Missing Person Notification Policy for Residential Students
Berea College has established a policy and procedures for responding to reports of missing students, as required under the Higher Education Act of 2008. This policy applies to students who reside on campus and are deemed to be missing from the College for more than 24 hours without known reason.
Reports on students suspected to be missing should be directed to the Public Safety Office, which will conduct an investigation in cooperation with the Student Life Administrative Office. All resident students shall be given an opportunity to identify an individual to be contacted by the College in case the student is determined to be missing. Contact designations registered under this policy will be confidential. If a student is determined to be missing, Berea College will notify the designated contact person within 24 hours of such determination. If the student is under 18 years of age, the College is required to also notify the parent or guardian. Public Safety will also notify the Berea Police Department.
Missing Person Reporting Procedures
- Reports of missing persons should be directed to the Public Safety Office.
- Public Safety, working with the Associate Vice President for Student Life, and/or the Associate Dean of Student Life, will investigate the report.
- If the student is deemed missing, the Associate VP for Student Life and/or the Associate Dean of Student Life, will make every reasonable effort to notify the student’s designated missing person contact within 24 hours. If the student is under the age of 18, the student’s parent or guardian must also be notified.
- If the student is deemed missing, the Director of Public Safety will notify the Berea City Police within 24 hours.
- The Associate VP for Student Life, and/or the Associate Dean of Student Life, will also notify appropriate college officials and initiate any additional actions deemed in the best interest of the student.
Procedures for Designation of Missing Person Emergency Contact Information
All residential first-year students will be given the opportunity to designate confidential contact information as part of a required on-line orientation process. Thereafter, the student will be responsible for updating contact information as needed. All current and continuing students will be given the opportunity to provide and update confidential contact information within the first two weeks of every fall term.
Effective Date: July 1, 2010
Revision Date: July 1, 2010
Approved by: Vice President for Student Life
Submitted by: Carla Roberts