Missing Student Notification

Kutztown University Policy SAF-008

  1. Purpose

    In accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, this policy will establish a protocol for notifying the designated emergency contact for an enrolled student who resides in university owned or leased student housing and who is determined to be missing. 

  2. Scope

    This protocol applies to all enrolled students who reside in University owned/leased housing. 

  3. Keywords and Phrases

    Missing student:  A student shall be deemed missing when he or she is reported absent from the University for more than 24 hours without any known reason and is unreachable by personal contact, telephone, e-mail or other forms of electronic communication. Individuals may also be considered missing immediately if their absence has occurred under circumstances that are suspicious or cause concern for their safety. 

    Concerned party: An individual, who may be internal to the University, such as a fellow student, faculty or staff member or external, such as a friend or family member that has regular interaction with a student. 

    Missing student emergency contact: an individual identified by a resident student as the person to be contacted in case the student is determined to be missing by the Kutztown University Department of Public Safety and Police Services (PSPS). 

    Residential student: a student enrolled at Kutztown University who resides in University owned/leased housing. 

    Authorized campus official: a member of the Housing, Dining and Residential Services (hereinafter referred to as Housing) professional or paraprofessional staff, PSPS managers and supervisors; and the Dean or Associate Dean of Students. 

  4. Policy

    All reports received from a concerned party regarding students who are thought to be missing must be referred to the PSPS for an immediate investigation and determination whether the student is missing in accordance with this policy.  

    Housing will provide annual notice to all resident students regarding this policy. Students will be given an opportunity at the beginning of the fall semester to designate an individual to be contacted by the University if the student is determined to be missing. The designation will remain in effect until changed or revoked by the student. The form provided for designation will state the circumstances in which the designated emergency contact information will be used, and will include a statement that the University is required by law to also notify the student’s custodial parent or guardian if the student is under 18 at the time he or she is discovered to be missing. Students will be advised that their contact information will be registered confidentially, will be accessible only to authorized university officials, and will not be disclosed to any third party except to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of a missing person investigation 

  5. Procedure

    • Housing will collect Missing Student Emergency Contact Information Cards from all on-campus students during the move-in process at the beginning of the fall semester or at any time a student moves onto campus the first time during a given academic year.  

      Housing will store the Information Cards in a secure location(s) until such time that a residential student is determined to be missing by Kutztown University Police Department (KUPD) and instructed to contact the missing student emergency contact. 

      The KU Police Officer receiving a missing student report will collect and document the following information at the time of the report: 

      1. The name and relationship of the person making the report. 

      2. The date, time and location the missing student was last seen. 

      3. The general routine or habits of the suspected missing student (e.g.-visiting friends who live off-campus, working a job away from campus) including any recent changes in behavior or demeanor. 

      4. The missing student’s cell phone number (if known by the reporter).

    • Upon receipt of a missing student report, the KUPD will contact the Housing staff member on duty in order to update them on the situation. 

      Public Safety and others involved in a missing student investigation may use any or all of the following resources to assist in locating the student: 

      1. Go to the student’s residence hall room 

      2. Talk to the student’s Community Assistant, roommate, and floor mates to see if anyone can confirm the missing student’s whereabouts and/or confirm the date, time and location the student was last seen 

      3. Secure a current photo of the student 

      4. Call and/or text the student’s cell phone 

      5. Send the student an e-mail 

      6. Contact or call any other on-campus or off-campus friends or contacts that are made known.  

      7. Ascertain the student’s car make, model and license plate number. Public Safety may check college parking lots for the presence of the student’s vehicle. 

      8. Contact any other on-campus or off-campus friends or contacts that are made known 

      9. Review the student’s network print or email accounts to determine most recent activity 

      10. Check a student’s social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter 

    • If the KUPD, after investigation, determines that a residential student has been missing for 24 hours, the University will, within 24 hours after making such a determination: 

      • notify the missing student emergency contact through an Authorized Campus Official, and  

      • notify the local law enforcement agency (PA State Police). 

    • If the missing student is under 18 years of age and is not an emancipated individual, the University will notify the student’s custodial parent or legal guardian within the 24 hour period after the KUPD has determined that the student is missing. 

  6. Effective Date

    November 20, 2009 

  7. Endorsed By:

    Administrative Council, November 20, 2009 

  8. Last Review

    December 14, 2009 
    August 2010 
    August 2011 
    April 2013 
    February 2014 
    April 2014 
    September 2016 
    September, 2011 
    August, 2012 
    August, 2013
    June 2026 (renamed from STU-034)