Safety and Security

It is important for students to understand that the cooperation and involvement of all community members is essential for making the campus safe. The Office of Residence Life encourages every student to refer to Campus Safety's list of safety tips, both in the residence halls and on elsewhere on campus. To help keep members of the campus community safe, the College has several safety initiatives in place. Many of these are coordinated by the Office of Campus Safety.

Staff availability

Campus Safety provides security services to the campus 24-hours per day, seven days per week (you can refer to Campus Safety's website for more information).

While the residence halls are open, resident assistants (RAs) are available in the building every evening.  They have training in emergency management and crisis response (including, but not limited to, medical emergencies, mental health concerns, and fire response).

During business hours professional staff members from each office are available to assist with concerns that arise.  Outside of business hours, such as evenings, weekends, and holidays, a professional staff member with the Students Affairs is available on an on-call basis.

Emergency telephones

Emergency telephones are located throughout campus, including in or near most residence halls.  These telephones provide a direct connection to Campus Safety. You can refer to Campus Safety's crime prevention information for a complete list of emergency telephones.

R.A.M. (Rapid Alert Messaging) emergency system

Cornell College has established the R.A.M. (Rapid Alert Messaging) Emergency System to assist in campus wide notification in events of safety concern. Refer to the R.A.M. Emergency System website for more information and to register. All students are encouraged to register for this service.

Getting help during an emergency

If you need help and are not near a campus emergency phone, then you can contact Campus Safety at (319) 895-4299 (or x4299 from an on-campus telephone). It is important to note that if you are using a room telephone or other on-campus telephone, you need to dial 9-911 to get an emergency response for the city of Mount Vernon.  You would still dial just 911 if you are using a cell phone.