The Department of Campus Safety works in partnership with the campus community to protect and enhance a safe learning-centered environment, to provide quality service with an emphasis on integrity and professionalism, to promote individual responsibility and cooperative commitment.
The primary role of the Department of Campus Safety is to provide services to the student body and to campus employees that include patrolling the University’s grounds, residence halls, buildings and by providing vehicle registrations for all students. Additional services include assistance with vehicles, escorts for students and security-related educational programs. The Department of Campus Safety is required by the U.S. Department of Education, specifically by the Jeanne Clery Act, to maintain incident reports and daily logs for seven years. The Clery Act’s annual report, daily crime and fire log and annual crime and fire report are available for review on the SAU website or by request in the Campus Safety Office. Any incident considered to be a serious threat to the campus community will be immediately reported. Every student, faculty member, staff member, and visitor need to be aware that safety is everyone’s responsibility. Any crime, violation, suspicious person(s) or activity needs to be reported immediately.
It is the mission of our campus safety personnel to provide professional and courteous service in order to protect the safety of all members of the Spring Arbor University community, including students, faculty and staff. Campus Safety is located on Ogle Street across from the Library.
Student Identification Responsibility
It is the responsibility of ALL Spring Arbor University students to provide identification to any university official upon request. Thus, students are required to have their SAU student identification card in their possession at all times while on property owned, or controlled by SAU.
Safety Precautions
- Exterior doors of campus housing are always locked. Secured doors must not be propped open. An unsecured door jeopardizes the privacy and safety of residence areas. Remember to carry your I.D. card for building access.
- Do not walk alone at night from one building to another, back to a residence hall, or to off campus housing. If you work or study late, have a friend accompany you or contact campus safety at 517-750-6911 or ext. 1911 for an escort. Avoid shortcuts and dark, isolated places when walking or jogging at night.
- Exercise caution and courtesy as a pedestrian. Yield to oncoming traffic. Cross streets at designated crosswalks. Walk or jog against (facing) traffic. Assume that vehicle drivers do not see you. Wear bright clothing while walking or jogging along streets.
- Keep office, classroom or lab doors locked at all times when studying at night.
- Turn and walk in the opposite direction when you suspect you are being followed by a car. Note license plate number, if possible, and inform campus safety of the incident. Go into the nearest campus residence as quickly as possible.
- Have your keys and/or ID card out and ready to unlock the residence or car before you get to it.
- Have residence doors locked at all times and know who is at the door before answering it.
- Lock car doors upon entering or leaving the vehicle.
** At any sign of danger, call 911 immediately. **
Missing Person Policy
As mandated by the Higher Education Opportunity Act, Spring Arbor University is required to establish a missing student notification policy for students who reside in on-campus housing. All students who reside in on-campus housing have:
- The option to identify an individual that the school can contact no later than 24 hours after the time the student is determined missing according to the school’s official notification procedures.
- A way to register confidential contact information in the event the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours.
Only authorized school personnel and law enforcement officials will have access to this information. Moreover, in the event a person is determined to be missing, the university must:
- For student under 18 years of age, notify a custodial parent or guardian no later than 24 hours after the time the student is determined to be missing according to the institution’s official procedures
- Initiate the emergency contact procedures that the student designates if campus security or law enforcement personnel have been notified and have determined that the student has been missing for more than 24 hours and has not returned to campus.
Missing Person - Residence Halls and K-Houses
At the beginning of each semester, Resident Assistants will record emergency contact information for each of their residents in SAU’s housing information management system called “The Housing Director.” Throughout the year, including at the start of the spring semester, the RA staff will repeat this process for new residents.
Procedures for Determining if a Student is Missing:
Residence Halls/K-Houses
When a student is suspected to be missing, it must be reported to a member of the Residence Life Staff. Staff will record the reporting person’s name, relationship to the missing student, and contact information where the reporting person can be reached on the Missing Person Report. Resident Director (RD)/ Resident Assistant (RA). In the event that RD/RA cannot be reached, Residence Life Staff will inform the Dean of Students and the Director of Campus Safety about the missing person report.
The RD will refer to the Missing Student Checklist and contact the reporting student for further information. If the RD determines at any point that there is credible threat to the well-being of the student reported as missing, the RD should call the Director of Campus Safety and request law enforcement assistance.
In the meantime, the RD (or ResLife professional) should proceed to contact known friends and relationships of the student reported missing, beginning with roommates/suitemates. All direct and indirect methods of reaching the missing student should be exhausted and documented, and the missing student should be urged to make contact immediately. The purpose at this point is to determine if the student is truly missing or has simply failed to make the desired contact with the reporting person.
