Autumn Safety Update

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

To: Members of the University Community
From: Eric M. Heath, Associate Vice President for Safety and Security
Subject: Autumn Safety Update

Date: September 28, 2022

With the Autumn Quarter underway, I would like to share some important tips as well as several new resources that the Department of Safety and Security (DSS) has implemented to help you stay safe this quarter and throughout the year. There are many steps you can take to enhance your safety and security both on and off campus, and I encourage you to visit the Department of Safety and Security website for regular updates and additional resources.

  • After-Hours Parking at Campus North (Ellis) Garage: Beginning this Autumn Quarter, members of the University community with an active UChicago ID can park free after hours at the Ellis Avenue parking facility. Current UChicago ID holders can use their ID cards to enter the Ellis Garage between 5 p.m. and 3 a.m., 7 days a week. Those who access the garage after hours without a parking permit will be required to exit the facility no later than 7 a.m. each day or be subject to daily parking fees. Ellis Garage permit holders will continue to have 24-hour access.

  • New Downtown Connector: At the start of Winter Quarter 2023, DSS will launch a downtown connector shuttle to provide free transportation between the Hyde Park campus, the Gleacher Center, downtown UChicago Medical Center clinics, and the Roosevelt Red Line CTA station. Information regarding the route, including a detailed route map and times of service will be provided later this Autumn Quarter. For the latest transportation information, visit transportation.uchicago.edu. You can also find information about current bus and shuttle availability on the TransLoc transit tracking app or the UChicago Safe app.

  • Expanded University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) Support Resources: Over the past several months, UCPD has increased its staff members who provide police patrol resources and enhanced support services for the community. This includes hiring and training a team of staff members dedicated to providing support services to victims and witnesses of serious crimes who report those crimes to the UCPD. The Victims and Witness Services Unit will work closely with University partners, such as Deans on Call, as well as city and county victim support services to ensure that all individuals who report serious crimes to UCPD are guided to resources and support services. To contact UCPD and/or a team member within the Victims and Witness Services Unit, please call UCPD at 773-702-8181.

  • Emergency Notification Test: DSS will perform a routine, scheduled cAlert system test on Friday, October 7 at 10 a.m. The University’s cAlert system is designed to provide rapid notifications and instructions to the campus community in the event of an emergency, via text message, voice calls, and email. We test the cAlert system regularly so that in the event of a real emergency, information reaches members of our community in a timely manner. On October 7, you will receive a message, clearly marked “test,” to your University email address and any preferred devices you have registered. I recommend visiting the cAlert website before this test to make sure your contact information and any preferred devices are up to date. There is no action required when you receive the test message.

  • Safety Webpage: I encourage you to visit the University’s safety webpage, which provides an overview of the robust safety resources available to members of the University community as well as tips for staying safe in the city, around campus, where you live, and while using transportation.

In addition to the resources listed above, below are important reminders about long-standing safety resources and emergency notifications at UChicago.

  • UChicago Safe Mobile App: An important resource for our community is the UChicago Safe mobile safety app. The app has numerous features, including public safety contact information and the ability to send your location in real-time to a friend. I encourage you to download it to your Android or iPhone today, and explore its various functions.

  • Security Alerts: Most crimes do not constitute a campus emergency necessitating the use of the cAlert system but may require a separate timely notification to the campus community. As required by the Clery Act, the University sends an all-campus security alert email should a crime occur on or immediately adjacent to campus that represents a continuing threat. For additional opt-in notifications on off-campus crime and for more information about security alert guidelines, visit the DSS website.

  • DSS Safety Ambassadors: DSS deploys a network of Campus and Community Safety Ambassadors throughout the UCPD’s patrol area. Safety Ambassadors are trained, uniformed security officers who are stationed at various locations throughout campus and patrol certain residential and business areas in the communities that UCPD serves. Some ambassadors are assigned to fixed posts while others patrol on foot, bicycle, and/or marked security vehicles with distinctive green lights. Safety Ambassadors act as safety points of contact, will contact police immediately to report a crime or when someone needs help, and can provide safety escorts to community members. Anyone can request a safety escort on or off-campus within UCPD’s patrol area by calling 773-702-8181. I encourage you to greet and become familiar with the safety ambassadors where you live or work; you can read about Safety Ambassador Maurice Grant on the Office of Civic Engagement website.

  • Residential Safety Assessments: For members of the University community and our neighbors who live off campus within the UCPD’s patrol area, UCPD offers free Residential Safety Assessments. Upon request, a trained member of UCPD will meet the owner/renter at their residence, conduct a comprehensive assessment of the residence, and provide a report with recommended security enhancements, if needed. Visit the DSS website for more information about this service and to request a residential safety assessment.

If you have any questions or concerns about campus safety, contact our team. I wish you a safe and productive year.

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