Missing Students

A student, either resident or commuter, may be believed to be missing by any member of the campus community if he/she is missing from campus and/or the residence hall and cannot be contacted and/or located within an amount of time deemed reasonable, based on the circumstances.

Primary Response Team

• NYIT campuses: Office of Campus Security; Long Island residences: University police; Manhattan residences: 911
• Office of Housing and Residential Life staff
• Office of the Dean of Students staff/ coordinator of campus operations and student services staff

Secondary Response Team

• Office of Strategic Communications and External Affairs
• Office of Counseling and Wellness Services staff
• Office of the President
• Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs

Objectives
The purpose of this policy is to insure the safety and welfare of all students. If a student is believed to be missing for any reason, all possible efforts will be made to locate the student and determine his state of well-being through collaboration of campus security, the dean of students, housing and residential life, if applicable, and the student's friends and/or family.

Notification
Follow the established chain of primary responders. The Office of Campus Security will be the first NYIT responders in all emergency events and should be notified immediately.

Procedures

For those who suspect a student is missing:

• Call the Office of Campus Security.
• Tell campus security any information you know about when the student was last scene and any pertinent facts related to the student's disappearance.
• Provide names and contact information for the student's friends and family, if you are aware of this information.

For primary responders:

• Respond to scene; initiate emergency response phone chain by calling the director of facilities operations.
• Complete an NYIT missing person report.
• In consultation with the dean of students and/or director of housing and residential life determine when and by whom the student was last seen, and any pertinent facts related to the student's disappearance.
• If necessary, contact the student's friends, family and/or other associates in order to determine the student's whereabouts.
• If the student is not located within 24 hours, work with appropriate family members and associates to file a missing person report with the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction.
• Cooperate with, aid, and assist the primary investigation agency according to procedures governed by federal, state, and local law.

Follow-up:

• Engage services of Counseling and Wellness Center staff in the event of trauma, injury, or death.
• Dean of students should coordinate on-going communication with family members as well as campus community as deemed necessary and appropriate.