Campus Safety Policies

The Role of Campus Safety
Bicycles
Building Access Control
Campus Alert Policy
Rhodes Alert & Outdoor Warning Siren
Guests and Visitors
Lost and Found
Parking Regulations
Pedestrian Gates
Vehicle Use on Campus

The Role of Campus Safety

The Campus Safety Office is structured within Rhodes’ Division of Student Affairs, putting Campus Safety in close contact with all aspects of student life.

The primary mission of the Campus Safety Department is to preserve the safety and security of the campus community to enable the mission of the College to go forward. This mission includes comprehensive efforts aimed at protecting our community from threats to both person and property. Although the Campus Safety staff is considered a private security and safety force, they are responsible for enforcement of all State and local laws, College policies and procedures, security, safety, and emergency responses. As a “first responder”, Campus Safety stands ready and well-trained to provide support services to meet the many and varied needs of the Rhodes Community.

Due to the importance of Campus Safety, students are advised that it is a specific offense of the student code of conduct to fail to comply with the directions of a College official including those of Campus Safety or to fail to identify oneself to a College official including those officers in Campus Safety.

Bicycles

All bicycles should be registered with the Campus Safety Office. Bicycles may be stored: 1) in the student′s own residence hall room, 2) in the bicycle storage rooms assigned, or 3) in the outside bike racks. Bicycles may not be stored in hallways, social rooms, alcoves, under stairways, or other places. Campus Safety or Residence Life staff will remove bicycles found in unauthorized locations.

Building Access Control

Students may need access to certain academic and administrative buildings in pursuit of their studies after these buildings have been locked at the end of the day and on weekends. At the same time, the College has the responsibility to ensure that students utilizing these facilities work and study in a safe secure environment.

Accordingly, students will use the following building access control systems:

1. When students need to have access to a certain academic office or administrative space, they must ask the appropriate departmental representative to certify that they are authorized to enter the room during a specified time. This authorization must be sent to Campus Safety where it will be retained on file.

2. Most academic buildings and administrative buildings, including classrooms, are accessible to students after hours by fob. Individual offices and restricted spaces are secured and should not be entered unless previous authorization has been obtained as outlined above.

3. Access to students’ rooms for anyone other than the registered occupant must always have the authorization of the Residence Life or Student Affairs Administrative Staff. This includes parents, family members, and friends of the registered occupant. 

Campus Alert Policy

The Clery Act, enacted by Congress and signed into law by the President in 1990 as the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, requires all institutions of higher education “to make timely warning reports to the campus community on certain crimes that represent a continuing threat to students and employees and that were reported to officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities, campus police or local police.” These reports, according to the legislation, will be "disseminated in a manner that will aid in the prevention of similar occurrences."

To meet the provisions of this portion of the legislation and to fulfill our duty to monitor and to reduce campus crime and the fear of crime, the Office of Campus Safety maintains a campus alert system. Campus alerts are used when crimes reported to the Office of Campus Safety represent an imminent or continuing threat to students and employees.

The Director of Campus Safety consults with members of the campus alert team, as deemed necessary, to determine if a report represents such a threat. Members of the campus alert team include, but are not limited to, the Director of Campus Safety, either the Dean of Students or the Associate Dean of Students, either the Executive Assistant to the President or the Vice President for Community Relations, and the Director of Communications (four persons). When warranted, the campus alert is written by the Director of Communications or her designee and a draft is approved by the campus alert team.

The alert typically contains the following information about the event: date, time, location, criminal activity. Descriptions of suspects involved in alleged criminal activity are used only when the witness or victim is certain about the information and there are multiple and specific descriptions provided that can aid in identification. The alert will be emailed to all applicable Rhodes.edu accounts and posted on the Campus Safety Crisis Blog. If an imminent threat exists, the outdoor warning system may be sounded, calling trees may be initiated, or mass notification via the college telephone system may occur..

Rhodes Alert & Outdoor Warning Siren

In the event of an emergency, students will be notified in the most expeditious manner possible. This may be with the outdoor warning siren and/or with the Rhodes Alert System. The alert system will email, text message and call telephone numbers previously supplied by the student. Students should take these warnings seriously and follow all instructions provided. Inclement weather delays and closing will be communicated via Rhodes Alert.

Guests and Visitors

Rhodes has always welcomed guests and visitors to the campus; however, we also recognize that there are certain identification, safety, and security problems attendant with this practice. Therefore, it is essential that guidelines be established to insure the well being of the College community. While it is impossible to cover every variable, the following general policies apply with respect to visitors to the campus.

Visitors to the campus are generally prospective students and parents, alumni, and those who have business with academic or administrative departments. Once the identity and purpose of these persons are confirmed, they should always be made to feel welcome and accorded the same amenities that faculty, staff and students are allowed.

Guests of students are welcome on campus. Guests staying with a student overnight along with their host-student must register with Campus Safety in person. Guests are expected to remain under the auspices of the host student. The host student bears the responsibility for the guest′s behavior and compliance with campus policy. Rhodes accessible keys should never be loaned to guests. Guests are not allowed during exams. When it appears that guests have been completely abandoned by a host, they will be asked to leave the campus. Host responsibilities for a guest should not be transferred from one student to another.

Visitors arriving at a Welcome Center to see a student, faculty member or staff person will be detained there until the officer can phone and locate the host. If the host cannot be located, the visit will not be allowed. If the host is located, he/she must authorize the visit before entry is allowed. Students expecting a visitor, who is not staying overnight, may call Campus Safety and advise the officer on duty whom to expect, the time of arrival, and the name of the host. If this is done, the visit is allowed regardless of phone confirmation of visit.

