Purpose:
The term “missing student,” for the purpose of this policy,
shall refer to any St. John’s University student, who resides in a
facility owned or controlled by the University, who has not been
seen in 24 hours and whose whereabouts is unknown. The
following procedure will be initiated once it is determined
that a student is missing, with no reasonable explanation for his
or her absence. Ordinarily, this procedure will be
initiated after a 24-hour period from the time the student
was last seen, but this procedure may be implemented in
less than 24 hours if circumstances warrant a faster
implementation.
Each student living in a facility owned or controlled by
the University may identify an individual that the University can
contact in accordance with the University’s official notification
procedures described below if such student is determined
missing. Only authorized campus officials and law enforcement
officers will have access to the identity of the confidential
contact person. A confidential contact person can be
registered by entering such contact information where requested
during such student’s provision of general emergency contact
information.
In the event a student under the age of 18 (who is not
emancipated) is determined to be missing, the student’s custodial
parent or legal guardian will be notified no later than 24 hours
after the student is determined to be missing.
If Public Safety or law enforcement personnel has been notified
and makes a determination that a student who is the subject of a
missing person report has been missing for 24 hours and has not
returned to campus, the University will initiate the emergency
contact procedures designated by the student, and, if the student
is under the age of 18 and not emancipated, the custodial parent or
legal guardian of the student will be notified. In cases
where the missing student is over the age of 18 and has not
designated an emergency contact, the University will inform the
appropriate law enforcement agency that the student is missing.
Notification Procedures:
- Reports of a student missing for 24 hours who resides in an
on-campus student housing facility should be made to any or all of
the below listed persons:
• Dean of Students
• Director of Residence Life
• Director of Judicial Affairs
• Assistant Director of Residence Life
• Associate Director of Student Life
• Residence Directors
• Residence Assistants
• Residence Ministry
• Vice president of Public Safety
• Executive Director of Public Safety
• Public Safety Officers
- Upon being notified of a missing student, each of the above
individuals will ensure an immediate notification is made to the
Department of Public Safety. Public Safety together with Residence
Life will initiate a prompt investigation into the whereabouts of
the missing student to include but not limited to making
inquiries of roommates/suitemates, residents living on the same
floor, and any other known associates of the missing
student.
- The Directors of Residence Life for the Queens and
Staten Island campuses, the Associate Director of Student Life on
the Manhattan campus (or, for international campuses, the Resident
Director of such campus) or his/her designee, in conjunction with
the Department of Public Safety will work with the Dean of
Students, or his/her designee, to review the student’s academic
schedule and ascertain whether the student is attending
classes. The Vice President of Public Safety or his/her
designee will request the StormCard Office to review the use
of the student’s Storm-Card to assist in ascertaining the location
of the missing student
- The Directors of Residence Life for the Queens and
Staten Island campuses, and the Associate Director of Student Life
on the Manhattan campus (or, for international campuses, the
Resident Director of such campus) in conjunction with the
Department of Public Safety will promptly contact the
individual’s parents or noted next-of-kin, and, if applicable, the
individual’s registered, confidential contact. The
parents/next-of-kin or registered confidential contact will be
appraised of the situation and asked whether they have any
knowledge of the student’s whereabouts.
- The Directors of Residence Life for the Queens and
Staten Island campuses and the Associate Director of Student Life
on the Manhattan campus (or, for international campuses, the
Resident Director of such campus) will promptly inform the
Vice President Student Affairs that all efforts, including
notification of parents/next-of-kin and, if applicable, the
individual’s registered, confidential contact, have met with
negative results. The Vice President of Public Safety,
or his or her designee, will contact the New York City Police
Department, who will initiate an investigation and search based on
their departmental policy and procedures.* The Department of
Public Safety and other departments of the University will
cooperate fully with the investigation. The Department of
Public Safety will assist the authorities in identifying parties
needed for questioning. The Vice President of Public
Safety and or the Vice President Student Affairs will contact the
Executive Vice President of the university.
- If circumstances warrant a faster implementation of the
notification procedures, the Directors of Residence Life for the
Queens and Staten Island campuses and the Associate Director of
Student Life on the Manhattan campus, or for international
campuses, the Resident Director of such campus or his/her
designee’s, will contact the Department of Public Safety and the
Dean of Students immediately. The Department of Public Safety
will notify the New York City Police Department immediately, to
begin an investigation in accordance with their policy and
procedures. Student Life will contact the Executive Vice President
for Student Services, the parents/next-of-kin and, if applicable,
the individual’s registered, confidential contact.
Important: The New York City
Police Department has a standard operating procedure in place to
respond to missing persons. The local precinct commanders
have agreed that the New York City Police Department will address
such a situation promptly and in accordance with the New York City
Police Department Patrol Guide.