Campus Safety
The CMU Police Department includes sworn police officers, security officers, dispatchers, transportation drivers, and business administrators. The department operates 24 hours a day and provides campus patrols on foot, by car and bicycle, and other services to ensure the safety and well-being of persons and property in the university community.
Carnegie Mellon's annual Campus Security Report includes the statistics for the previous three years.
We are always focused on protecting our students and their personal possessions. The following are a few suggestions from the Carnegie Mellon Police Department:
- Report all crimes, personal injuries, and accidents immediately to University Police at 412-268-2323. University Police also provides emergency first aid assistance.
- Report persons who you may believe are unauthorized on campus, such as individuals observed going from room to room, asking for fictitious persons, etc. Call University Police immediately so officers can be sent to identify these persons.
- Report losses as soon as possible, even if you feel the possibility of recovery is remote. University Police cannot investigate what is not reported, and more importantly, incidents which are ignored increase the possibility of recurrence by encouraging a "thief" to return. University Police generally do not take reports concerning losses or thefts more than 72 hours after the crime has occurred, if the crime occurs off campus or out of the country when a victim is on official university business or travel, or purely "for insurance purposes" to aid in filing a claim with an insurance company.
- Report losses of keys immediately. Many reported thefts indicate no forced entry and a locked door condition at the time of occurrence.
- Report conditions you believe may be a fire or safety hazard (e.g., improper storage of flammable material, poorly lit areas, unsafe walkways, blocked stairwells, lack of fire extinguishers, water leaks, faulty electrical outlets, lights out or malfunctioning, etc.)
Emergencies
The parent or guardian will be contacted as soon as possible in the event of an emergency related to a Pre-College student.
If for any reason students are unreachable by cell phone, parents may contact the Pre-College Programs 24/7 Help Line at 412-552-3118. This number is only monitored while Pre-College Programs are in session.
Emergency Medical Procedures
In the event of illness or injury that occurs during regular business hours, students can contact or visit Carnegie Mellon University Health Services. Please refer to the website for open hours.
If a medical problem occurs when University Health Services is closed, students should call the University Health Services on-call service. For immediate medical attention, students can call CMU Police at 412-268-2323. If needed, students will be taken to one of the UPMC local emergency rooms or UPMC Urgent Care/MedExpress.
All accidents must be reported to Pre-College Programs Student Affairs. To make a report or for more information, contact 412-552-3118 or email pclife@andrew.cmu.edu.
Emergency Response
Carnegie Mellon University’s Emergency Operations Program, through the Environmental Health and Safety department, is designed to maximize human safety and preserve property, minimize danger, restore normal operations of the university, and assure responsive communication to all appropriate parties. This program is also intended to ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations and cooperation with relevant public bodies charged with disaster control.
Within this program are safety advisories for the general campus, the university’s formal Emergency Operations Plan, the emergency communication system, the locations of all emergency telephones and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), and information for Floor Marshals.
The Emergency Operations Plan may be activated in the event of local, regional, or national emergencies. It applies to all units of the university and provides the basic framework for critical incident preparedness.
Emergency Alert
All Pre-College students will be automatically registered in the CMU Alert system. Please be sure that the phone number entered in Student Information Online (SIO) is the cell phone number of the Pre-College student, not the parent/guardian. If the phone number is incorrect, please update it in SIO. Campus emergency alert messages will be sent to the phone number on file with instructions in the event of an emergency.
Losses
Students are responsible for their own personal property. Carnegie Mellon does not accept responsibility for the personal property of students or student groups. Students are strongly advised not to bring items of value to campus. Doors are to be kept locked at all times for the student's protection. Make it a practice to:
- Lock your rooms when you leave, even for a few minutes.
- Keep room keys/IDs on your person or securely stored.
- Take your purse, backpack, or wallet with you. Persons who commit acts of theft or burglary know where valuables are commonly stored. These items are not safe in a desk, drawer, or bookcase.
- Keep valuables with you or in constant view. Public places experience a high rate of theft (libraries, cafeterias, restrooms, unlocked school building/classrooms). It is recommended that you carry as little cash as necessary. It is also recommended that you bring a lock box to keep in your room to lock up any extra cash or valuables that you may bring.
- Keep expensive calculators and other items of value in a safe place when not in use. Never leave a purse, backpack, or laptop computer unattended for even a moment while going to a different classroom, using the restroom, copier, or vending machine.
- Carnegie Mellon does not accept responsibility for items left behind in residence halls at the end of the program.
- Walk in well-lit areas after dark. Try to always be in the company of others whenever possible. Take advantage of the Shuttle and Escort systems after dark.
- Do not take "shortcuts" by using side streets, parking lots, or other secluded areas. Use the most commonly traveled sidewalks and streets.
- Be aware of individuals approaching you and your surroundings. If something doesn't seem right, call CMU Police at 412-268-2323.