Notification of and Responding to Missing Students

Notification of Missing Students

If a member of the college community has reason to believe that a student who resides in on-campus housing is missing, he or she should immediately notify the SLC Security Department at (914) 395-2209. The security department will generate a missing person report and initiate an investigation. After investigating the missing person report, should SLC Security determine that the student is missing then they will notify the Yonkers Police Department no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing. Once it is determined that the student has been missing for a period of more than 24 hours, the SLC security dept will also notify the student’s emergency contact no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing. If the missing student is under the age of 18 and is not an emancipated individual, SLC Security will notify the student’s parent or legal guardian immediately after the SLC Security Dept. has determined that the student has been missing for more than 24 hours.

In addition to registering an emergency contact, students residing in on-campus housing have the option to identify a confidential contact to be contacted by SLC Security in the event the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours. If a student has identified such an individual, SLC Security will notify that individual no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing. A student who wishes to identify a confidential contact can do so by coming to the office of Operations & Facilities and filling out a missing student contact form. A student’s confidential contact information will be accessible only by authorized campus officials and law enforcement officers in furtherance of a missing person investigation. Not later than 24 hours after determining a student is missing, the SLC Security Department will notify the following college officials:

• President
• Dean of Studies and Student Life
• VP of Finance & Operations
• Dean of Student Affairs
• VP of Communications
• VP of Legal Affairs

Guidelines for Responding to Missing Students

The following guidelines shall be activated whenever practical when the college is notified that a student is missing:

Within the first two hours of receiving the initial report:

• College Security personnel will:
  • Conduct a thorough search of the campus for the student
  • Interview the student’s friends, roommates
  • Search for the student’s vehicle on campus
  • Search for the student in his/her classes
  • If possible, call the student’s cell phone
• Student Affairs personnel will:
  • Contact the college’s resident and graduate advisers
  • Contact fellow club and committee members
  • Determine whether the student returned to their home residence.
• Dean of Studies personnel will:
  • Contact the student’s professors
  • Contact the student’s Don (adviser)
  • Check the student’s class schedule
• Operations and Facilities personnel will:
  • Check to see when the student’s meal card was last used
  • Check to see if the student has a college registered vehicle
  • Send an email to the student
  • Check the door access log to see when the student last entered campus buildings

No later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing: unless extenuating circumstances exist, the College’s Public Safety Director or his designee will contact the Yonkers Police Department and provide them with the name and description of the missing student. The police will then respond to the campus.

Once it is determined that the student has been missing for a period of more than 24 hours, the SLC security dept will also notify the student’s emergency contact no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing. If the missing student is under the age of 18 and is not an emancipated individual, SLC Security will notify the student’s parent or legal guardian immediately after the SLC Security Dept. has determined that the student has been missing for more than 24 hours. If a student has identified a confidential contact, SLC Security will notify that individual no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing.

Seventy-two hours after receiving the initial report and the student is not located:

The Director of Public Safety and Security will notify the VP of Communications to contact the media. At this time, unless extenuating circumstances exist, the college ‘s VP of Communication or his designee will contact the local news media (Gannett Westchester) and provide them with the name and description of the student. If the Yonkers Police determine that publicity would jeopardize the investigation and/or safety of the student, the local news media will not be notified.