Safety Measures
Indiana Tech takes pride and the utmost responsibility in the safety of our students and campus community. To help keep everyone safe, the following measures have been implemented.
Access to Campus
The Fort Wayne campus buildings, including residence halls, have identification card readers installed at the main entrances and certain internal areas. Academic and Administration buildings are open during business hours but are only accessible with valid access levels once the building closes. Access to campus buildings and the grounds is a privilege extended to students, employees, and authorized guests. Visitors are free to enter campus but may be asked to leave if they have no current business on campus or are interrupting university functions.
Individuals who wish to access university buildings or property for events should contact the appropriate department administrator or Conference Services to schedule. Safety & Security is available at 260-399-2805 for certain after hours access requests.
Safety & Security conducts 24 hour monitoring of all card readers across campus and can watch real-time usage as well as remotely secure card readers if necessary. During a lockdown, security is able to restrict card access to all readers, regardless of access level.
Residence Hall Access
Our residence halls are equipped with an automated card access control system. The exception is Warrior Row A and B, which is strictly key access and the keys are assigned to the residents for access. Residence halls are secured 24 hours, every day of the year, and require a card with valid access levels to enter. Unlimited access is available to students and authorized staff and faculty via the system. Guests and other visitors may visit the residence halls if they have been authorized by student affairs, facilities, security, or the resident. Non-residents of any may be asked to leave at any time, including residences that are not their own. Visitors must stay with their host while inside a residence hall.
In addition to the automated card access control system, all exterior doors and first floor window screens in the residence halls are equipped and monitored with an electronic alarm system.
University Keys and ID Cards
Campus keys are high-security keys that can only be reproduced by designated university staff. All keys issued to a resident are the property of the university and must be returned when the student checks out or changes rooms. If any key is lost, it should be reported to Safety & Security or Residence Life immediately. When keys are lost or stolen, the lock on the room door will be changed and a charge will be assessed as outlined on the housing contract. To protect residents, only necessary room keys are assigned to each resident and are tracked by key number.
The university provides all students, employees, and select contractors with a photo ID access card. Student ID cards grant access to appropriate academic areas, dining services, McMillen Library, and labs on campus through an automated card access system. ID access cards are coded with permissions specific to the users needs, as determined by certain university officials. Users are encouraged to report lost or stolen cards to Safety & Security immediately.
Emergency Notification Messages
If an emergency occurs on campus or an event requires a “Timely Warning”, Blackboard Connect can be used to send messages to the campus community through phone, email, voice evacuation systems, and more.
CCTV
Indiana Tech employs security cameras across the university that are monitored by security officers 24 hours a day. Video recordings may be used as evidence against criminal activity, violations of policy, or unsafe acts. Students, employees, and visitors who enter onto Indiana Tech property are subject to video recording. Access to video recordings may only be viewed or released with permission of the Director of Safety & Security or the Vice President of Student Services to protect the privacy of those captured on video.
Smoke Detectors
All residence halls have smoke detectors installed and are connected to a Fire Alarm Control Panel. There are smoke detectors in each student room as well as the common areas. The panels are all monitored by an alarm monitoring company which immediately reports alarms to the Fort Wayne Fire Department and to Safety & Security.
Sprinkler Systems
All residence halls have sprinkler systems installed and are connected to the Fire Alarm Control Panel. The panels are all monitored by an alarm monitoring company which immediately reports alarms to the Fort Wayne Fire Department and to Safety & Security.
Fire Drills
We are required to conduct a minimum of four fire drills (evacuations) at each residence hall, throughout the academic year. The university requires complete evacuation of buildings during a fire alarm. Individuals who ignore fire alarms and required evacuations may face disciplinary action. Since false alarms may lower the evacuation response from students, the university tracks the causes of false alarms to work with students to reduce their occurrence. Students should take proactive measures within their residences to reduce false alarms. This includes such measures as following microwave instructions on food items or not smoking inside residence halls.
“Code Blue” Emergency Phones
These two-way call stations are located strategically around the Fort Wayne campus and Warrior Park. They are tall “yellow” poles with a blue light on top and allow individuals in need of assistance to speak directly to a member of Safety & Security. The officer will dispatch the appropriate emergency response to the caller. Safety & Security conducts monthly tests of each station and voice evacuation systems.
Campus Escort Program
If you must travel alone, Safety & Security can provide a safe, reliable escort service. Contact security at ext. 2230 or 260.399.2805, and they will escort you to any facility on campus or your personal vehicle upon request. The officer will inform the control center when they have met with the requestor and will stay with the requestor until they are inside their destination space or the vehicle is turned on. The officer will then inform the control center that the escort is complete and return to their rounds. Additionally, the control center will use CCTV to follow the escort while it is ongoing.
Site Inspections
In addition to routine patrols, Safety & Security staff conduct multiple site inspections each month in order to record, report, and coordinate with facilities to maintain the safety of the campus community. The Director of Safety & Security conducts yearly site inspections of regional campuses. Fire extinguishers are also checked around campus monthly. Students and employees may also submit maintenance requests.
Security Surveys
These surveys are conducted on a routine basis with members of the university community. The primary goal of these surveys is to identify areas of the campus that may present vulnerabilities to one’s safety. Security works with the buildings and grounds department to address concerns.
Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan
Indiana Tech maintains a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan to prevent oil spills from contaminating our environment.