Safety on college campuses is important, and luckily the Department of Public Safety (DPS) has tons of resources to help students feel more comfortable living on and around the Syracuse University campus. It’s extremely important to be well-informed on the services the University offers—it’s always good to be prepared!
Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) Classes
DPS is hosting self-defense courses for women during the entire month of February. The R.A.D. program operates on a national level, and courses held at the University will be taught by nationally certified instructors. Classes will be held every Sunday in February from 6-9 p.m. in the Skybarn on South Campus, and you can register by contacting Michael Patsos at 315.443.8778 or mpatsos@syr.edu. These courses are a great opportunity to learn about prevention, awareness and physical defense tactics, and will hopefully make you feel more comfortable walking around campus!
Orange Alert
Orange Alert is the University’s system for sending notifications to students in times of crisis. When an event occurs that threatens campus safety, students will receive a text, call and email with a short description of the event and further safety instructions. The University tests the Orange Alert system regularly, with an upcoming test scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9, at 12:25 p.m. If you wish to view or change your Orange Alert contact information, you can do so through the “Personal Profile” section on MySlice.
Orange Safe App
While many students have probably been told to download this app, most are probably unaware of all the great features they’d have access to with Orange Safe on their phones. One of these include On Campus BlueLight where, with a push of a button, a student can send their location to and call the DPS Emergency Communications Center. Additionally, students can utilize Safe Walk, which allows them to send their location to a friend who can then track them in real time. Those viewing someone’s location can also choose to call emergency services if needed. These are only two of the many helpful features on the app, and downloading it to your smartphone should make late-night walks home feel much less intimidating!
Safety Escort Shuttle
Parking and Transportation Services offers a safety escort shuttle for students who are unable to catch the Centro bus or the trolley. Shuttles can be requested through the Orange Safe app from 8 p.m.-6 a.m., which is extremely helpful if you ever find yourself stranded somewhere during the wee hours of the night! The only downside to this feature is that wait times for rides can be up to 90 minutes long; if possible, DPS recommends walking in groups of three or more in well-lit areas to avoid potential safety threats. It’s also important to note that the safety escort service is intended for safety, not for convenience.
Bicycle, Scooter and Skateboard Registration
Syracuse students are well aware that thefts can occur anywhere and anytime. If you want to rest easier with the knowledge that your modes of transportation are safe, register them with DPS. After the registration form is completed, an officer will assign a registration number to your vehicle, which will make it easier to track in the event it gets stolen.
Hopefully these resources will help you either prevent a potentially unsafe situation, or know what to do should you find yourself in one. Safety is arguably the most important aspect of living on a college campus, so practice protecting yourself and your peers. Stay safe out there!
Written By Madison Manczko ’24, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications