A summary of emergency procedures is posted on the back of each apartment entry door. Contact your Apartment Manager if yours is missing, covered or damaged. Students are expected to comply and cooperate with directives from apartment, University and emergency personnel. Staff and officials must follow procedures and may need to make critical decisions in emergencies. If students, residents or guests hinder staff or emergency personnel in emergency situations (either by direct, indirect or lack of action), appropriate action will be taken by staff or emergency personnel.

NOTE: Dialing 9-1-1 on a phone will connect you to emergency services (fire, medical and police services). The City of Columbia also uses Smart911, a service that allows citizens (including students) to register their telephones (mobile and landlines) and provide important details (medical, etc.) for a profile that will be displayed to emergency personnel when a registered device calls 9-1-1. All students and residents, particularly those with medical or other concerns that would be relevant in case of emergency, are encouraged to create a profile and register their phone with Smart911.

If you would like to share information with Housing about how staff could best support you in an emergency, please contact the Apartment Manager.

Students are encouraged to register for MU Alert, the University mass notification system. This opt-in service allows for notification through multiple means, including cell phone, email address, text message, alphanumeric pager and numeric pager. This site offers numerous resources for emergency preparedness. The MU Alert site will be updated as information becomes available.

While Housing staff makes reasonable attempts to notify and direct students in emergencies, we cannot guarantee staff members will be in the apartment complex or available in every emergency situation. Students are responsible for knowing and following posted guidelines for emergency procedures, regardless of staff presence.

Contact your Apartment Manager if you have any questions.

For more information on campus emergencies, visit MU Alert.

In the event of a campus emergency, remain calm, and follow the instructions of University and emergency personnel. Contact the nearest MU staff member for information, instructions or assistance. Evacuate buildings immediately if requested by authorities, upon hearing an alarm or when you sense remaining inside may be dangerous.

In emergencies, do not use the MU telephone system except to report the emergency situation. Use your cell phone for texting family and friends to let them know where you are when possible, as University phone service may be down.

Do not use elevators.

Do not risk your life or the lives of others by re-entering a building to save personal or University property.

Do not cross police barriers without permission from University or emergency personnel.

Do not exceed your training or knowledge in attempting to provide first aid.

Get underneath a sturdy desk or table, kneel and protect your eyes by pressing your arm against your face. If there is no desk or table nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you.

When the earthquake is over, go to your community’s designated exterior assembly area.

In the event of a campus shooter or armed intruder, follow “Run Hide Fight” steps.

Protective Actions – If you see the individual, move quickly away from them, and call 9-1-1 when it is safe to do so to give a description and location to police.

• RUN: If you hear shots being fired and you can evacuate the area, DO SO QUICKLY. Inform others to do so.
• HIDE: If you cannot evacuate, shelter in place by concealing yourself in an office or room. Lock the doors, and barricade yourself in. Turn off the lights. Silence cell phones and other electronic devices. Wait for authorities to declare the scene safe.
• FIGHT: If an armed intruder enters your apartment, attack them with anything you can find. Throw objects at the face. Attack with total commitment and with maximum violence.

When police arrive, do exactly what they say. Always show your hands, and DO NOT brandish any weapons. Tell them what you know about the intruder, victims and locations.

MU Alert will be updated as information becomes available.

When an alarm sounds, all students and residents must immediately vacate the building via the evacuation route detailed on the sign on the apartment door.  

Residents who fail to vacate the building when an alarm sounds endanger the safety of themselves and others and could face conduct action.

As an institution covered by the Clery Act, the University must send timely warnings – crime notifications on Clery Act crimes occurring in its Clery geography that are reported to MUPD, Campus Security Authorities or local police agencies and considered by the University to represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees. The Timely Warning – Crime Notification requirement applies to all Clery Act crimes, and all require a case-by-case assessment as to whether the report presents a serious or continuing threat to the campus community.

