Spring semester safety update for faculty and staff

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As we begin the new semester, I am writing to ask that you partner with us to help spread the word about the many campus safety and security resources currently available to you and our students. We also encourage you to use these resources, remain vigilant and to always be aware of what is happening around you, stay informed, and actively report suspicious activity.

As a 24/7 police department, the UIC Police works continuously with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to keep the campus community safe.  In addition to the great work of the police, as a campus community we have a shared responsibility to partner with them if we see or hear anything that raises alarm.

We want to provide you with an update on our enhanced safety and security measures on campus and seek your input on future improvements. I hope you will try one or more of our many free safety resources available and provide feedback to help improve our services.

Parking Garages and Outdoor Security

• We will continue 24/7 parking garage security patrols and extended operating hours of the outside security positions daily from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Lighting Surveys

• Campus community members are invited to join our student patrol when they conduct campus lighting surveys the first and third Sunday of every month. Please contact Sergeant Michael Mesce at mmesce2@uic.edu if you are interested in joining along.

UIC SAFE app

• During the Fall semester, the campus launched an important new safety tool — the UIC SAFE mobile app. The app is available for any iOS and Android device and was designed to complement ongoing efforts by the university to promote campus safety and emergency preparedness. We encourage you to download the app and take advantage of valuable safety features.
• Encourage students to download the UIC SAFE app and utilize it and our other safety services.
• Next month we will be releasing a user experience update to the UIC SAFE app with additional safety resources, how-to videos and performance improvements for an even better experience.

UIC Night Ride

• 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 use their NetID and password to create an account and use the TransLoc Rider app to request shuttles that travel in designated service areas surrounding the campus. You can also call 312-996-6800 between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. to schedule a ride.
• The average expected wait time is less than 8 minutes and we collect real-time feedback to continuously improve operations.

UIC Safe Walk

• Safe Walk is a free walking escort service 24/7. A member of student patrol or a police officer will be dispatched to escort you to your campus destination. To schedule a walking safety escort, call 312-996-2830. The average expected wait time is less than 15 minutes.

To provide feedback on campus safety and security issues, email SafetyTip@uic.edu. Expect more safety updates and resource improvements in the weeks and months ahead.

Sincerely,

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services