If the student is located or is determined not to be missing, the student should be advised to contact the reporting person. The RD may also contact the reporting person and relay that the student is not missing and has been asked to contact the reporting person. Complete the checklist and forward it to the Director of Campus Safety.
If pursuing known contacts has not yielded confirmation of the student’s whereabouts, the RD should contact the Dean of Students and Director of Campus Safety reporting all obtained information and follow verbal notification with a written incident report. The Dean of Students may then authorize the following measures to determine activity of student reported missing:
- Mailbox activity
- Class attendance
- Examination of room for signs of recent use or planned departure
“Christians have forgotten that the ministry of listening has been committed to them by him who is himself the great listener and his work they should share. We should listen with your ears of God, that we may speak the word of God.”
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
If the results of these activity measures suggest that the student is indeed missing and/or unaccounted for, the Dean of Students will immediately notify the Director of Campus Safety who will then request law enforcement investigation.
All information obtained about the missing student through Residence Life investigation should be shared with Campus Safety and law enforcement representatives. The Dean of Students or Campus Safety Director are responsible for notification of the missing student’s identified contact if the student has been determined to be missing. If the student is under 18 years of age, and not an emancipated individual, the custodial parent or guardian will immediately be contacted.
Permit and Parking Regulations
A valid permit is required to park on campus.
Display of Parking Permit
- Residents/Commuters: The sticker is to be placed on the driver’s side rear bumper. Only one permit can be displayed at a time. All past permits must be removed, or the current permit must be affixed over the old one.
- Visitors/Guests: Place a temporary permit on your driver side dash while visiting campus. These permits are available to the resident or department you are visiting. If you have any questions, please contact Campus Safety at 517-750-6911.
- Faculty/Staff: Must display a valid hang tag on the rearview mirror.
- Temporary permits: Temporary permits can be accessed through the portal by clicking on “SAU Parking” and selecting a temporary permit for your specific need. Place temporary permit on driver-side dashboard.
- Motorcycles: Valid SAU permit must be placed on the front windshield or left side of the gas tank.
Campus Parking Regulations
Parking and operating a motor vehicle on the SAU campus is a privilege, not a right.
- All vehicles on campus must be registered with the Campus Safety Department and must display a valid parking permit or temporary permit.
- Vehicle registrants and operators must comply with all regulations regarding registration, parking, and operation of vehicles as published in the Student Handbook, the campus safety App, and parking inserts.
- Parking is on a “first-come, first-served” basis. If you are a Junior or Senior and your designated lot is full, you can park in the General Student Parking lot or the overflow at the West side of the MAC.
- It is the responsibility of all SAU students, facility/staff, and visitors to park in the lined spaces in the appropriately designated lots. Vehicles found in violation of these policies may be ticketed or towed. Vehicle registrants are responsible for all fines and fees associated with policy enforcement.
- All students and employees are responsible for knowing the campus vehicle rules and regulations.
- Campus Safety reserves the right to revoke driving privileges of any SAU community member that is found in violation of the parking regulations. Charges and towing fees will be applied to the owner’s account.
- Anyone using a borrowed or stolen parking permit will be issued a fine of $100 and may be charged for theft of the permit.
- Campus Safety reserves the right to temporarily close any parking area and to secure the various parking lots for special events.
- There is no parking at any time in the Kresge Student Center circle drive.
- All loading/unloading parking is to be used for 15-30-minute temporary parking only (as indicated on the sign) and the vehicle’s flashers must be on.
- All non-resident lots are closed 2 - 7 am.
- Commuters may use the East Fieldhouse lot for parking overnight.
- Students and faculty/staff are responsible for any parking violations received by their visitor/guest.
- No parking on grass.
Driving Privileges are Subject to Revocation for the Following Reasons (including, but not limited to):
- Falsifying information when applying for parking and driving privileges.
- Falsifying or stealing a permit.
- Loaning a registered vehicle or permit to an ineligible person, or having a vehicle registered for an ineligible person.
- Reckless and irresponsible driving on campus property.
- Repeated violations of the parking policy.
- Parking an unregistered vehicle on campus for an extended period of time.
- Removal, attempted removal, or damage to a Campus Safety immobilization device (could also include an additional $100 fine).
Liability
SAU does not assume responsibility or liability from theft or damage to any motor vehicle or bike parked on university property. Vehicle owners are expected to carry their own insurance to cover losses.
Vehicle Registration
- Registration is required for ALL University students (residential and commuter) and personnel who plan to park on campus.
