Campus Access

The mission of the Department is to provide a safe environment so that the University's mission of providing a quality education can be achieved. The Department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. In addition to providing all traditional police services, the Department provides fire/safety lectures to the campus community.

Authority and Arrest Powers

The Clark Atlanta University Department of Public Safety is a State recognized and certified police agency. Its Police Officers are sworn officers who have the same powers to arrest as any other officers in the State of Georgia. All state laws, city ordinances, and University policies are enforced. The officers' jurisdiction includes the campus plus 500 yards beyond any building owned by the University. The department, along with other AUC Police agencies, work hand-in-hand to ensure the health, welfare, morale and safety of the AUC citizens and visitors.

Persons arrested on the campus are transported by Public Safety to City of Atlanta Pretrial when deemed appropriate regarding a major traffic violation or Fulton County Jail when deemed appropriate for criminal violations.

All cases, which occur on the campus, are investigated by Public Safety personnel, in either Magistrate, State, or Superior Court. Violations of the Motor Vehicle Code are normally prosecuted in City Court.

Access to Facilities and Security

Clark Atlanta University is a private institution with an Open Campus

The Department of Public Safety secures each academic building on campus at designated times. After business hours, all visitors, faculty, staff and other persons are required to sign in at the police headquarters to gain access to facilities, excluding residence halls. Identification is required.

All buildings are equipped with emergency lighting, exterior security lighting, ground floor security screens, fire and smoke alarms, and panic-bar type doors. All residence halls have self-closing mechanism doors that should prevent unauthorized persons from entering the buildings. Those security measures are evaluated and maintained annually.

Head Residents (H.R.'s) are responsible for maintaining the standard of residential life within their perspective halls. Dorm rules are regulated by the H.R. Head Residents also reside in the residence halls which provides an opportunity for them to plan, coordinate, and implement safety measures with the Clark Atlanta Police such as:

1. Reporting strangers in their area

2. Controlling and monitoring access to the buildings

3. Advising safe off-campus practices

4. Coordinating walk through inspections

Each on-campus student residing in residential halls are required to share in the responsibility for the security of their building. These requirements are as follows:

1. Follow access control policies related to students and his/her     visitor(s).

2. Report lost access cards immediately to the Head Director and     Public Safety representatives.

3. No duplication of residential room keys.

Visitation is a privilege, not a right, and therefore may by suspended by the Office of Student Affairs. Residential hall visitation hours vary throughout the week. The normal periods for visitation in the residence halls are as follows:

Monday through Thursday: 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Friday: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Saturday: 12 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Sunday: 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Residence hall visitation hours are determined by the Office of Student Affairs. These hours are subject to change.

Building Access

All administrative and academic buildings are open during normal business hours (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) to those who need access. All nonresident buildings are locked down and/or opened by Public Safety personnel based upon the schedule of activity, with the exception of Harkness Hall, Science Research Center and Park Street Church. Harkness Hall, Science Research Center and Park Street Church access is controlled by an ADT Win-Pak card access system. The Department of Public Safety's Systems Administrator is responsible for data entry and card issue procedures for this system.

All residence hall access is controlled by an AT&T Optim 9000 card access system (Panther Paw card). The Panther Paw office is responsible for data entry and card issue procedures for this system. Residence hall rooms are accessed using a key system, which is controlled by the Office of Student Affairs and Residential Life. Residents are advised to keep their rooms locked at all times. For reasons of security, it is necessary for residents to carry their Panther Paw card and room key at all times. In the event residents are locked out of their rooms, it may be necessary for them to wait for a roommate, contact their Resident Director or contact Facilities to gain entry into their room.

Missing, lost, or stolen access cards and/or keys should be reported to the Head Resident immediately. Door locks may be changed and new keys issued for a fee determined by Facilities. Keys are not to be loaned or duplicated.

Access Control and Parking

Vehicles entering and exiting the main campus are monitored. Currently, vehicular access routes along public streets are not under strict control procedures. However, proactive patrolling is used to monitor vehicular access. All vehicles parked on University property must have either an:

1. Authorized parking permit, or

2. Vendor pass.

Vehicles not displaying one of the above documents are encouraged to park in the University parking deck. Campus parking regulations are strictly enforced. Enforcement includes warnings, traffic citations, booting and towing.