CRIME PREVENTION AND VICTIM ASSISTANCE
All officers of the Rice University Police Department are trained crime prevention
practitioners. The department is convinced that it is easier and safer for all concerned to
prevent a crime than it is to apprehend a criminal committing a crime. More importantly,
when a crime is prevented, there is no victim.
Policing by prevention is a proactive approach that requires an informed public. The
police department believes that an informed public can better protect itself and help in
the prevention of crime. Campus police invite discussion of potential security problems on
campus and are available for open forums on security issues.
Throughout the year, the university police take every opportunity to speak on personal
safety, crime prevention and crime reporting. Officers speak at the residential colleges
during Freshman Orientation Week, at informal meetings concerned with women’s issues
and at RiceFest, the staff information fair. The university police also have sponsored special
awareness events such as the Campus Night Out. College officers recruit volunteers in the
various colleges to form a Campus Watch Program. Volunteer floor captains have been
instrumental in reporting suspicious persons and emergency situations, such as water and
electrical outages.
In addition, safety education programs are presented by such groups as the Wellness
Center and the Houston Area Women’s Center. Such programs are intended to encourage
students and employees to be responsible for their own safety, to prevent crimes, such as
sexual assault and drug and alcohol violations, and to inform members of the community
how to report such incidents.
Written information on these subjects is published in policy and position statements in the
Student Handbook and is distributed to departments in memorandum and electronic form.
When appropriate, officers will make referrals to various assistance groups, such as the Women’s
Resource Center, the Counseling Center, the Wellness Center, the Employee Assistance Program,
the EEOP/Affirmative Action Office or the Victims’ Assistance Program.
Sexual misconduct/assault
Rice University will not tolerate sexual assault in any form, including acquaintance rape.
If you are a victim of sexual assault, you have the right to:
- Report the incident to the police department and pursue criminal charges.
- Seek medical treatment as soon as possible, including the collection and preservation of
evidence crucial to pursuing criminal action — an important step even if you are not
immediately certain you want to pursue a criminal complaint. - Access the wide range of support services provided by the university and off-campus
organizations. All support services are independent from the police and the filing of a
complaint.
Any student who is a victim of sexual assault should report the incident to deter further
assaults. Others who are aware of sexual assaults should report them to ensure that victims
receive the services they need. Incidents may be reported to the Rice University Police
Department or the Houston Police Department.
In addition, a report should be made as
soon as possible to the associate dean of student judicial programs. Medical assistance
should be sought to ensure preservation of physical evidence (rape kit). Psychological
counseling is available on campus from the Rice Counseling Center, a member of which is
on call 24 hours a day for emergency assistance. The Houston Area Women’s Center rape
crisis program also provides immediate advice and assistance to sexual assault victims.
In addition to criminal sanctions for forcible and nonforcible rape, acquaintance rape
and other sexual offenses, the university’s disciplinary procedures allow for a range of
sanctions up to and including expulsion from residential living areas, expulsion from the
institution and termination of employment status.
A member of the Office of the Dean of Undergraduates or the dean of Graduate and
Postdoctoral Studies can assist a victim in notifying the police, changing academic and
living accommodations if changes are reasonably available and filing a complaint against
the perpetrator within the university’s disciplinary system. The complainant and the
accused have an equal opportunity to have others present at a disciplinary hearing and to
know the outcome of the proceeding. Sanctions can include suspension or even expulsion
from Rice. For further information, refer to the Code of Student Conduct or contact the
assistant dean of student judicial programs.
Faculty, staff and students should report sexual harassment. The policy provides for
resolving problems through any of the several channels set out in University Policy 830 or
through a formal complaint, which can be filed with the Office of Equal Employment
Opportunity Programs by calling ext. 4930 or 713-348-4930, or for students, with the associate
dean of student judicial programs by calling ext. 4786 or 713-348-4786. A copy of Rice’s policy
prohibiting sexual harassment is distributed annually to all students, faculty and staff and
is available from the Human Resources Office located in Suite 2600, Memorial Hermann
Medical Plaza, 6400 Fannin St., ext. 2514 or 713-348-2514. The policy also is available on
Rice’s website at http://professor.rice.edu/professor/Rice_University_Sexual_Harassment.asp.
The university’s policy and processes regarding responding to sexual harassment
and general violence will be modified during the current academic year to reflect recent
Department of Education regulations.
Drug and alcohol issues
As commissioned police officers, Rice University police enforce federal and state laws regarding the possession, use or sale of illegal drugs. RUPD also enforces the laws of the state of Texas regarding alcohol possession and use, including underage drinking laws. Information on alcohol or drug abuse education programs is available from the Wellness Center by calling ext. 5194 or 713-348-5194.
Crime reporting
The Rice University Police Department complies with all federal requirements for disclosure of crime statistics. RUPD also maintains procedures through which victims or witnesses may report crimes on a confidential basis for inclusion in the annual report of crime statistics. Pastoral and professional counselors are encouraged, as they deem appropriate, to inform persons they are counseling of these procedures for confidential reporting.
Information on registered sex offenders
Information regarding registered sex offenders provided by the state of Texas may be
obtained through the Rice University Police Department website at http://rupd.rice.edu
or directly from the Texas Department of Public Safety registered sex offenders website at
https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/Dpswebsite/index.aspx.
Notice of Missing Student Notification Procedures
Federal law requires that Rice establish a policy for notifying parents or other designated
persons should Rice determine that a student residing on campus is missing. That policy
may be found at http://www.rupd.rice.edu/safety.cfm?doc_id=13908. The law also requires
that students be informed of the following:
- If any person believes that a Rice student is missing, the person should make a report to
RUPD.
- Rice will initiate emergency contact procedures in accordance with the student’s
designation if RUPD has been notified of, and makes a determination that, a student
who is the subject of a missing person report has been missing for more than 24 hours
and has not returned to campus, or if a local law enforcement agency notifies Rice that
it has determined a student residing on Rice’s campus is missing.
- Each student living in on-campus housing has the option of identifying a person or
persons to be contacted by Rice not later than 24 hours after the time that the student is
determined to be missing. Students can register this contact information confidentially
through the Esther website. Access to this information will be limited to authorized
campus personnel, such as RUPD, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduates and/or the
Office of the Dean of Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Studies.
- If a student is under 18 years of age, and not an emancipated individual, Rice is required
to notify a custodial parent or guardian (in addition to any other contact person
designated by the student) and the notification must occur not later than 24 hours after
the student is determined to be missing.
- Regardless of whether the student has named a confidential contact person under this
procedure, Rice will notify any appropriate local law enforcement agencies not later
than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing