Crime on Campus

1. Policy for Reporting the Annual Disclosure of Crime Statistics
2. Reporting a Crime, Emergency, Student Conduct Violation or Behavior of Concern
3. Limited Voluntary Confidential Reporting
4. College Facilities/Access Policy
5. MSC Police Officers - Authority and Jurisdiction
6. Off Campus Criminal Activity
7. Preventing Crime - Be Safe at Macon State College
8. Parking Lot Safety
9. Availability of Counseling / Medical Services
10. Campus Safety Seminars

Off Campus Criminal Activity

Macon State College Police Officers do not provide services to off-campus locations. Please contact the appropriate local agency.

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Preventing Crime - Be Safe at Macon State College

Colleges and universities are places of tremendous growth and learning. They are fertile environments for new ideas in the sciences, the humanities and the arts. Unfortunately, college campuses are also fertile environments for criminals. Students must remember that stepping onto the property of a public or private college doesn't suddenly make them immune from crime.

Steve Seaman, Pinkerton Branch Manager for Macon State College, strongly cautions against walking alone after dark. "Most campuses are well-landscaped, and that includes lots of shrubbery and other potential hiding places. Use common sense. If it looks unsafe, it probably is."

Pinkerton's Troy Santarlasci, head of public safety at a private four-year college near Boston, also stresses a common-sense approach to on-campus safety. "Most crimes that occur on college campuses are crimes of opportunity that can be easily avoided. A purse being left unattended, dorm rooms left unlocked and unattended - these are all crimes waiting to happen." Both Seaman and Santarlasci suggest the following do's and don'ts for a safe and secure college experience:

• Be aware of your surroundings - avoid being in isolated areas, out of sight or earshot of others. Find an escort, whether a Public Safety officer, a faculty member or a fellow student you trust.
• Have keys readily available when walking in parking areas - "We recommend everyone have a whistle and small pen flashlight on their key chain for their own safety," said Santarlasci. Park in well-lit areas at night.
• Don't go out alone at night. The saying about there being safety in numbers is true.
• If you have a cell phone, program a quick call button to 911 and keep it handy.
• Ensure that those closest to you know your whereabouts. Occasionally someone will report a roommate who has been missing for several days and it turns out the person had left town to visit relatives and had not told anyone.
• Notify your campus' police force to report suspicious behavior, vandalism, fire, medical emergencies or anything else out of the ordinary.
• Remember that campus roads differ from city streets in several ways. One is that there are many more pedestrians, students walking to and from class. This should always be in your mind. Also, be mindful that there tends to be a larger percentage of maintenance vehicles, golf carts, bicycles, joggers and in-line skaters on these streets.
• Colleges and universities are no more immune to the possibility of fire than any other public building. Know where the nearest fire escape is and what you would do in case of fire.

Don't make yourself an easy mark. Take all the precautions you can and develop a "sixth sense," the ability to identify when something isn't quite right. This is also called intuition. If you get a strange feeling about someone or some place, it may be for a reason. Follow the tips above and have a safe learning experience!

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Parking Lot Safety

For the safety of all on the Macon State College campus, emergency call boxes have been placed at strategic locations in parking lots on the Macon Campus and the Warner Robins Campus, easily noted at night by a blue light on top of the pole. In case of an emergency, press the button to speak directly with Public Safety.

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Availability of Counseling/Medical Services

Counseling Center Informed Consent Policy Georgia's law requires that psychotherapists, during an initial session with a client, inform the client about confidentiality and exceptions to confidentiality contained in state statutes. All new clients are asked to review and sign a form entitled Counseling Center Client Intake Form that explains services offered, confidentiality and limits to confidentiality, and staff consultation. Occasionally a client will decline to sign the form. If the client verbally indicates an understanding of the material contained in the form and a desire to receive services, the counselor should document this in the progress notes along with the client's concerns about signing the form. The counselor may then proceed to work with the student, providing counseling and/or assessment and referral.

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Campus Safety Seminars

In addition to the printed information distributed each year, the Office of Student Life schedules various seminars relating to personal safety and the security of property for members of the college community. These seminars deal with sexual assault, self-defense, crime prevention, and other related topics. Notices announcing these seminars and encouraging student and employee participation will be posted throughout the campus prior to the event. Any campus organizations or group interested in a special presentation should contact the Office of Student Affairs at (478) 757-7383.

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