SACS Accreditation

3.11.2 Institutional Environment

Comprehensive Standard: The institution takes reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all members of the campus community.

X  Compliance
     Partial Compliance
     Non-compliance

A healthy, safe, and secure environment is of paramount importance to Georgia State University.  The university administration makes every effort to ensure a healthy, safe and secure environment for all members of the campus community. Each year the police publish a SafetyNet booklet that explains the service offerings of the police department, prevention services, and Georgia State University crime statistics [1]. The book also includes safety tips and recommendations for improvement to campus security.

Four institutional offices are primarily concerned with security, safety, and health: the Police Department, the Office of Research Integrity, Safety and Risk Management, and the Student Health Center.The Police Department is responsible for enforcing federal and state criminal laws and specific university policy and procedures pertaining to student conduct so that a safe campus environment is available. The Office of Research Integrity deals with a wide range of safety and compliance programs.  The Student Health Center provides health care, educational and outreach services to students [2].

The Georgia State University Police Department was the first campus police department in >Georgia to achieve the distinction of "Certified Law Enforcement Agency" from the State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program. Certification was achieved by meeting all the very stringent and recognized professional law enforcement standards as verified by audits conducted by teams of other certified law enforcement agencies. This award is recognized by all law enforcement agencies in Georgia as a measure to insure that professional law enforcement services are being provided to the community that the agency serves.

The Georgia State University Police Department provides a variety of services ranging from crime prevention to investigations. It is composed of 80 police officers certified by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council of Georgia, as well as 35 student assistants, 16 security guards, 11 communication dispatchers and 8 supporting staff members. [3]

The Office of Research Integrity [4] deals with a wide range of safety and compliance programs [5] including, but not limited to, environmental programs [6]  (including asbestos control and abatement), hazardous materials management and disposition, radiation safety [7], and biosafety [8].  The Office of Research Integrity also has a Research Occupational Health and Safety Program that seeks to reduce to an acceptable level, the risk associated with the use of vertebrate animals in research, teaching, and outreach.

Safety and Risk Management provides oversight for fire safety [9], occupational health and workers and compensation programs [10].  To educate faculty and staff members about safety, training workshops are regularly conducted [11]. It further tracks work-related injuries, a myriad of incidents for prevention purposes, and property losses on a monthly basis. In addition, the University promulgates and distributes university-wide safety policies and updates them regularly.

The University also is currently working to create and distribute an Emergency Operations Procedures booklet for each campus building [12].The University Health Services seeks to complement the academic mission of the university by addressing and supporting the changing health care needs of our population. We accomplish this by providing cost-effective, high quality treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, and by increasing student knowledge of patient education on wellness and promoting positive health behaviors and disease prevention.Georgia University also participates in a system wide health insurance program as a way to offer health insurance to students who may not have access.

The Georgia State University Police Department is located on the first floor of One Park Place South, with the main entrance to the department on the Edgewood Avenue side of the building which is near the center of Campus. All Georgia State University police officers complete a two week training course given by the department's training officer. They are then required to obtain certification by completing an eleven-week basic police academy course prescribed by the Peace Officers Standards and Training Council of Georgia.  In addition, officers are given further training relevant to their particular shifts.

All officers must attend range weapons training at least twice a year. They are also periodically updated on their cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. The department sends many officers to specialized schools, seminars and workshops offered by various organizations and police academies. In addition, officers receive in-service training in such areas as report writing, communications, field interrogation and police procedures.

The core of Georgia State's Police Department is the Communications Center, a state-of-the-art electronic center linking University personnel with the officers on patrol. All calls for assistance and reports of criminal activity are received here. Emergency call boxes strategically located throughout campus provide immediate emergency contact with this office. The office is also the annunciation point for burglar alarms and elevator alarms.

The investigations division is composed of five officers who perform follow-up investigations on criminal incidents. The division maintains a record keeping system for investigative purposes. These officers also handle various internal affairs for the Department, do background investigations on all police applicants and assist victims with the court system.

Crime Prevention Programs provide brochures, presentations, video notices and premise surveys to boost crime awareness on campus and to the University community. Operation I.D. gives students, staff and faculty the opportunity to help protect against theft by engraving identification on their valuables, both at home and on campus. Engravers may be checked out by calling the Crime Prevention Unit.  Any university department or organization may request a premise survey from the Georgia State University Police Crime Prevention Unit. These surveys provide information concerning the crime history of the facility, crime risk and suggestions to eliminate or reduce the risk of crime.

1. Safetynet
2. Student Health Center
3. Police website
4. Office of Research Integrity
5. Compliance and Safety Programs
6. Environmental Programs
7. Radiation Safety
8. Biosafety
9. Fire Safety Program
10. Occupational Heath & Safety Guide
11. Training Calendar of Events
12. Georgia State University Emergency Operations Procedures