Safety
The Housing and Residence Life team works to provide safety and security in the community through the presence of staff throughout the day. However, security starts with you. Keeping track of your keys and ID card are important security precautions that take little time but maximize the security for the residential community and individual units.
We are very serious about safety. From electronically monitored access controls to unique lock systems, we make living on campus as safe and secure as possible.
Hall staff includes a variety of full-time and part-time employees to help manage our communities.
- Loan Key Operators are full-time employees that work at our loan key desks weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Desk Assistants are student staff who work at loan key desks daily from 8 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and at non-loan key desks weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during standard operations.
- Resident Advisors On Call are student staff who serve on call every night from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. They are stationed at the desk and in hall offices from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. daily and complete community walk-throughs throughout this time period during standard operations.
- Security Guards are full-time employees that work at our desks daily from 11:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Security guards also conduct walk-throughs throughout this time period.
Loan Key Desk Communities
Belk, Martin, and Wilson lobbies remain open 24/7 during standard operations. During the summer and reduced operations, communities will be locked and require card access permission to enter. Residential areas will remain locked 24/7 throughout the year and require card access permission to enter.
Non-Loan Key Desk Communities
Cedar, Elm, Greek Village, Laurel, Oak, Hawthorn, Hickory, Holshouser, Hunt, Levine, Lynch, Maple, Miltimore, Pine, Scott, Wallis, & Witherspoon lobbies remain locked 24/7 throughout the year and require card access permission to enter.
Residents will receive appropriate card access permissions based on their assigned community. Guests to the building are required to be escorted by a community staff member or the resident they are visiting in order to enter all residential areas.
The UNC Charlotte ID card is a permanent card for which you are responsible throughout your enrollment at the University. A valid ID card carries with it certain privileges such as use of the library, admittance to various activities and check cashing. Cards are coded with information which allows printing, vending and access to campus dining halls if you have a meal plan. For security reasons, your ID card is for your use only and must not be given to others (except when requested by a University official). Violators of the ID policy jeopardize the security of other residents and are subject to disciplinary and/or legal action. University policy requires students to carry their ID cards at all times and to comply with requests from University officials to present this identification at any time.
If your card is lost or stolen, you may obtain a permanent replacement at the ID Office between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. After the ID Office has closed, you should report a lost or stolen ID immediately to the Loan Key desk staff in Belk, Martin, or Wilson Halls. As appropriate, you will be issued a temporary, time-limited ID card and your privileges on your permanent card will be cancelled. The temporary card will be coded to give you the same privileges as you had on your permanent card. You must then go to the ID Office to have a new permanent ID card made the next business day.
Protect your card from physical abuse. Carry it in your wallet; do not use it as a tool for any reason; do not punch holes in the card. Avoid exposure to any type of magnetic source. Do not place your card on stereo equipment or close to magnets. Be aware that some wallets have magnetic closures. Avoid running your ID card through the washing machine or clothes dryer.
In the University's ongoing effort to provide residential students with reasonable, but still effective, security measures, residence halls are equipped with card access readers and the exterior doors are locked 24 hours a day. Students are required to use the appropriate card to gain entry to their residence halls.
To enter a building, tap your ID card against the card access reader. If you tapped your card too quickly or too slowly the reader will blink red. Try tapping your card again. Once the reader recognizes your card, the reader will blink green, and the door lock will click open.
If your ID card does not work, contact one of the Loan Key Desks (in Martin, Belk, or Wilson Halls). Tell the staff member that your ID card is not granting access. The staff member will help to identify the issue and issue a loan access card if needed. If your ID card is not working, be sure to have it checked at the ID Office in the Student Union on the next business day.
The exterior doors to all residential areas are equipped with prop alarms for added safety. If the door is held open or propped open after a short period of time, the alarm will sound. To silence the alarm, simply close the door. It is the entire community's responsibility to ensure a safe environment. Please do not prop doors open; if you notice a door propped open, close the door to secure it immediately.Residents who choose to disable (without consent from the Department of Housing and Residence Life) and/or damage these alarms place themselves, fellow residents and personal belongings at risk. Such behavior by a resident and/or guest will result in individual and/or organizational disciplinary action.
Many residential unit doors and bedroom doors are set to auto lock to promote safety and security in individual units. Keeping unit doors permanently unlocked and propping unit doors so they do not close is strongly discouraged.
Many residential areas are equipped with deadbolt locks for added safety. Residents who choose to engage the deadbolt to prevent the door from closing and latching properly place themselves, their roommates and personal belongings at risk. Such behavior by a resident and/ or guest will result in disciplinary action.
The use of any device (except the proper University keys/cards) to gain entry into doors within the residence halls is prohibited. Such behavior by a resident and/or guest will result in disciplinary action and/or criminal charges.
As a resident, you are responsible for the conduct and behavior of your guests and those guests must be escorted at all times. Guests should present a University ID, a driver’s license, or some other government issued photo ID to a staff member if requested. At no time should you loan your ID card or room keys to a guest to use in your absence.
