Buckeye Alerts provide timely updates to keep campus community informed

The safety of the campus community is The Ohio State University’s top priority. Buckeye Alerts are one important tool to enhance the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors.

The alerts, issued by the Department of Public Safety, let community members know when it has been determined that they need to take immediate action to remain safe.

“Buckeye Alerts are one of many tools in our safety tool kit,” said Monica Moll, director of public safety. “They are a critical part of Ohio State’s commitment to the safety of students, faculty and staff.”

Buckeye Alerts are often sent via text message, but a combination of methods may be utilized to communicate during an emergency. Any current student, faculty or staff member with a registered cell phone number through the university’s registrar or human resource systems should automatically be enrolled to receive Buckeye Alert text messages.

Students, faculty and staff can also register up to two additional contacts to receive Buckeye Alerts and can find information on alerts at emergency.osu.edu. Information will also be posted on Emergency Management’s Twitter account @OSUEMFP and Facebook account.

Public Safety Notices

In addition to Buckeye Alerts, Public Safety Notices are issued by the Ohio State Police Division (OSUPD) in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act. These emails are sent to increase awareness about serious campus crimes where an ongoing threat to safety exists. OSUPD reviews the known details of each reported criminal incident on a case-by-case basis with the safety of the campus community in mind.

The following criteria are considered before issuing a Public Safety Notice:

• Did a crime occur?
• Did the crime occur on campus property or on other Clery reportable property?
• Is the crime a Clery reportable crime?
• Is there a serious or continuing threat to the campus community?

Neighborhood Safety Notices

The university also may issue Neighborhood Safety Notice emails for serious or violent crimes or crime patterns that occur off campus when they present a serious or continuing threat to students and employees.

Buckeye Alerts, safety notices, free student safety tools, the university-supported Rave Guardian app and the Lyft Ride Smart program are among the safety resources available. The university also announced the establishment of a task force to review safety issues on campus and in neighborhoods near the university – and to identify, implement and advocate for additional approaches that address violence, crime and high-risk activities and behaviors.