It is the philosophy of Cottey College that we would much rather prevent crimes from occurring than react to them after the fact. A primary vehicle for accomplishing this goal is providing education about personal and community safety to students and employees. The College emphasizes eliminating or minimizing criminal opportunities whenever possible and encouraging students and employees to be responsible for their security and that of others. The following is a listing of both primary prevention and education programs for new students and employees and ongoing prevention and awareness programs and efforts for students and employees at Cottey College:
- Escort Program - Campus security personnel provide an escort service, particularly during the hours of darkness, for those walking on campus. Call campus security at ext. 2222 from any campus phone or 417-448-1448.
- Fire and tornado drills are conducted during the first six weeks of each semester to orient students to building evacuation procedures and sheltering in basements or the lowest levels of buildings.
- The manager of campus safety, security, and Clery makes crime prevention and safety presentations and answers any questions students have in each residence hall early in each semester.
- Residence hall meetings - Hall staff conducts residence hall meetings at the beginning of the year and throughout the year. Students are oriented to the Campus Emergency Procedures, the fire and tornado alarm system, the keycard system, and the visitation sign-in procedures.
- Bystander Intervention Program - Resident assistants, peer listeners, and student-athletes receive training at the beginning of the year in bystander intervention techniques. Bystander intervention tips may be included in periodic issues of the Cottey Connection, on social media, and in hall stalls. Tips include safe and positive options for bystander intervention that may be carried out by an individual to prevent harm or intervene when there is a risk of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking against a person other than such individual.
- Peer Listeners and R.A.s are responsible for providing a program in their respective residence halls that promotes student wellness and healthy community living.
- Campaigns and presentations to promote substance abuse prevention are conducted through staff from the Student Wellness Center, PEP programming, and student wellness programming.
- Student wellness programming promotes educational sessions and campaigns including the use of social media and covers a variety of topics that promote safety and student wellness.
- Security cameras are located at the entrances to all campus buildings and in the parking lots.
- Information about sexual harassment and sexual assault is contained in the Student Handbook which is available online and is distributed annually to all students and employees by email. Title IX coordinators for students and employees are available to meet with students or employees who have questions about the policy or who wish to make an informal or formal complaint.
- The Campus Emergency Response Flip Chart is posted in each suite and across campus. Suite members are encouraged to review all emergency procedures.
Cottey students and employees are urged to practice personal safety habits both on- and off-campus which may reduce their risk of becoming a victim. Students should avoid walking in areas that are poorly lit and never walk alone at night. The College encourages students (especially suitemates) to look out for each other and to involve campus authorities when the safety of a student is of concern.
Larceny occurs on every campus and is one of the most preventable crimes. Students are encouraged to lock their doors when outside their suite. A personal inventory sheet is also available to list items of value, including a description and serial numbers, which are then kept by the hall director.
All students are urged to use campus lots for parking as a means of preventing vandalism and theft. Students are required to display a free parking permit. Cars should be locked and should not contain valuables.
Students should report any thefts or acts of vandalism. Theft and incident reports are available from hall staff. Students should also report more serious acts to the Nevada Police Department. All crime prevention and security awareness programs encourage students and employees to be responsible for their security and the security of others. Participants in these programs are asked to be alert, security-conscious, and involved and are advised to call campus security to report suspicious behavior. For additional questions regarding crime prevention, contact the department directly at 417-667-6333, ext. 2155 or ext. 2292 from any campus phone.