If a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service and an MU Alert is issued indicating it applies to the MU campus, Housing will implement tornado procedures. Take cover, and stay away from windows. Go to a room without windows. Residents may return to other areas of the community and resume regular activity after the warning expires. Expirations will be announced by public media.

For more information on campus emergencies, visit MU Alert.

Assault (including any physical or sexual act that is unsolicited or unwelcome) or abuse of another person is strictly prohibited. Examples of endangering behaviors include, but are not limited to, self-harm, physical altercations, throwing items from windows or balconies and wrestling or rough-housing in the apartment complex. Engaging in this type of behavior could result in termination of the Housing contract and permanent removal and prohibition from all Housing-owned or -operated facilities.

If you think you may be a victim of assault or abuse, please contact a professional staff member for assistance. Also, see Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment; Dating or Domestic Violence; Physical Assault; Harassment; and Title IX (Sex Discrimination Law).

For more information, visit the Office of Institutional Equity site.

Child abuse is any physical injury or sexual or emotional abuse intentionally inflicted on a child by someone responsible for the child’s care, custody and control. Discipline, including spanking, administered in a reasonable manner is not considered abuse.

Child neglect is failure by someone responsible for the child’s care, custody and control to provide proper and necessary support, education as required by law, nutrition and medical, surgical or other care necessary for the child’s well-being.

If you suspect child abuse or neglect, contact MUPD at (573) 882-7201 or the Department of Social Services Children’s Division hotline at 1-800-392-3738. You will need to know the child’s name, the name(s) of the parent(s), the alleged abuser’s name and where the child can be found. Although you do not have to identify yourself when making a hotline call, please consider doing so to allow caseworkers to contact you with any other questions that may help their investigation.

Dating violence means violence committed by a person — (A) who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim; and (B) where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of the following factors: (i) The length of the relationship, (ii) The type of relationship and (iii) The frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

Domestic violence includes felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner, by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of Missouri or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of Missouri. 

For more information or to report domestic abuse, contact a Housing staff member, the RSVP (Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention) Center (573-882-6638), the Office of Institutional Equity/Title IX Coordinator (573-882-3880), True North hotline (573-875-1370 or 1-800-548-2480), MUPD (573-882-7201), Columbia Police Department’s DOVE (Domestic Violence Enforcement) Unit (573-874-7423), or the Counseling Center (573-882-6601). You can also contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233).

Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic nature with the victim is prohibited by University policy. Staff at the RSVP Center or the Office of Institutional Equity can inform you of your rights, connect you with resources and provide assistance and accommodations. The RSVP Center is a confidential resource.

For more information, see Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment; Assault, Abuse or Endangering Behaviors; Physical Assault; Harassment; and Title IX (Sex Discrimination Law).

The illegal or unauthorized possession or use of firearms, explosives, other weapons or hazardous chemicals is prohibited. Possession or use of any of these items, including, but not limited to, lighter fluid, explosives or fireworks, could result in termination of the Housing contract and removal and prohibition from all Housing-owned or -operated buildings. These items will be confiscated.

Tampering with or theft of fire safety equipment — including, but not limited to, tampering with or discharging fire extinguishers; disabling bells/horns; activating a fire alarm when no emergency exists; tampering with, removing or destroying emergency exit signs; tampering with Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) equipment; or covering or removing the batteries from individual smoke detectors — will result in severe conduct action. Possession of stolen fire safety equipment or unauthorized use of any of these items could result in termination of the Housing contract and removal and prohibition from entering any Housing-owned or -operated halls or apartments in the future.

The AED is located in the laundry room (building 2).

Harassment by engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that serves no legitimate purpose that would cause a reasonable person under the circumstances to be frightened, intimidated or emotionally distressed is not tolerated and will result in severe conduct action, including potential removal from the apartments. Forms of harassment include, but are not limited to, social media/cyber or verbal harassment, threatening messages, physical threats, intimidation or posting of harassing materials.