- All vehicles parked on campus must be registered. Resident students are only permitted to have one car on campus at a time. If a student gets a new vehicle during the year, their permit information must be updated immediately to prevent a parking violation.
- Students and faculty/staff are allowed up to 2 permits per year.
- Parking permits will be charged to student life accounts.
Registration Instructions
- Sign into MySAU. (https://mysau.arbor.edu)
- Click on the SAUParking Tab and follow the prompts.
- Agree to the Parking Regulations and Legal Liabilities Statement.
- Enter your vehicle information (license plate number, make/model, cell phone, and address).
- Print off the temporary parking permit and place on your dashboard until you receive your parking permit in the mail.
- You should receive your permit(s) in campus mail within 5-7 business days.
Registration/Parking Permit Charges
- First Vehicle: $50/Year
- Second Vehicle: $25/Year
- First Replacement: Free
- Second Replacement: $15
- 7-Day Temporary Pass: Free (only 2 per semester)
- Visitor Permit: Free (only 2 per semester for each visitor)
“Christian community should do as Jesus did: propose not impose . Its a t traction must lie in the radiance cast by the love of brothers .”
- Jean Vanier
Motorcycles
Motorcycles must park in regular parking spaces or in the hashed line areas that are not: fire lanes, handicap spaces, or wheelchair access sites. Motorcycles must not block any pedestrian walkways. Please contact us for designated parking zones.
Mechanical Problems
Vehicles parked illegally or overnight due to mechanical problems must be reported immediately to Campus Safety. If the issue is not reported, a violation may be issued.
Campus Safety, when available, can assist students with jump starts, unlocking vehicles, and tire inflation. The owner of the vehicle must be present during these services and show proof of ownership upon access to vehicle.
Ticketing and Appeals
- Ticket(s) must be paid within 10 days of the issued date. Ticket(s) not paid within 10 days will be charged to the Student Life account.
- All tickets not paid after 10 days are final and cannot appealed or voided out.
- Ticket appeal must be filled out online and submitted within 5 business days of the violation. After the 5-day period, no appeal will be considered.
- Make sure all information and ticket number is correct before submitting form. All appeals must be submitted online; no appeal will be heard verbally or through email.
- Failure to comply with the above guidelines will result in the automatic denial of your appeal request.
- All denied appeals must be paid within 10 days of the ticket’s issued date.
- If the appeal is approved, the ticket(s) will be voided out in the parking system and no further action is required.
- All appealed decisions are final.
Booting and Towing
Spring Arbor University reserves the right to immobilize, boot, or tow any unauthorized vehicle in violation of any parking policy at any time without notice. Towing is managed by Jimmies Towing Service of Jackson, Michigan. Vehicle owners are required to pay the towing company fee, often $125 or more, plus any storage fees. Booting is performed by SAU Campus Safety and the charge for removal is $50.
- After 3 tickets per semester, a warning is sent requesting a face-to-face meeting.
- After 5 tickets per semester, the student will be referred to Student Development for accountability action.
- Violation(s) after a vehicle has been booted will initiate towing and a review of the operator’s driving privileges.
A vehicle may be immobilized or towed for violation of the parking policies, including but not limited to, the following:
- Blocking a fire lane or fire hydrant
- Parking in or blocking a space reserved for individuals with disabilities without the proper plate or placard
- Parking in a manner that presents a danger to life or property
- Blocking a roadway, pedestrian walkway, or ramp for people with disabilities
- Parking on a pedestrian walkway or vehicle travel lane
- Excessive parking fines
- Failure to comply with registration requirements
- Repeated violations
- Noncompliance with parking lot closures or temporary restrictions
- Parking on a campus lawn
- Booted vehicles that have not been addressed and resolved by the vehicle’s operator within 3 days
To Release a Boot
Pay all outstanding fines and the boot removal fee of $50 at the business office during normal business hours and contact Campus Safety to show the receipt of payment. The boot will then be removed from your vehicle.
Paying Vehicle Registration Charges and Parking Fines
To view a detailed list of charges in these accounts please follow these steps:
- Log into your MySAU portal
- Click on the “Students” tab
- Scroll down to the “Finance” heading and click on “Make a Payment/Payment Plan”
- Under the “CashNet” link, there is an option that will allow you to view the balances in your student life charges account.
To make your payment using a credit/debit card or checking/savings account, please use the CashNet link located above the account details. If you would prefer to use cash, please head to the Business Office to make your payment. Cashier hours are from 8 am - 4 pm, Monday through Friday.
If you have any other questions regarding how to make payment, please contact the Business Office at 517-750-6420.
…So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Corinthians 12:25-27
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