Access to and Security of Facilities

Southwestern's facilities exist to support the institution's principal functions of higher education and community service. In addition to classrooms, laboratories and offices, the college has food service, recreation and athletics, art center, childcare, administrative support, maintenance and utility facilities. Currently, Southwestern does not maintain on-campus residential facilities.

As a community college, Southwestern generally seeks to maintain open access to its facilities, but it maintains and regularly exercises the right to restrict access to facilities. For example, access to laboratory, service, maintenance and utility facilities is restricted for safety and operational reasons. In instances when a person, through his/her prior action, has demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to conduct him or herself in accordance with college policy or applicable law, that person can be declared "persona non grata" and be denied access to all college facilities.

Southwestern acts to maintain secure and safe facilities for use by its students, employees, community service participants and visitors through:

1. the work of Public Safety, through its internal key and lock system and policies that control it;
2. alarm systems;
3. the regular work of Southwestern maintenance and custodial personnel;
4. adequate interior and exterior lighting;
5. internal (on foot) and external patrols (both vehicular and bike);
6. fostering an awareness among members of the college community about safety and security matters; and
7. timely reporting to the proper authorities of criminal or suspicious activities at the Belleville and Granite City campuses.

At the Red Bud Campus and the PSOP Branch Office, facilities are secured by:

1. internal key and lock system and policies that control it;
2. alarm systems;
3. maintenance and custodial personnel;
4. adequate interior and exterior lighting;
5. awareness among members of the college community about safety and security matters; and
6. timely reporting to the proper authorities of criminal and suspicious activities to the local police departments.

Southwestern campuses are open during all normal operating hours and for scheduled events that take place outside of the normal operating hours. Students are permitted on campus after hours only when supervised by a Southwestern staff or faculty member, or with the permission of the department head, provost, or evening supervisor. The DPS must be informed when students or college employees are to be on campus after hours. The buildings on the Belleville, Granite City, and Red Bud campuses and PSOP Branch Office are normally open between the following hours:

Department of Public Safety Hours

Safety

The Department of Physical Plant maintains the campus and facilities with a concern for safety and security, and makes repairs and adjustments as quickly as possible when safety and security are affected. DPS officers assist by reporting potential safety and security hazards to the Department of Physical Plant, making on-the-spot adjustments, or implementing interim safety and security measures where possible. Everyone who comes onto Southwestern's campuses is encouraged to report safety or security hazards to the DPS on the Belleville and Granite City campuses, to the provost or evening supervisor on the Red Bud Campus and to the director at the PSOP Branch Office.

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