Safety Measures & Tips

Safety Tips

Residential Safety

• Only admit your own visitors into the residence halls.
• Make sure outside doors of residence halls shut securely behind you.
• Do not loan your room key to anyone.
• Make sure your apartment or room has secure locks on doors and windows.
• Always lock your apartment or room even if you are going to be gone for just a few minutes. Be sure to lock your doors at night as well.
• Have the locks changed if you ever lose the keys to your residence.
• Leave lights or a radio on at your apartment or room so it looks like someone is always home.
• Never open the door for someone you do not know.
• Ask anyone who gives you a ride home to wait around until you have safely entered your apartment or building.

Parking Lot Safety

• Always lock your car.
• Place valuables in the trunk or under the seats.
• Have your keys in hand before you leave to go to your car.
• Have someone walk you to your car, especially at night (if possible).
• Utilize your campus escort service if you feel you might be in danger.
• Check your backseat before entering your car.

Personal Safety

• Never walk alone, especially at night.
• Be alert to your surroundings and walk with confidence.
• Walk where the sidewalks are well lit and well traveled.
• Trust your gut. If you feel like someone is following you, go to a populated place where people can help you and then call campus police.
• Do not wear a radio headset when you are walking on campus.
• Know where campus emergency phones are located.

ATM Safety

• Be alert to your surroundings.
• Take a friend with you (if possible).
• Have your ATM card in your pocket for easy access.
• Do not give anyone your personal identification number.
• Stand directly in front of the teller machine so no one will see your information.
• Make eye contact with anyone standing in line. If anyone seems suspicious, cancel your transaction and return later.
• Store your cash in a safe place as soon as you receive it. You can always count it later.
• Report any lost ATM cards to your bank.

Safety Measures

Security of and Access to Campus Facilities

Academic buildings generally are closed at predetermined times each evening. Opening and closing times are scheduled by the Deans of the colleges. University Police Officers routinely check each building between 5:00 P.M. and 5:00 A.M. Campus residential halls are locked 24 hours a day and residents gain access with their student identification card. Residential hall rooms are secured by key locks. Safety and security checks are made periodically by Resident Assistants (RA) who contact the University Police as needed. Additionally, Resident Assistants are available on all residence hall floors, and a Residential Education Coordinator (REC) lives in each residence hall on campus. If your ID card does not work for access, it should be reported to the Loaner Card Office at 434-395-2279 during their operating hours.

Blue Light Emergency Telephones

For your safety, there are many "Blue Light" telephones located across the campus. These phones only require one button to be pushed and the call will ring directly to the Farmville Communication Center. The Blue Light phone system automatically identifies the caller's location so the dispatcher can quickly dispatch an officer to assist the caller. These phones are located at residence hall entrances, in parking lots, and many other strategic locations. There are currently 147 phones located between inside and outside of buildings.

Campus Speed Limits/Parking Areas

Our Officers patrol and monitor traffic on campus and will write state citations to drivers who do not honor the posted speeds, traffic laws, and parking areas. Please remember that pedestrian traffic is always a consideration on our campus and the low speed limits are in place for the protection of both drivers and pedestrians. Park in the correct parking zones designated throughout campus. For more information visit the Parking Services website.

Pedestrian Right of Way

Virginia law states that motor vehicles must slow down or stop to allow pedestrians to cross the street when they are in a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at or near an intersection. For safety reasons, we suggest that pedestrians be alert and use good judgment when crossing any street on campus. Try to make eye contact with the driver of the vehicle and always look both ways before stepping into the crosswalk. Do not assume that a vehicle can or will stop, even though you are at a designated crosswalk.