Personal Safety and You
Vassar students and personnel strive to provide a safe and comfortable environment for all members of the Vassar community. Within the community all students sign an agreement to live in accordance with “Vassar Regulations” which “expects students to uphold [the college] standards of personal and social conduct at all times.” Guest passes must be issued to all individuals staying on campus who are not members of the Vassar community (see College Policies section). Common sense and good judgment are the best security measures you can take. The following resources and measures of protection exist for your use.
Access to Residence Halls and Rooms
All residence halls are secured 24 hours a day. Students and authorized personnel may enter the halls by using their ID cards; a card access system is in place and located at the main entrance doors to each building. All other doors are fire and safety exits. A local alarm will sound if any of these doors are left open longer than 30 seconds to prevent unwanted visitors; therefore, doors should not be propped open for any reason.
ID cards and room keys should be carried at all times. Room doors should be locked whenever you are sleeping or away from your room. If you lose your ID card, notify the ID office immediately. They will cancel access to your lost card and issue you a new temporary ID.
Campus Patrol
Campus Patrol is a student-run security service. They provide a shuttle service around campus, roam all campus areas from sunset to 3 am, advocate, and help educate other students on safety issues. You should feel free to call for an escort to accompany you to and from your residence hall during their hours of operation.
Fire Safety
Tampering with fire equipment, extinguishers, smoke detectors, decals, fire doors, exit lights, or the fire alarm system is forbidden. An automatic fine of $100 will be imposed for tampering with a fire extinguisher. Criminal charges will be filed by the college against individuals who purposefully activate fire alarms without just cause. In addition, Vassar students will face an automatic fine of $100 and be subject to eviction from the residence program and/or suspension from the college. Falsely reporting fires represents a danger to the college community and is a violation of college regulations and New York State law. Violators of the fire regulations may be brought before the College Regulations Panel for disciplinary action.
Burning of any kind is prohibited in the buildings; this includes candles, incense, non-electric lanterns, Sterno or camp stoves, etc. Possession and /or use of the items above will result in a fine.
Oversized wall hangings are not permitted. Hangings of any kind are not allowed on sprinkler pipes. Students are advised to keep flammable items away from radiators and pipes. Halogen lamps are strictly prohibited.
All appliances must have an automatic shut-off feature and have the Underwriters Laboratory approval (UL) stamped on the article. For a list of specific appliances that are allowed or prohibited, see Part G, Section 1, of the College Regulations Handbook.
When the fire alarm rings in a residence hall:
If you are in your room, shut the windows and door while immediately vacating the hall. If you are elsewhere, do not attempt to return to your room from another part of the building.
Evacuate the residence hall at once, using stairs. Elevators will not be operating during a fire or fire drill. Do not use fire escapes unless stairways are blocked or otherwise cut off.
Walk rapidly to the nearest exit. DO NOT RUN. Avoid panic and exit in a calm, orderly fashion.
Once out of the residence hall, go directly to the designated meeting place and stay there until the fire chief gives permission to return to the building or until instructions are given by a fire officer.
During a fire, telephones may not be used for incoming or outgoing calls except by authorized fire personnel.
Smoke detectors are located in every student room. Tampering with them is a violation and fines will be imposed. Smoke detectors are checked periodically throughout the year. The smoke detectors give an audible beep when the battery is low. Replacements can be obtained from the Desk Attendant from 2 pm - 11 pm every day. After hours, please call 5221 and request a troubleshooter.