April 12, 2023

Dear AU Community,

Spring weather and the concluding weeks of the semester ramp up exciting activity on our campus. With so much going on and many people coming to campus, we want to provide important reminders about safety. We are fortunate that our campus and the broader neighborhood around American University are safe places to live and work, and we are committed to the ongoing safety and security of our community. But no matter our location or situation, it is important to always be informed and prepared. In a residential university community like ours, there are some specific things we all can do to protect ourselves, help prevent crime, and support overall safety.

Each quarter, AUPD provides helpful safety and security resources to the community. We encourage you to review the most recent message from March 16, 2023, which includes information for crime prevention and self-defense, campus alerts and safety communications, and emergency preparedness and response.

As we live, work, and engage on campus, we all can take steps that make us safer:

• Be aware of your surroundings and those around you.
• Note the location of blue light emergency telephones.
• At night, walk in groups and avoid isolated or unlit areas.
• Don’t display valuable property in public areas.
• Keep residence hall room and office doors locked.
• Follow residence hall entry and guest policies. All residential students must swipe and tap their AU ID to enter their residence hall. Guests or visitors must be accompanied by a resident of the hall.
• Do not let anyone follow you into your residence hall or office area.
• Install the Rave Guardian app on your phone and program the AU Public Safety number for emergencies: (202) 885-3636
• Use the AU Public Safety escorts, which are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week, for community members traveling to and from university-owned property. To arrange an escort, call (202) 885-2527 or use a blue light or red emergency phone.

While we are focused on prevention and safety, crimes do occur in our community. We have a comprehensive approach to address these situations. AUPD works with campus partners and local law enforcement to investigate criminal activities and update the community. Please review crime alerts when they are issued and take appropriate precautions. If you have information about crimes that may have occurred on campus, please contact AUPD at (202) 885-2527.

Following good safety habits, regularly reviewing campus security information, and supporting each other in the spirit of community will continue helping us all thrive on our campus. Thank you for your commitment to a safe AU.

Sincerely,

Peter Starr
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Sarah Baldassaro
Interim Vice President of Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence

Bronté Burleigh-Jones
Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer

Seth Grossman
Vice President for People and External Affairs