This policy is established by Ringling College of Art and Design in compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 and applies to all students at the college.
For the purposes of this policy a student may be considered to be a “missing person” if the person’s absence from campus is contrary to their usual pattern of behavior and unusual circumstances may have caused the absence. Such circumstances could include, but not be limited to, a report or suspicion that the person may be a victim of foul play, has expressed suicidal thoughts, is drug dependent, is in a life threatening situation, has been with persons who may endanger the student’s welfare or is overdue to return to campus and is unheard from after giving a specific return time to friends or family.
Designation Of Emergency Contact Information
- During the college’s registration process, all students are asked to designate an individual for emergency contact purposes. That designation will remain in effect until changed or revoked by the student.
- Students under the age of 18:
If a student under the age of 18 is determined to be missing, the college is required to notify a custodial parent or guardian no more than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing. The Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, in consultation with the Director of Public Safety, will determine if a student is to be considered missing based on the reasonable provision of concerning information and evidence. - All Students:
If a student is determined to be missing, the College will notify the appropriate law enforcement agency no later than 24 hours after the determination has been made by the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students.
Missing Student Procedure
- Any individual on campus who has information that a student may be a missing person must notify the Office of Public Safety and / or the Office of Student Life immediately.
- The Office of Public Safety, with the assistance of the Office of Student Life, will gather all essential information about the students from the reporting person, from the student’s acquaintances and from official College information sources. Such information will include description, cellular phone number, clothes last worn, where the student might be, who the student might be with, vehicle description, information about the physical and emotional well being of the student, an up to date photograph, a class schedule, etc..
- Appropriate Office of Student Life staff and other personnel across campus will be notified to aid in the search and location of the student. Contact with the student will be attempted using text messaging, cellular phone calls, Facebook and e- mail.
- If search efforts are unsuccessful in locating the student in a reasonable amount of time as determined by the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students in consultation with the Director of Public Safety OR it is apparent immediately that the student is a missing person (e.g. witnessed abduction), OR it has been determined that the student has been missing formore than 24 hours, the Office of Public Safety will contact the appropriate law enforcement agency to report the student as a missing person. Law enforcement will take charge of the investigation with assistance from College officials.
- No later than 24 hours after determining that a student is missing, the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students or an Associate Dean of Students will notify the emergency contact previously identified by the student (for students 18 and over) or the custodial parent / guardian (for students under the age of 18) and advise that the student is believed to be missing.
Communications About Missing Students
- In accordance with established College emergency guidelines procedures, the Campus Media and Community Relations designee will be part of the College administrative response team and is the designated spokesperson to handle media inquiries concerning a missing student.
- The local law enforcement agency in charge of the investigation and the city public information officer (PIO) will be consulted by the Campus Media and Community Relations designee prior to any information release from the College so as not to jeopardize any investigation.
- Information provided to the media to elicit public assistance in the search for the missing person will be handled by the local law enforcement agency.