If you have been the victim of harassment or feel threatened, contact your Community Assistant, the Apartment Manager, the Office of Institutional Equity or MUPD.

For more information, see Assault, Abuse or Endangering Behaviors.

No hazardous liquids or materials may be stored inside or outside an apartment. Such items will be confiscated. Examples include, but are not limited to, antifreeze, gasoline and lighter fluid.

In the event of a personal, medical or psychological emergency, contact your Community Assistant or Housing staff. If immediate assistance is required, call 9-1-1 or MUPD at (573) 882-7201. 

The Counseling Center offers Crisis/On-Call services by phone or in person from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, as well as immediate phone contact with a counselor at all other times by calling the Counseling Center at (573) 882-6601.

The Student Health Center and the Counseling Center offer counseling and other programs during regular business hours. For more information, contact the Student Health Center at (573) 882-7481 or the Counseling Center at (573) 882-6601.

The University of Missouri requires all new students to comply with immunization requirements. Students of University housing are required to provide proof of prior immunizations to the Student Health Center, receive the immunization or submit a signed waiver to the Student Health Center.

Review all immunization requirements. 

Housing staff will perform general maintenance checks throughout the year with prior notice, if possible, to verify occupancy and make safety inspections. If the student is not in the apartment during the check, staff will key into the apartment to check for any maintenance or safety violations or hazards in plain view.

Housing staff will notify students found to be in violation of a policy or local, state or federal law. Students may go through the conduct process for some violations. For others, students are expected to comply with requests within a certain time period, often within one week.

If you notice any maintenance concern, you must submit a maintenance request on the Resident Resources page under Request Maintenance. You may also call (573) 882-8211.

If Housing staff have sufficient cause to believe a student is missing, staff will notify MUPD and a designated contact as described:

• If the student is under the age of 18, the custodial parent and/or legal guardian listed in myZou will be contacted. 
• If the student is 18 years or older, staff will check myZou to see if the student designated a contact in case the student is missing. 
• If no contact is listed, the designated emergency contact will be contacted. 
• If the student has not submitted emergency contact information, the parent or legal guardian of record in myZou will be contacted.

Physical assault against anyone is not tolerated. If you are the victim or witness of an assault, contact your Community Assistant, the Apartment Manager or MUPD (573-882-7201) immediately.

Engaging in nonconsensual sexual intercourse, sexual touching or sexual acts is prohibited by University policies and may violate local, state or federal law. Sexual harassment is also prohibited. Students who violate these policies are subject to sanctions.

If you are impacted by unwelcome sexual behavior, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual assault or rape, you may choose to contact the RSVP (Relationship and Sexual Violence Pre­vention) Center (573-882-6638), the Office of Institutional Equity/Title IX Coordinator (573-882-3880), a Housing staff member, True North – a local shelter for victims of domestic vio­lence and sexual assault and 24-hour crisis hotline (573-875-1370), the Student Health Center (573-882-7481), the Counseling Center (573-882-6601) or the Of­fice of Student Accountability & Support (573-882-5543). You may also contact MUPD (573-882-7201).

If you are impacted by predatory drugs, rape, sexual assault or sexual misconduct, you may wish to go to the hospital for medical care. If you would like to press charges now or in the future, it is helpful to have a medical exam as soon as possible after the incident, but it is not required. If possible, do not show­er or change clothes before the exam. The University Hospital Emergency Department has specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) who conduct exams. SANE nurses have special training helping survivors of violence. The exam occurs in a private room away from the emergency department. For more information, contact the SANE Clinic (573-882-8091) or visit wellbeing.missouri.edu/medical-care-services/sexual-partner-violence/.

The RSVP Center (573-882-6638) can explain the resources available and help you explore your options. The RSVP Center is a confidential resource. 

