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Missing Student Policy

In accordance with the Higher Education Act, Miami University must develop and implement certain procedures to be followed when Residential Students are determined to be missing for 24 hours. The term “Residential Student(s)” means (1) a student living in a residence hall located on the University’s Oxford campus; and (2) a student living in overflow housing under the University’s control located in Oxford, Ohio. Any person who believes a Residential Student is missing should immediately notify the Miami University Police Department at (513) 529-2222.  In the event another University office receives a report of a missing Residential Student, that office is responsible for immediately notifying the Miami University  Police Department. If a Residential Student lives outside of the Miami University Police Department’s law enforcement jurisdiction, then the Miami University Police Department will notify the appropriate local law enforcement agency.   

The Miami University Police Department will make the determination as to whether a Residential Student is missing after it has verified that reported information is credible and circumstances warrant declaring the individual missing. If the Miami University Police Department determines that a Residential Student is missing for 24 hours, then the Miami University Police Department will notify the missing Residential Student’s confidential contact(s) (described below). If a Residential Student is under 18 years of age (and is not emancipated), then the Miami University Police Department will also notify such student’s custodial parent or guardian within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing.  For all missing Residential Students, the University will notify the local law enforcement agency within 24 hours of the determination that a residential student is missing, unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination that such student is missing. 

Student Emergency Contact Information

All students are required to provide the University with a telephone number (cellular phone or landline) at which they may be reached during the academic year and for any summer terms in which they are enrolled. All students are required to provide the University with emergency contact information, including the name, address, and phone number (including a cellular phone number if available) of a parent, guardian, spouse, or other person to contact in the event of an emergency.

Students who do not reside on campus are required to provide the University with the street address of the residence in which they are physically residing during the academic year and any summer terms in which they are enrolled.

In addition to registering a general emergency contact, Residential Students have the option to provide the University with a confidential missing person contact to be notified in the event the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours. A Residential Student may register the confidential missing person contact during the course registration process each term on a secure University website. A missing Residential Student's confidential contact information will be accessible by campus officials and may be shared with law enforcement in the course of the investigation.