Campus Safety Guide: Resources College Students

Living and learning on-campus can present a lot of challenges and complex situations - more than just passing your midterms. Knowing what resources are out there ahead of time can help you to be safe against whatever life throws at you. Below are some helpful tools to keep in your back pocket (quite literally, right on your phone) in case of an emergency.

Alcohol Overdose Resources

NIAAA College Drinking Prevention -  collegedrinkingprevention.govThis is the federal government's research-based site on college drinking. It covers alcohol overdose warning signs, binge drinking facts, and what to do when a friend has had too much.

Steve's Law (Minnesota Good Samaritan Law) -  house.mn.gov/hrd/as/88/as232.pdfUnder Minnesota's Good Samaritan law, people acting in good faith who seek medical attention for someone experiencing an alcohol or drug overdose are released from certain criminal liability, and the person having the overdose is covered too. In short, calling 911 for a friend won't get either of you charged for the listed offenses. 

Sexual Assault Prevention Resources

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline -  rainn.org | 800-656-4673This is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. Its hotline is free, confidential, and open 24/7, and you can reach it by phone or online chat.

RAINN: Staying Safe on Campus - rainn.org/articles/staying-safe-campusRAINN's practical guide for students. It covers trusting your instincts, party safety, bystander intervention, and how to support a friend who has been assaulted.

Emergency Location Resources

Find My - https://www.apple.com/icloud/find-my/ Every major Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Macbook, Apple Watch) comes with the Find My app pre-downloaded. This app allows you to share your location with others. If you’re ever walking alone and feel uneasy, asking a family member or friend to watch your location until you reach your destination can give you both some peace of mind.

bSafe - https://getbsafe.com/ bSafe is an app that helps connect you to emergency services quickly. When the SOS button is hit, the app immediately sends out GPS location and audio recording to your emergency contacts and emergency services, cutting down dispatch wait times and getting you help faster.

Noonlight - https://www.noonlight.com/noonlight-app Noonlight is another app that notifies emergency contacts and services. What differentiates Noonlight from others is its discreet notification function. If you find yourself in an unsafe situation, all you have to do is hold the Noonlight button on your homescreen and release it without entering your PIN. From there, it will contact emergency dispatch with your location.

Rave Guardian App - https://publicsafety.umn.edu/campus-safety/rave-guardian-campus-safety-app 

The Rave Guardian app is used across colleges and universities for campus safety. It turns your phone into a resource with several safety features, allowing you to alert designated users or campus security to your location. Users can set a timer for their trip and alert emergency contacts if they’re not back by the time the trip expires. The safety timer is especially helpful for students who are walking by themselves or feel unsafe. Certain implementations are also set up to talk with campus security directly, send in an anonymous tip, and make emergency calls for you. Rave Guardian is affiliated with several schools, so taking the time to set up the app based on your school’s offerings can make it less stressful to get help in the future.