The Campus Safety Office is structured within the Rhodes’ Division of Student Affairs, putting Campus Safety in close contact with all aspects of student life.

The primary mission of the Campus Safety Department is to preserve the safety and security of the campus community to enable the mission of the College to go forward. This mission includes comprehensive efforts aimed at protecting our community from threats to both person and property. Although the Campus Safety staff is considered a private security and safety force, they are responsible for enforcement of all State and local laws, College policies and procedures, security, safety, and emergency responses. As a “first responder” Campus Safety stands ready and well trained to provide support services to meet the many and varied needs of the Rhodes Community.

Due to the importance of Campus Safety, students are advised that it is a specific offense of the student code of conduct to fail to comply with the directions of a College official including those of Campus Safety or to fail to identify oneself to a College official including those officers in Campus Safety.

Rhodes provides planning to minimize danger to life, health, and property from emergencies or other critical incidents should they arise. Included in planning are necessary and prudent steps to assure continuity of operations and restoration of academic and other activities as quickly as possible following an emergency.

The foundation for such planning is based on the following priorities:

• Protection of human life;
• To prevent and minimize personal injury;
• Reduce exposure of Rhodes′ physical assets;
• Optimize loss control for assets where exposure cannot be reduced;
• Restore normal operations as soon as possible.

With these priorities as a foundation, the plan facilitates a quick and efficient move from normal to emergency operations and back.

Rhodes has always welcomed guests and visitors to the campus. However, we also recognize that there are certain identification, safety and security problems attendant with this practice. Therefore, it is essential that guidelines be established to insure the well being of the College community. While it is impossible to cover every variable, the following general policies apply with respect to visitors to the campus.

Visitors to the campus are generally prospective students and parents, alumni, and those who have business with academic or administrative departments. Once the identity and purpose of these persons are confirmed they should always be made to feel welcome and accorded the same amenities that faculty, staff and students are allowed.

Guests of students are welcome on campus. Guests staying with a student overnight along with their host-student must register with Campus Safety in person. Guests are expected to remain under the auspices of the host student and the host student bears the responsibility for the guest′s behavior and compliance with campus policy. Rhodes accessible keys should never be loaned to guests. Guests are not allowed during exams. When it appears that guests have been completely abandoned by a host, they will be asked to leave the campus. Host responsibilities for a guest should not be transferred from one student to another.

Visitors arriving at a Welcome Center to see a student, faculty member or staff person, will be detained until the host can be located by the officer by phone. If the host cannot be located, the visit will not be allowed. If the host is located, he/she must authorize the visit before entry is allowed. Students expecting a visitor, who is not staying overnight, may call the Campus Safety Welcome Centers (Bailey - #3894; Phillips - #3883) and advise the officer on duty whom to expect, the time of arrival, and the name of the host. If this is done, the visit is allowed regardless of phone confirmation of visit. If you′re unable to connect to a Welcome Center, you may call the Campus Safety Control Center at #3880.