Personal and Property Safety
Our #1 priority is making sure that OSU students have a safe environment and that on-campus living can provide that peace of mind.
OSU Police Department
The OSU campus is protected by a campus police agency consisting of sworn officers, support persons and student employees. The agency is operated and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The authority of the sworn officers is derived from state statutes, which allow for full police powers on OSU property. In addition, by agreement with the City of Stillwater, campus police and city police enjoy an excellent working relationship. All campus police officers undergo an extensive selection process and meet state-mandated training requirements.
In addition to having multiple locations and offices across campus, OSU Police Department offers a phone app called Rave Guardian that turns your phone into a personal safety device and allows students to anonymously
report suspicious behavior.
On-Call Staff
Undergraduate: Community mentors (CM) are on call from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday and 24 hours on weekends and during university holidays and closings. OSU staff, including assistant residential community educators (ARCEs), are on-call to provide additional support.
Family and Graduate: The Family Resource Center (FRC) is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If after-hours help is needed, staff is available to assist residents from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. and 24 hours on weekends and during university holidays and closings.
Health and Safety Checks
Undergraduate: Community mentors are on duty from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily during the week and 24 hours a day on weekends and during university holidays and closings. OSU staff, including our assistant residential community educators (ARCEs), are on-call to provide additional support.
Hall staff conducts health and safety checks in the residential halls periodically to ensure and maintain the health and safety on campus. Each hall/wing is notified of when these are occurring. Hall staff administers these checks to ensure that community living space is adequate, allowing our staff to report any maintenance needs required.
Family and Graduate: FGSH staff conducts health and safety checks to periodically to ensure and maintain the health and safety on campus. You will be notified of when these are occurring. Staff administers these checks to ensure that community living space is adequate, allowing our staff to report any maintenance needs required. Although not the main purpose of these checks, if a staff member notices any policy violations, they have a responsibility to report the infraction and act accordingly.
Personal and Property Safety
One of the most important factors in providing a safe environment is personal prevention. Students should always lock their room/unit doors, including when at home and when leaving the room, even if it is just to walk down the hall for a minute or two. Always remember to be aware of your surroundings. The university is not responsible for any damage or loss of personal property due to facility failure, severe weather, theft, or other incidents. It's recommended that residents carry personal property insurance.
Fire Safety
Prevention is key to on-campus safety. Get to know our procedures for fire alarms and exiting a building. Learn what steps you can take to prevent fire alarms caused by steam, aerosols and vaping.