Student Guide

Safety and Security

The Houghton College Safety and Security Office is located on the first floor of the Campus Center.  An officer is on duty 24 hours daily and can be reached by dialing 567-9333.  Office hours are 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday on class days.

Safety and Security Mission Statement

The Department of Safety and Security will serve our college community by promoting:

·         Our mutual responsibility for campus safety

·         Protection of campus property

·         Program to prevent crime

·         Enforcement of college policies and the law

Campus Law Enforcement

The Safety and Security personnel of Houghton College are uniformed officers, employed by the college to protect Houghton College personnel and property. These officers have the authority to require identification, issue parking citations, and sign complaints with local and state police on behalf of Houghton College.   They are on duty twenty-four hours a day every day of the year.  

Campus Crime

The campus of Houghton College continues to be one of the safest places to attend college.  For over ten years we have had no violent crimes and only an occasional theft or underage drinking issue to report.  The Advisory committee on campus safety (CHPP) will provide upon request all campus crime statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education.  These statistics can be viewed and compared with other campuses by visiting the following web site:  www.ope.ed.gov/security/index.asp

Houghton College reports crime statistics to the federal registry annually.  The caliber of students at Houghton College is reflected by the absence of violent crimes such as rape and assault.  Even minor crimes such as petty theft are very uncommon.  The Houghton College Committee on Harassment Policy and Prevention (CHPP) serves in an advisory role for campus safety and will provide, upon request, all campus crime statistics as reported to the United States Department of Education.  This list is also available through the Safety & Security office and can be requested by contacting the Director at 585-567-9543.

Flag Protocol

Recognizing the blessing of living in this great nation where we are free to worship God, the college will fly a United States flag at all times on the main flag pole by the entrance to campus.  This flag will be lighted at all times and replaced promptly when it appears tattered or worn.

In addition to times of national mourning, the flag will be flown at half-staff to mourn the death of a current student or employee.  It will remain at half-staff until the funeral or on-campus memorial service. The flag will not remain at half-staff for more than one week.  By order of the president, the flag may be flown at half-staff to mourn others with close ties to the college.

Parking/Vehicle Registration

Student owned or operated vehicles must be registered at the Safety and Security Office as soon as they are brought to campus.  A parking policy established by the Student Government Association and the Student Life Council is in effect.  This policy is provided upon request or upon registering a vehicle.  Vehicles without proper registration are subject to fines.  Repeat offenders may have their vehicle immobilized or towed at the owner’s expense.  All freshman and sophomore residents are required to park in the Fire Hall parking lot on Route 19.  Juniors and seniors may explore further parking options by inquiring at the Safety and Security Office. 

Regular permit fees vary in price from $25-$150 per year.  Permits are available on a per semester basis at a slightly higher per year cost.  Temporary permits for the Fire Hall lot will be issued free for the first week and $10 per week thereafter.  These fees help defray the cost of parking lot maintenance.   

The college does not assume liability for vehicles on college property, regardless of cause (including vandalism and parking lot conditions). 

Firearms, Weapons, and Fireworks

The following items are considered weapons that must be stored in the Safety & Security Office and checked out for appropriate use:

·          Any weapon powered by pump action, including any BB gun

·          Any weapon powered by compressed air or CO2 cartridge including all paint ball guns

·          Any firearm, including black powder weapons

·          Any blowgun or similar weapon

·          Any type bow (archery)

·          Any Martial Arts weapon (i.e. nun-chuks, throwing stars, throwing knives, etc.)

·          Any knife with a blade six (6) inches long or longer

·          Any knife with a double-edged blade

 Fireworks are not allowed on campus unless approved for a particular event.  Students may not possess fireworks of any kind.

Illegal Activity

Policy for Reporting Criminal Actions or Other Emergencies:

Each student and employee of Houghton College is expected to promptly report any criminal actions or other emergencies to the appropriate authorities. The Campus Safety and Security Office, Houghton Volunteer Fire Department and Houghton College Maintenance Department, as appropriate, will take immediate action to respond.

Residence hall directors or assistants act as the point of contact for all emergencies occurring within their residence hall. Appropriate authorities will act immediately on any report of criminal action or other emergencies; will investigate, categorize, and report on each instance; and will involve outside police agencies as appropriate.  

Skateboarding and In-line Skating 

Houghton College takes the position that sidewalks are intended for pedestrians, to include foot traffic, wheelchairs, and other items used by the disabled to facilitate their mobility.  All other use is secondary and must yield immediately to pedestrian use. 

While it is permissible to use alternate, non-motorized forms of transportation (such as scooters, bicycles, inline skates, and skateboards), the following expectations must be observed:
You must yield to and get out of the way of pedestrians (including getting off the sidewalk if a group is walking your direction).
When there is heavy pedestrian traffic, no other use of the sidewalks is permissible.
Under no circumstances is it acceptable to practice stunts or tricks on sidewalks.  Houghton College will occasionally allow trick riding in limited areas such as parking lots, but this is not a guarantee, nor should it be expected.
No alternate forms of transportation are ever acceptable inside college buildings. 

Failure to abide by these expectations may result in disciplinary proceedings through the Student Life Office.

Missing Person Procedures

A Houghton College student will be considered "missing" under the following conditions: 
He or she has not been seen or heard from for a period of twenty-four hours at a time when one would reasonably expect him/her to be present or at least to have been in contact with others. 
Someone searching for another individual fails to locate that person following a preliminary search (phone calls, checking with friends, etc.) and there is good reason to believe his/her disappearance is unusual.
Other circumstances which warrant concern:  If, for example, a student calls late at night and says she/he is in a certain building and is leaving to go directly to her/his residence and fails to appear in a reasonable amount of time, such a situation would warrant an immediate action.

Before officially declaring a student as missing, the officer on duty will conduct and/or oversee a preliminary search of areas where the person might reasonably be expected to be found.

Upon determining that a student is missing, the following people will be notified in this order:  (In the event it is impossible to reach someone on this list, the next person(s) will be notified.)  The family of a missing student is certainly the most critical notification on this list.  It is imperative that they be notified in a timely fashion.  It is also imperative that we have accurate information and not notify them prematurely in an effort to avoid undue stress.
-  Director of Safety and Security, Vice President for Student Life, and/or President and Vice President(s) as determined by the Director of Safety and Security.  Security will consult to determine further action(s).  After consultation with the Director of Security and the Vice President for Student Life, the designated person will contact the family to involve them in the process of locating their son or daughter. New York State Police, Allegany County Sheriff’s Department and other police agencies as appropriate (e.g. the hometown police department of the student) will also be contacted as deemed appropriate.
-  Media Specialist.  In most cases the local media will be contacted by the media specialist as determined appropriate, but it is the responsibility of the officer on duty to be certain this is done.
The officer on duty will complete a full report detailing actions taken and final disposition at the end of their shift.

Keys

Keys are issued from the Safety and Security Office based on student employment or responsibilities for class or study.  Approval from a staff or faculty member in charge is required, along with a signed contract explaining the responsibility assumed.  Charges for loss of any of these keys typically range from $20 to $150 (master keys may be charged a higher rate) as per the contract.

Internet Issues

When internet surfing and using any form of instant message, it is imperative that caution is used.   

Do not give personal information (name, college, phone number, address, home phone or town). 

Building Hours

Pertinent building hours follow:
Campus Center is open 5:30 a.m. until 3:00 a.m.  Sunday – Thursday and 24 hours Friday and Saturday. 
Academic buildings (Science, Chamberlain Center, Music, Stevens Art Studio, and Physical Education Center) are open 7:00 a.m. till midnight Monday through Saturday.
Stevens Art Studio, the Center for Fine Arts, and the Physical Education Center also have limited Sunday hours.
The above hours are maintained when the college is in session.  During breaks, these facilities will have limited hours if they are open at all.

Securing Personal Belongings

Students are encouraged to keep valuables on their person or locked away at all times.  Over 90% of thefts at Houghton are the result of valuables being left unattended.  To minimize the risk of theft, keep residence hall rooms locked when unoccupied. 

Students are strongly encouraged to check their parents’ homeowner’s insurance policy to confirm that their belongings are covered at college.  This is usually a relatively inexpensive rider.   College insurance covers only college property. 

Writing of Bad Checks

The passing of bad checks will result in disciplinary action from the college.  This may also result in legal action against the student by the offended person or business.