If you discover any situation that requires evacuation, leave the building and call University Police at x72200 or x911 from a safe location. When a fire alarm is sounded (by smoke, another person, or otherwise), always take the alarm seriously and assume there is a cause for concern. All persons are required to immediately evacuate the building. Failure to evacuate will result in a $50 charge. Some evacuation suggestions are as follows:
- If there is smoke in your room, keep low to the floor. Crawl to your window and open it a few inches to allow in fresh air.
- If your room is clear of smoke, touch your door before opening. If it is hot, do not open! Stay in your room and wait for emergency personnel to reach you. Hang a sheet from your window to identify your location. If smoke is entering the room, stuff all openings with towels, etc.
- If your door is not hot, exit the room toward the nearest fire exit. If the situation allows, take a coat, shoes, and carry a towel for smoke. Close your windows, turn out the lights, and shut your door. Do not stop for personal belongings. Activate the fire alarm system if it is not already sounding.
- Once in the corridor, close your door and head quickly, but without panic, to the outside stairwell exit. Do not use the elevators.
- Exit down the stairway, making room for the people on the lower floors as they enter the stairway.
- After you have exited, move away from the building to the designated evacuation area and wait for further instructions.
- If University Police are not already on site, call x72200 or x911 from a safe location.
- Speak slowly and clearly so you can be understood
- Give your name
- Give the exact location of the fire or emergency
- Give any other relevant information (is anyone hurt, etc)
- University Police will call the Charlotte Fire Department. If there is no public phone available, remember that the phones at the various gates on campus connect directly to the University Police.
- Keep out of the way of emergency personnel. If you believe someone is trapped on your floor, report this immediately to firefighters or University Police.
- Do not re-enter the building for any reason. If you have any information regarding a fire, you are encouraged to tell the nearest University Police Officer or a Housing staff member.
As in any emergency situation, the University Police should be notified immediately at 72200 or x911. In this particular situation, try to get as much information from the caller as you can and be prepared to give your name and the exact information you received to the police. After contacting the police, contact your REC. Do not investigate. Wait for further instruction from University Police, Housing and Residence Life staff, or other campus officials.
Fire protection equipment (alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers/hoses,etc.) is located in each residential area. If abused this equipment will not be functional in the event of a fire, thereby endangering the lives of many people. Because of the dangers and risks to residents and firefighters associated with false fire alarms and intentional fires, there are criminal and civil penalties for intentionally setting any fire; for intentionally causing any false fire alarm; and for vandalizing or tampering with any fire alarm or fire protection equipment (including covering smoke/heat detectors). Probable sanctions for these violations are removal from campus housing and/or criminal prosecution. Causing a false fire alarm will result in removal from the residence halls and/or a $500 charge and/or six months in jail. Additionally, a $500 reward has been established for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals tampering with the system and causing false fire alarms. Failure to evacuate will result in a $50 charge.
To help ensure safe evacuation should it become necessary, storing of personal belongings in hallways is a safety hazard and will result in a minimum of $25 charge of removal of the item(s). The University is not responsible for such items that have been removed from common areas.
Stairways designated as "Fire Escapes" are for emergency use only. No smoking or loitering is permitted. Inappropriate use of these stairwells can result in disciplinary action.
In the event of an injury or illness which requires medical attention, contact University Police at x72200 or x911. As you call, collect as much specific information as possible (names, location, and nature of injury) to give to the police. They will instruct you accordingly. When time allows, please contact your RA, GA, or REC for further assistance.
Should you be the victim of theft or other crimes, contact the University Police immediately. Your REC may also be able to offer you further assistance. If your ID card and/or room keys are stolen you need to report it IMMEDIATELY to prevent someone from using those to enter your building and room.
Your living space and your personal space intersect; safety in one involves safety in the other. We've said it before, and it bears repeating: Safety and security start with you. The Housing and Residence Life security hardware is only as good as YOU allow it to be. Simple things such as locking your door, not propping doors open, not allowing non-residents to enter the building as you do, going out in groups, and keeping track of your keys/cards and ID card are important security precautions that take little time but maximize your personal security.
Likewise, the University safety and security precautions, procedures and suggested behaviors can only keep you safe when you know and follow them. When walking anywhere on campus, you should always stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Walk with your head up, looking around you for things like broken pavement, objects in your path, low-hanging branches, and do not neglect to keep your attention (your eyes, your awareness) on what's around you.
Use the campus shuttle whenever possible on weekdays, particularly in winter months or if the weather is bad.
Incident Report
Any UNC Charlotte student, staff member, or faculty member may submit an Incident Report via the link below. If you are not a UNC Charlotte community member, please contact the Dean of Students Office at 704-687-0345.
Reports filed are immediately received in our system and are reviewed within 48 hours of submission. In the event of an emergency or crimes or incidents involving imminent threat of harm, contact UNC Charlotte Police and Public Safety at 704-687-2200.