If you inform Housing staff about a potential instance of sexual misconduct, this information will be shared with the Office of Institutional Equity/Title IX Coordinator. The impacted student will be contacted by staff from the Office of Institutional Equity, who can help the impacted student explore their options, connect the student with resources, provide assistance and accommodations, explain their rights and help the impacted student decide whether they want to file a formal complaint of discrimination. You do not need to file a formal complaint in order to access resources or receive accommodations. For more information, visit the Office of Institutional Equity.

Information shared with Housing staff about an individual or situation will only be discussed with other University officials on a need-to-know basis.

For more information, see Dating or Domestic Violence ; Assault, Abuse or Endangering Behaviors ; Physical Assault; Harassment; and Title IX (Sex Discrimination Law).

Attempted or actual theft of, damage to or possession without permission of University property or that of any individual is strictly prohibited.

If you are a victim of or witness to theft, contact MUPD (573-882-7201), and your Community Assistant. File a report with MUPD as soon as possible.

Although Housing does not assume responsibility for personal items, immediate and accurate reports of stolen items may allow items to be recovered.

The University is not responsible for loss of or damage to occupants’ personal property. Each occupant is encouraged to obtain personal property or renter’s insurance. Students may also be covered under their family’s homeowners’ insurance, which may cover property while the student is living at the University of Missouri. The University does not purchase prop¬erty insurance covering any loss of or damage to a student’s personal property. The University assumes no responsibility for the payment of such a loss.

Homeowners’ insurance often covers property outside of the home, which means a parent’s or guardian’s insurance may cover property while living at the University of Missouri. The University of Missouri does not insure personal property, nor does it promote any particular insurance agency. Please check local listings to find an insurance agency that can meet your needs. Should you experience damage/loss, refer to your personal coverage and contact your insurance agent.

Prevent theft by locking doors and windows at all times, not propping doors open and reporting suspicious behavior to staff or police. Do not leave personal items unattended in common areas.

Housing recommends registering bicycles and laptops with the University Police. It is important that students keep records of details (make, model, serial number, etc.) of personal belongings to assist in cases of theft.

For more information, see Bicycles, Scooters, Mopeds and Motorcycles and Doors and Security.

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. The Office of Institutional Equity at MU helps ensure everyone has access to educational programs, regardless of sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or sexual orientation. The Office of Institutional Equity educates the community, connects students with resources, provides accommodations and investigates reports of discrimination.

Prohibited sex discrimination includes unequal treatment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, intimate partner violence and stalking. Students who have experienced any form of sex discrimination may file a formal complaint with the Office of Institutional Equity. Students who violate University policies prohibiting sex discrimination are subject to sanctions under the University’s Equity or Title IX Resolution processes. 

For more information, see Rape, Sexual Assault, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment; Dating or Domestic Violence; and Assault, Abuse or Endangering Behaviors.

Use or possession of weapons of any type, including, but not limited to, firearms; paintball guns; airsoft, BB or pellet guns or similar weapons; bows and arrows; knives with blades more than four inches long; decorative weapons; ammunition; Mace and bear spray; and explosives, is not permitted in Housing-owned or -operated facilities at any time. 

Other restricted weapons include billy clubs/nightsticks, switchblades, brass knuckles, nunchucks and dangerous chemicals. However, possession of a personal self-defense item 2 ounces or less containing pepper spray (oleoresin capsicum – OC) is allowed. Be sure to read the directions and know how to properly use the pepper spray.

Firearms are not permitted in Housing-owned or -operated facilities. MUPD offers a variety of information and options for personal safety and security, as well as storage for weapons, including those used for hunting.

Any object that could potentially inflict injury or cause harm that is used in a threatening, careless or aggressive manner will be considered a weapon, regardless of intent. Possession of any of these items could result in termination of the Housing contract and permanent removal and prohibition from all Housing-owned or -operated facilities.

Nerf™-type guns and water guns may be stored but not used in the apartment, provided they are designed or clearly marked (e.g., fluorescent markings) so as not to be mistaken for a firearm.