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Safety on campus is a concern for everyone: parents, students, and university officials. PaperClip Communications, Inc. has provided several suggestions for parents to help you become an active participation in campus safety. The items included below are some topics that you and your student should discuss during the fall semester.

Don’t Prop Open Outside Doors:
Averett University residence halls are locked each evening at dark. Residents of the building are able to access the building using their student ID. In addition, each individual apartment in the Averett Commons is equipped with a lock and card reader, restricting access to only University officials and those students living in the apartment. Students should be encouraged to not leave exterior doors in the residence halls and apartments propped open. While we encourage the development of community on campus, propping doors open can lead to non-students sneaking in. In addition, students should be cautious of allowing individuals to "tailgate" as they enter buildings. Averett is a small community and those that are not part of the community are often times easily recognizable. When accessing a building after hours, students should not allow other individuals to follow them in once they have unlocked the door.

Be Cautious…
Even if it Seems Extreme: Students should err on the side of caution. IF someone looks suspicious or out of place, report it to campus security, another University official, or the live-in residence hall staff members. Don’t just shrug it off – it's better to be safe than sorry.

Keep Rooms Locked:
Students often leave to doors to their rooms propped open and roam the halls. In addition, students will often leave their door open while attending class so they do not have to carry keys with them. This is not a good idea. Even if they are just going down the hall to visit friends, room doors should always be locked to ensure the safety of personal items inside.

Walk in Groups:
Especially after Dark: While Averett University is located in a very safe area of Danville and we rarely experience safety problems on campus, we have all seen that problems can occur on any campus. The old cliché holds true – safety in numbers. Encourage your student to travel in groups around campus after dark. While our campus is well lit, traveling in groups can offer a sense of safety to students. Encourage students to have conversations with neighbors in the residence halls. There are always students willing to travel with them in the evenings, whether it be to go to a computer lab to work on homework, or to bring in a recent purchase from Wal-Mart. If students are unable to find companions in the evening, they can contact campus security for an escort.

Get to Know Campus Security and Building Staff:
As previously stated, Averett University is a small campus and within a few short weeks students will instantly recognize most faces. Students should get to know campus security and the residence life staff living on campus. These individuals are often a great resource.

Emergency Notification System:
Averett University has partnered with E2Campus to create our emergency alert system. This system allows students, parents, faculty and staff to receive campus-wide alerts on their e-mail or through text messaging on their cell phones. To sign up, visit http://www.averett.edu/safety/index.html.

Campus Contacts

Campus Security – 791-5888 – Campus security should be contacted in case of after hours emergencies. In non-emergency situations, or during normal business hours, we recommend that you contact the Office of Residence Life or the Dean of Students Office.

Dean of Students Office – 791-5620 – The Dean of Students Office can assist parents and students in a variety of ways. If you have concerns about the transition to college or if you are unsure of where to begin your search for answers, the Dean of Students Office can point you in the right direction.

Financial Aid – 791-5890 – If you have questions about loans, grants, scholarships, or other matters concerning the funding for college, contact this office.

Residence Life – 791-5622 – If you have questions about housing, meal plans, or are trying to contact a resident student, this is the best place to start.

Student Accounts – 791-5610 – Contact student accounts if you have questions regarding billing.