Campus Safety and Security Update

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

As we head into the long weekend and prepare for the end of the semester and finals week, we want to reassure you that we are continuously adjusting safety and security measures on campus to meet the needs of our community.

Currently, the university maintains parking garage security patrols Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and from 4-9 p.m. Beginning Sunday, Dec. 1, as students return to campus and prepare for final exams, there will be enhanced security in all campus parking garages 24/7 through the end of the semester. This will give us the opportunity to conduct a more detailed review of the situation before implementing permanent measures after that point. On the west campus, where the hospital maintains 24/7 operations, we recently expanded the security guard presence in the parking structures to cover all employee shifts.

We will also extend operating hours of outside security positions daily from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. for the remainder of the semester.  These posts serve as an extra set of eyes and ears for campus police.

Since January 2019, UIC Police has increased the number of student patrols. These are UIC students, supervised by a veteran police officer, who patrol the campus and provide walk-throughs of buildings, parking lots and other campus grounds. They also assist the police department by providing walking escorts daily from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

There are other ongoing safety and security resources available to students, faculty and staff as you travel on and around campus and we encourage you to take advantage of these services.

SafeWalk is a free walking escort service 24/7. Either student patrol members or police officers can escort you to your destination on campus, including your car. Please call 312-996-2830 to request assistance, if needed.

UIC Night Ride is a free, on-demand transportation service for employees and students that operates daily from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Any student, staff or faculty member can call 312-996-6800 between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. to schedule a ride or use their NetID and password to create an account and use the TransLoc Rider app to request shuttles and track them. A UIC I-card is required to access the vehicle. The service will pick-up/drop-off at any campus facility, including parking lots and structures, and travels within a designated service area that surrounds the campus.

The UIC SAFE mobile app, gives students and employees quick access to safety resources on campus from any iOS and Android device. The app was designed to complement ongoing efforts by the university to promote campus safety and emergency preparedness, both on and off campus. The app has many features, including:

• One-touch emergency call button: Contact UIC Police quickly for help in an emergency.
• Report a Tip/Chat with UIC Police Dispatch: Chat (text) with UIC Police dispatch in real-time to share information or discretely ask for assistance.
• Virtual friend walk and UIC Police Virtual Escort: Share your location with a friend or the UIC Police who can watch you walk to your destination in real-time.

There are more than 1500 Emergency Callboxes and “Blue Light” Poles stationed throughout the campus and parking lots that allow quick access to UIC Police emergency assistance.

The UIC Police offers free Self-Defense for Women Workshops focused on violence prevention, rape defense and personal safety-awareness instruction.

The UIC Police Safe Exchange Zone provides the university community with a space to conduct the exchange of their online transactions in a safe, neutral environment that is comfortable, well-lit and under video surveillance, 24/7.

Again, we would like to reassure everyone that campus safety and security is the foremost priority. I encourage you to take a moment and familiarize yourself with these resources and please notify the UIC Police about any security concerns.

Sincerely,

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services