Title: Emergency Notification Policy
Effective date: 06/05/1990
Responsible Official: Executive Director of Public Safety
Responsible University Office: Division of Public Safety
Related legislation and University policies: Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crimes Statistics Act (also known as the Clery Act)
Review Period: Yearly
Date of Last Review: 10/01/2019
Relates to: All CWRU community members (faculty, staff, students), external partners and visitors.
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Summary of this Policy: This policy outlines how and when the Division of Public Safety notifies the campus community of crimes that occur on or near campus.
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Purpose: To alert the campus community of an immediate threat to the safety of the campus and provide instructions for any necessary protective action. This ensures Case Western Reserve University compliance with the timely warning provisions of the Clery Act.
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Definitions:
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Emergency Notification: Alerts campus community to an ongoing emergency. This notification provides instructions for what protective action(s) shall be taken. These alerts can be accomplished through text, phone calls, email, outdoor speaks and other.
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Security Alert: The CWRU name for a Clery Act timely warning. Alerts campus community via email about crimes that have occurred on or near campus and that could pose a serious or continuous threat.
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Policy: Case Western Reserve University follows the provisions of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act One of the requirements of the Act is that a campus must immediately notify the campus community upon confirmation of an immediate threat to the safety of the campus. University procedures regarding emergency notifications are detailed in the CWRU Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, which is published every October 1st in compliance with federal law.
Emergency notifications are a method of immediately notifying the CWRU community that there is a confirmed, pending or existing threat to the health and safety of students, faculty, staff or visitors. Examples of possible threats that could trigger an emergency notification include, but are not limited to, an active aggressor, extreme weather, or natural disasters. Through the Rave emergency alert system, subscribers are notified when there is an incident/event on campus that threatens public safety. Case Western Reserve has other means to provide immediate notification to the campus community that an emergency is pending or occurring. These notification measures help to warn students, faculty, staff and visitors:
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Case.edu webpage
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Text Message
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Email
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Fire Alarms
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Facebook
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Outdoor Warning Speakers
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Severe Weather Alerts
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Twitter
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Vehicle Public Address Speakers
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Voicemails on campus phones
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Voice messages to cellphones
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Voice messages to campus phone
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Other
Timely warnings and security alerts are issued by the CWRU Police Department. These alerts are distinct from Emergency Notifications. Security Alerts/Timely Warnings provide information about crimes that have occurred but still pose a serious or continuing threat. Security Alerts will be issued to make the general campus public aware of a crime or series of crimes to help them be better informed and more vigilant of potential dangers on and near campus. Emergency notifications are activated only if the campus community is under an immediate threat(s) from a significant emergency or a dangerous event and must take immediate action to remain safe and secure. Ongoing notifications will be evaluated continuously by on-scene personnel and university leadership. As the incident continues, additional segments of the community may require emergency notification. The university will not deliver an emergency notification until there is sufficient information available to be specific and actionable. For example, once an emergency is confirmed by responders, the incident commander is then tasked with gathering information about the dangerous situation.