RPS advises speaking up for safety in dorms

Feeling unsafe in the dorms?

Residential Programs and Services Assistant Director for Student Conduct Jon Riveire said the best advice is to find someone to tell when something feels out of place.

Students should contact their resident assistant. If that person is unavailable, contact the building’s live-in graduate students or professional staff members, he said.

“These staff members have great experience in helping students and know resources and procedures on campus to help the student feel safer, even if the safety issue does not involve a residence hall issue,” Riveire said in an email.

“If it’s a matter of life or death they should call IUPD, who will respond and alert the residence hall staff to a problem.”

There are staff members on call all the time, Riveire said. When the center desk is closed, the main phone is forwarded to a staff member’s night number.

A list of residence hall phone numbers is available at rps.indiana.edu/flipbooks/AtoZ_guide/atozguide.cfml.

There are a few policies students might not be aware of.

“In terms of lesser-known policies, one of the biggest is not loaning out or sharing your room key or student ID card,” he said.

“By doing so, a room, floor or entire building — depending on the residence hall — is put into jeopardy by giving someone access to a space that is not theirs.”

Students should also lock their rooms when leaving them even for a short amount of time, Riveire said.

“We often get reports from students about computers, televisions or cell phones being stolen from their room,” he said.

“While we will investigate these reports unconditionally, it’s hard to feel too bad for the student when you read in the report that the student left his or her residence hall room door wide open for two hours while they went to class.”

It’s important for students to know their surroundings and walk with someone else if it’s late at night, he said, adding that the University and Bloomington offer resources to help students reach where they need to go safely.

“It is a huge school,” said junior and Union Street Center resident Jenna Bilinksi. “Anything could happen, just like anywhere else.”

Jason Casares, associate dean of students and director of the Office of Student Ethics, said students should always be aware of their surroundings.

“If something does not feel right, report it,” Casares said in an email.

“Numerous resources exist for reporting concerns including IUPD, the Dean of Students office, the Office of Student Ethics or simply locate an RA or staff member in the residence halls to report an issue. We are here to help. We want to help.”

— Jessica Williams