Campus Crime Prevention and Security Awareness Programs

The Miami University Police patrol the Oxford campus 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, using cars, bikes, and officers on foot. Campus Security (Securitas) patrols the Hamilton and Middletown campuses 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, on foot and in vehicles. Campus Security (Securitas) patrols the Voice of America Learning Center Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on foot.

Emergency phones have been placed in locations throughout the campuses. Police encourage all members of the community and visitors to report safety concerns to police.

The University Police distribute throughout the Oxford campus flyers promoting personal safety and alerting people to specific crimes or problems. The Institutional Response Team distributes safety awareness information online, muohio.edu/emergency, and in printed materials, to students and employees. The Business Services and Student Affairs offices do the same thing for the Hamilton and Middletown campuses.

The University Police has a team of officers dedicated to community relations and crime prevention that coordinates numerous security awareness programs for the campus community, specifically to encourage students and employees to be responsible for their own security and the security of others. Paper information, such as flyers and pamphlets, are distributed regularly from the station, through campus mail, and at fairs to provide crime prevention tips and information.

The following security awareness and crime prevention programs were provided during calendar year 2011:

  • Alcohol Safety/Awareness related programs for students.  Eighteen sessions conducted upon request
  • Drug Abuse Education related program for students.  One session conducted upon request
  • New Student Orientation that provided general safety awareness, crime prevention, alcohol rules, and fire safety information to students.  Information provided annually during twenty sessions of orientation
  • General safety awareness and crime prevention information provided annually during seven Q&A sessions to prospective student and their parents
  • Workplace Safety that provided general safety awareness to staff.  Three sessions conducted upon request
  • International Student Orientation that provided general safety awareness and crime prevention information to international students.  Information provided annually during three sessions of orientation
  • Self Defense Training was provided to students.  Twelve sessions of self-defense training was conducted upon request
  • Campus Safety Day that provided general safety awareness, crime prevention information, and emergency information to current students.  This program was conducted bi-annually
  • Benefits Fair that provided general safety and crime prevention information to staff and faculty.  This program was conducted once
  • Fire Safety Fair that provided general fire safety information to student and staff.  This program was conducted once

Also, three videos on personal safety are available for check-out from King Library, and the department also loans engravers, provides property logs, and videotapes possessions. All services are provided at no charge.  Fire safety policies, procedures, and statistics are detailed in the annual Fire Safety Report (www.miami.muohio.edu/campus-safety/fire-safety/index.html).

Safety Programs

These tips can help to ensure your safety:

You can also take advantage of the following resources promoting safety and awareness:

  • Miami Police provides presentations to small groups on a variety of safety topics and engraves and videotapes personal property. Call 529-2222.
  • Miami Police provides a variety of crime prevention tips (www.units.muohio.edu/police/campus-safety/crime-prevention), ranging from traveling alone to facts concerning Rohypnol.
  • Miami Police offers a 12-hour Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training to women. Cost is $30, which includes the RAD manual, certificates, and supplies. Call 529-2222.
  • Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault (MARS) addresses rape as a men’s issue. Male students meet in small, all-men’s groups to discuss how men can make a difference. Call John Ward, Student Counseling Service, at 529-4634 for information on scheduling a session or joining the group.

Code of Student Conduct

The Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution is responsible for administering the Code of Student Conduct (see The Student Handbook, PDF 1.3MB), which applies to students on all Miami campuses. The Code outlines the rights and responsibilities of students, behaviors prohibited on and off campus, possible sanctions, and the procedural rights of students and student organizations.

This code applies to all undergraduate students, graduate students, fraternities and sororities, and student organizations of Miami University. The Code of Student Conduct primarily prohibits misconduct on University premises (buildings or grounds owned, leased, operated, controlled, or supervised by the University, including the Miami University Dolibois European Center, the Miami University Hamilton campus, and the Miami University Middletown campus), but may address off-campus conduct when the behavior or the presence of the individual, in the University’s sole judgment, impairs, obstructs, or interferes with the mission, processes, or functions of Miami University. Students should be aware that Miami University reserves the right to review and take disciplinary action based on conduct occurring off campus or between academic periods.

If a student breaks a law that also violates the University standards of conduct, that student may be held accountable by both civil authorities and the University. The University may, at its sole discretion, elect to pursue disciplinary action against the student at the same time as criminal proceedings, even if criminal charges involving the same incident are not complete, have been dismissed, or were reduced.

On Jan. 1, 1974, the Ohio Campus Disruption Act, which was originally introduced as House Bill 1219, became part of the Ohio Revised Code. House Bill 1219 contained sections that pertain to "control of campus violence." The initiation of a 1219 proceeding against a student does not prohibit the University from taking University disciplinary action against that same student under the Student Conduct Regulations for the same conduct that gave rise to the 1219 proceeding. A student arrested for any of the 33 enumerated offenses in House Bill 1219 will automatically be subject to disciplinary procedures.

Any person, agency, organization or entity may make a complaint to the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution alleging a violation of the Code of Student Conduct. In addition, criminal acts such as sexual assault, assault, burglary, robbery, murder, and motor vehicle theft may also be reported to the Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution, which will contact the University Police.

The Office of Ethics and Student Conflict Resolution is located in Room 9 Warfield Hall and can be reached at 529-1417.

Disclosure of Disciplinary Actions

The University will, upon written request, disclose to the alleged victim of a crime of violence (as that term is defined in section 16 of Title 18, United States Code), or any non-forcible sex offense, the report on the results of any University disciplinary proceeding against a student who is the alleged perpetrator of such crime or offense. If the alleged victim is deceased as a result of such crime or offense, the next of kin of such victim will be treated as the alleged victim for the purpose of this policy.