a few “special parking” areas on campus in which students, staff, and faculty are not allowed to park. These “special parking” areas are visitor’s parking spaces (at any time) and Campus Perks parking spaces (when Campus Perks is open for business). Accessible parking spaces (disabled spaces) may only be utilized by those with the proper placards on or in their vehicles. Temporary Accessible parking space permits can be obtained from the Department of Public Safety in the event of a specific injury or medical condition of which documentation will need to be presented. Students, staff, and faculty members who inappropriately park in these areas or in no-parking zones are subject to parking tickets, fines, and the possibility of the vehicle being towed. Students, staff, and faculty members failing to register their vehicles will be ticketed, fined, and subject to disciplinary action. If a vehicle is being used temporarily, a temporary parking permit may also be obtained from the Department of Public Safety free of charge.
Citations & Appeal Process
All tickets must be paid within thirty (30) days. Payments must be made in the Office of Administrative Services located in the Mabee Administration Building. A person receiving a parking citation may appeal the violation. All appeals must be submitted to the Public Safety Office in writing or by email within two weeks of the citation date. Appeals will be heard by appointment only. The student or employee must be present at the time of their scheduled appeal date or the appeal will be voided. Upon receiving an appeal in writing, the student or employee will be contacted by email and asked to schedule an appointment time for the appeal hearing. The assigned appeals hearing Officer of the Department of Public Safety will oversee the appeal hearing. Hearing decisions can be made at the time of the hearing or can be made at a later date not to exceed three (3) business days at which time the appellant will be notified. All decisions of the appeal hearing will be final.
Citations upheld by the appeal hearing officer will be paid at the Office of Administrative Services within thirty (30) days of the citation date. A service charge of $10 is applied to each citation not paid within thirty (30) days. Citation Fees for Violations No Parking Decal $ 50 Parking in Visitors Parking $ 50 Parking on the Grass/Sidewalk $ 50 Double Parking/Blocking $ 50 Parking in Accessible Parking $ 50 Parking in a No Parking Area $ 50 Parking in a Fire Zone or ADA Accessible Parking $100. Any vehicle parked on university property not properly registered with the Department of Public Safety may be towed at the owner’s expense upon the identification of any parking violation. Any vehicle that is parked improperly and poses a safety hazard may be towed at the owner’s expense.
Food 4 Fines
Public Safety enforces parking rules to ensure fair and equitable access for our community. Citations are only a tool to ensure compliance, but we know people make mistakes. We created the Food 4 Fines program to alleviate the cost of the fine.
How it works:
- Bring $10 worth of non-perishable, unopened food within 10 calendar days of the receipt of the fine to the Office of Public Safety (to receive credit be sure a Public Safety Officer is present);
- Credit only applies to first violation parking fines this academic year. All food will be donated to a local school children in need.
Bicycles
It is imperative that everyone practice safety when riding and storing a bicycle on campus. Registration of a bike with the Department of Public Safety is required and free and will allow the University to assist in safeguarding property. Due to thefts of bicycles and damages to property, any bicycle found not properly stored or registered on University property may be impounded by the Department of Public Safety. Impounded bicycles will not be released until a fee/fine of $10.00 is paid in the Office of Administrative Services and proof of payment is provided to the Department of Public Safety. Bicycles used on campus should not be locked to or leaned against lamp posts, handrails, buildings, or other campus property not intended to host bicycles since this action creates safety escape hazards, interferes with maintenance work, and causes damage to the property and the bike.
If an improperly stowed bicycle is locked, it may be necessary for the chain or lock to be cut. Bicycles are not allowed in any area of the residence halls or grounds other than in the provided bicycle racks around the campus. Bicycles chained to trees, shrubs, stairs, rails, or other prohibited areas will be removed immediately. Violation of this policy may result in fines, impoundment, and possible student conduct action. Bicycles remaining at the end of the academic year are considered abandoned. If this occurs, the locks or chains may be cut and depending on the condition of the bicycle, they will be either disposed of or donated.
Bicycles are required to be removed at the end of each academic year. Public Safety and Ozarks Outdoors have partnered together to provide summer storage for bicycles. Any bikes left behind without being properly registered and stored with Ozarks Outdoors will be removed from campus.
Contact
479-979-2020