Lost and Found

All items found on campus should be turned in to the Office of Campus Safety located in Spann Place #5. Note: Campus Safety will dispose of all items not claimed by June 1 of each year. Lost and found items can be located on line at: http://www.rhodes.edu/campussafety/14474.asp

Parking Regulations

The College strives to have a parking control system that is based upon compliance, safety, and convenience for all. Written regulations and appropriate signage are established to facilitate traffic flow, control parking, and protect fire lanes and unloading areas as are designated. In consultation with The Rhodes Student Government and The Social Regulations Council, The Director of Campus Safety manages the parking program. Parking information is available on the Campus Safety website, all parking maps, and in both the Student Handbook and College Handbook. If you have any questions, please contact the Campus Safety office at #3880.

Registration of Motor Vehicles. All members of the Rhodes community who park on campus are required to register their vehicles with the Campus Safety Department and display a current registration decal. If a member of the Rhodes community drives a vehicle on campus, it must be registered with either a permanent or temporary registration decal.

Faculty and Staff must register their vehicles online. Persons choosing not to register their vehicles for campus parking must still abide by all "off campus" parking regulations as listed below.

Parking Decals. All students, faculty, and staff cars, bikes and motorcycles must have a parking decal. Applications can be completed online from the parking section of the Campus Safety webpage. Notification will be sent by email when the decal is ready for pickup from Rhodes Express.

Decals are colored to indicate registration information and specified parking areas. They must be properly affixed to the lower left, inside driver′s side front windshield.

Handicap Parking (to include temporary handicap). Vehicles parked in handicap spaces must display proper handicap placard or license information. If a "temporary" handicap need arises for students, please contact the Director of Disability Services or the Campus Safety Department.

Pedestrian Gates

Campus Pedestrian Gates are equipped with locking devices and springs to insure proper perimeter safety and security. Electronic key fobs, issued to students, will access these gates. If a gate is left unsecured, please close it and notify Campus Safety if it is malfunctioning.   

Vehicle Use on Campus

Entering Campus. When a Campus Safety officer is on duty at any entrance onto the campus, drivers must stop or slow down enough to be acknowledged and identified before entering.
Moving Vehicle Regulations. The maximum posted speed limit on College property is 15 mph. Vehicle operators must have their vehicles under control at all times regardless of their speed to avoid collision or endangering others’ well-being. Vehicle operators who fail to control their vehicle, who endanger others’ well being, or who have the potential to endanger others while operating a vehicle are subject to being held accountable for reckless driving.
Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol on campus is strictly prohibited and will be prosecuted with police involvement.
Driving is permitted only on designated surfaced drives. No vehicles are allowed on grass, lawns, or fields without special permission.
Failure to stop at posted stop signs will result in a referral.
No Parking Areas. Off ramps, such as those behind Clough Hall and Rhodes Physics Tower provide access to buildings for fire-fighting equipment and must remain open. Additionally, off ramps provide routes of egress to open areas from many of the campus buildings in case of fire and must be kept free of parked vehicles. If a space is not lined or marked as a parking space, it is considered a violation to park in the space and will be cited as such.
Fire Lanes. Fire lanes are currently designated on all roads throughout the campus. Persons who park in these areas are not only in violation of Rhodes parking regulations, but of the City of Memphis Ordinances as well. Violators′ vehicles will be towed by the City of Memphis and will receive a citation from the Memphis Police Department and Rhodes. Rhodes Campus Safety may also tow and cite violators′ vehicles.
Illegal Parking. All legal parking areas within the college complex are clearly indicated both on site and in publications. Parking in areas other than those properly lined as parking spaces is a violation and will be cited. Parking along curbs, unless clearly marked as a parking space or unless otherwise authorized is strictly prohibited.
Visitor parking is considered "reserved" twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week. Areas designated as visitor parking are strictly reserved for visitors to the campus only. Unauthorized parking will be cited.
Off Campus Parking. While parking on campus is recommended, those who choose to park on streets near Rhodes should be aware of restrictions imposed by both the City of Memphis and also those regulations held by Rhodes College. All persons are expected to comply with the below "off campus" parking regulations.
City of Memphis parking restrictions are so marked.
Rhodes College restricts parking in the following areas where Rhodes community members are allowed to park: 1) North side of Snowden west of University; 2) South side of Snowden, west of the alley behind Stewart Hall, 3) North side of Tutwiler, west of the entrance to Spann/Stewart Parking lot.
Use of Emergency Flashers. Use of emergency flashers does not justify parking in violation of regulations and is not an appropriate cause for appeal. Use of flashers does not legitimize a violation of parking regulations. Time elapsed is not an element of a violation. Violating a parking regulation "for only two minutes to run inside" is not a defense for the violation.
Penalties. Fines assessed for traffic and parking violations are indicated on the citation. All payments should be made at Rhodes Express or via US Mail with the envelope provided.
Appeal of Citations. If students or employees of the college believe they have received a citation in error, they may ask for an appeal of the charges through the Traffic Appeals Board. This board is made up of representatives from the faculty, staff and student populations.

To file an appeal, the student or employee must do so within (10) calendar days of the offense. Otherwise the right to appeal is forfeited.

Appeals should be filed on-line. Please go to the Campus Safety Tab on the Rhodes Web Site and click on the Parking Section in the shaded upper left corner titled “This Section”. From here, click on “Parking Citation Appeal” (listed under the Parking dropdown) and proceed with your appeal.

An appeal may be hand written on an Appeal Form. All of the pertinent details such as the citation number, time and date issued, location, name and R number of the citation recipient must be included. While acceptable, the written appeal is not the preferred method of placing your appeal. Please try to log your parking citation appeals on-line.

Appeals are heard several times each semester and outcomes are emailed.