History
The Commission for Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness began in July 2011 as a way to bring together ACPA members who are working in this emerging area that requires specialized knowledge, skills, abilities and training. It is our goal to provide resources, knowledge, skills development and networking for professionals both new and seasoned working with Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness. The Commission was officially founded in Fall 2011 (as a Task Force) and held it’s first Directorate Meeting and Open Business Meeting at the 2012 Convention in Louisville. In the fall of 2014, our proposal for full Commission status was approved by ACPA.
OBJECTIVES
- Increase knowledge, accessibility, visibility and research on topics of campus safety and emergency preparedness.
- Identify and promote best practices relating to campus safety and emergency preparedness.
- Assist in developing a body of research in the areas of campus safety and emergency preparedness in higher education.
- Become the clearing house for resources, research and best practices for topics of campus safety and emergency preparedness in higher education.
Provide practical skills
- Provide training opportunities on Campus Safety topical areas including but not limited to: fire safety, sexual assault, security awareness and education, alcohol, illegal drugs, hate crime reporting, environmental health and safety issues, town/gown relationships, disruptive and threatening student behavior.
- Provide training opportunities on emergency preparedness topical areas including but not limited to: emergency response response teams, timely emergency notifications, behavioral assessment teams, threat assessment teams, missing student notification, emergency response to natural disasters, technological disaster response, environmental health and safety issues, continuity of business, operations and data planning, pandemic planning, media response, incident command, case management, NIMS certification, Homeland Security guidelines, and working with city based first responders.
- Provide practical skills building for various levels of staff who are first responders and supports in a campus emergency.
Provide professional development opportunities
- Offer a forum through which college and university professionals can connect with a network of institutions and peers to discuss issues of campus safety and emergency preparedness electronically or in person.
- Contribute to the annual conference through offering programs and events thus contributing to the overall mission of ACPA.
- Help college and university professionals to understand the collaborative partners in place relating to campus safety and emergency preparedness.
- Provide networking for professionals by response role on campus
- Provide a forum for professionals conducting research to share their information and resources.
ACTIVITIES
- Create a clearing house of Campus Safety and Emergency Preparedness research and resources for colleges and universities.
- Utilize webinars to offer trainings on relevant topics
- Develop position papers and summaries on current trends and issues such as handgun and concealed carry legislation in various states.
- Identify topical training areas to go in depth for pre-conference sessions and/or institutes.
- Develop collaborative partnerships with other organizations.
TARGET POPULATION (ACPA General Membership)
- Proposed target population would include Residence Life, Dean of Students, Campus Security/Police, Risk Managers, Senior Level Student Affairs Officers, Facilities Staff, Faculty Members, Human Resource staff, Student Union Staff, and Counseling and Psychological Services staff.
Bylaws
Preamble
Membership
Officer Duties and Responsibilities
- Chair
- Chair-elect
- Immediate Past Chair
- Vice-Chair for Operations
- Vice-Chair for Professional Development
- Vice-Chair for Communications & Outreach
- Vice-Chair for Research, Scholarship, & Practice
- Vice-Chair for Membership