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Policies and Procedures

Administrative Policies

19-1 Missing Student Notifications

  1. Purpose
    1. This policy, with its accompanying procedures, establishes a framework for cooperation among members of the Wayne State University community aimed at locating and assisting students who reside in campus housing and are reported missing.
    2. This policy formalizes as a University Policy the Office of Housing Residential Life policy on Missing Student Notifications that was adopted on September 1, 2010, pursuant to the compliance obligations of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), 20 USC ⤠1092 (j).
  2. Campus Housing Defined
    1. Campus housing is defined as the residence halls and apartments that are located within the University campus and owned and operated by Wayne State University.‚ ‚  They are: The Anthony Wayne Drive Apartments, Chatsworth Apartments, Leon H. Atchison Hall, The Thompson, Towers Residential Suites, University Towers Apartments and Yousif B. Ghafari Hall.
  3. Definition of Missing
    1. A student who resides in campus housing will be deemed missing when they are reported absent from the campus housing for more than 24 hours without any known reason.
    2. All reports of missing students shall be directed to the Wayne State University Police Department (WSUPD), which shall investigate each report and make a determination whether the student is missing in accordance with this policy.
  4. Confidential Contact Designation
    1. All students shall have the opportunity, through the Office of Housing & Residential Life, to confidentially designate an individual to be contacted in the event the student is determined missing. This confidential contact is deemed non-directory information under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
    2. A Missing Student Confidential Contact Information Form shall be made available to students through the Office of Housing & Residential Life and through the Dean of Students Office.
    3. Only authorized campus officials and law enforcement officers may have access to the confidential contact information in furtherance of the missing person investigation.
  5. Notification Procedures
    1. Any report of a missing student, from whatever source, should immediately be directed to WSUPD.
    2. When a student is reported missing, the WSUPD shall:
      1. Notify the Dean of Students and the Director of Residential Life (if the Director was not the reporting party);
      2. Notify the President, the Provost, the Executive Vice President, the Vice President & General Counsel, the Associate Vice President for Student Auxiliary Services and Chief Housing Officer, and the Registrar;
      3. Conduct a thorough investigation to determine the validity of the missing student report.
    3. If it is determined that the student is not missing, the student will be asked to make contact with the person who reported the student missing.
    4. If it is determined that the student is missing, WSUPD shall:
      1. Notify the individual identified by the missing student as the confidential contact, within 24 hours of making the determination that the student is missing.
      2. If the missing student is under the age of 18, and not an emancipated individual, notify the student's custodial parent or guardian as contained in the records of the University, within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing.
      3. Notify the local police department where the student was last reported seen (if other than on campus) not later than 24 hours after the determination that the student is missing.
  6. Student Notification of This Policy:
    1. The Dean of Students and the Director of Residence Life shall both have the responsibility for making this Policy known to and available to students.
    2. Notification to students shall be as follows:
      1. This Policy shall be posted on the Dean of Students website.
      2. This Policy shall be posted on the Office of Housing & Residential Life website.
      3. This Policy shall be discussed at all mandatory and beginning semester residential hall meetings.
      4. This Policy shall be sent by university email, through the Director of Residential Life, to all students residing in on campus housing, at the ‚ beginning of each academic semester.
      5. Notification of this policy shall be included in the Office of Housing & Residential Life Community Living Guide.
  7. Chief of Police Discretion
    1. Nothing is this policy shall prevent the WSUPD Chief of Police from exercising discretion to initiate an investigation where a student is reported missing but does not reside in campus housing.
  8. Compliance Notification
    1. Notification of this policy shall be included in the University's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, to the extent required by law.
  9. Duration
    1. This University Policy is revocable by the President at any time and without notice.
  10. Effective Date
    1. This University Policy is effective upon issuance.

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Signed by President M. Roy Wilson‚  October 25, 2019

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