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Welcome
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Wesleyan's
variety of residential living areas and situations ranges from
traditional residence halls to small wood-frame houses. Residence
halls are equipped with security devices and with locking exterior
doors. These doors should never be propped open or tampered
with in any way, since they offer the first barrier to an
intruder. Corridor doors should also never be propped open
or tampered with in any way since they offer the first barrier to
smoke and flame in a fire emergency. Many room doors close
and lock automatically for your safety; those that do not should
be secured when you have entered or exited the room and should
remain locked at all times. It is never advisable to leave
your door unsecured or your keys in the lock. Many
individual room doors are equipped with peep holes, allowing the
resident to view a person prior to opening the door. Students
should lock windows in the units whenever they are sleeping or leaving
the rooms. Many lower windows are secured with "Charlie
Bars," which secure the window when closed, and/or locking
stops, which lock the window in a slightly open position and
prevent further opening from the outside. Several living
units have security screens, hinged to allow emergency exiting if
necessary. Several
buildings contiguous to campus are owned or managed by student organizations
recognized by the institution. The security at these buildings
is controlled exclusively by the organizations to which they
belong. The Office of Public Safety will respond if called
and will assist the Middletown Police in emergency
circumstances. The University encourages these locations to
establish appropriate security standards comparable to those in
University-owned housing. Public
Safety personnel help ensure that the lights throughout the campus
are in working order. Public Safety and Physical Plant make
regular tours of the grounds to ensure that shrubs or other
vegetation do not interfere with the security of the campus.
Public Safety personnel submit a daily report of the condition of his/her
sector and report any unsafe conditions and/or
mechanical problems, including inoperative lights, found in
routine patrol to Physical Plant for appropriate attention or
repair or elimination. The
University is in the process of installing a new high-security key
system throughout the campus and many of the residence halls now
use the high-security keys for access to the building and individual rooms. These keys are difficult to duplicate and
help to offer a more secure environment. Several residence
halls also have an electronic card access system. You
should think of "home" as your entire residential
unit--the common spaces, the immediate outside area, and, or
course, your room. If you see suspicious activity or
individuals in any of these areas, call Public Safety
immediately. Following are some additional safety tips:
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Lock
your door when you are sleeping or are away from your room, no
matter for how short a time.
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Keep
the exterior doors locked at all times and corridor doors
closed. A propped-open door offers no security or fire
protection.
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Keep
windows locked when you are sleeping, showering, or away from
your room.
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Report
any strangers seen loitering in or around your residence.
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If
you receive annoying, harassing, or obscene phone calls, call
Public Safety. The responding Officer will investigate
the incident and will advise you of your options.
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Avoid
leaving valuables in common rooms, coat rooms, or lounges.
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Make
a record of the serial number, model, brand name, and
description of all valuables; by law, stolen property cannot
be reclaimed unless it can be positively identified.
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Take
advantage of Public Safety's Operation Identification Program
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When
leaving your room for vacations, trips, or recess periods,
store valuables at off-campus locations or take them with you.
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Avoid
leaving notes on your door to let people know you are out.
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If
you live in a University house you should observe all of the
above and, in addition:
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Keep
all outside and basement doors locked at all times.
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Report
suspicious people or actions in your neighborhood to
Public Safety or the Middletown Police Department.
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Keep
lights on when you are away at night to give the house a
lived-in look.
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Turn
on outside lights if you control them.
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Take
valuables home with you or off campus during intersessions,
vacations, or at any time that the University isn't in
session and your house is empty.
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