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Missing Person Resident Student

Principles THAT Guide Action

When students come to reside at the University, they expect that they will be part of a safe community. When there is reason for concern regarding the absence of a student who resides on campus, University officials will make every effort to ascertain their whereabouts and to communicate that information to those who need to know. The right of each student to reasonable privacy will likewise be honored, respecting the student’s rights granted under FERPA.

Monmouth University recommends that all students register a Confidential Contact who will be notified if a student has been determined as missing. The Confidential Contact form is sent out to all students residing on campus during the beginning of every academic semester. Students can also find this registration form through Web Advisor listed under e-Forms if they choose to register a contact at a later date. The Confidential Contact will be notified within 24 hours if a student is reported missing. The Confidential Contact is exclusive to missing persons and will only be used if in the case of a missing person.

Notification

The notification of an alleged missing person may come from any source: e.g., parent, boyfriend, girlfriend, significant other, roommate/apartment mate, a University employee, and/or fellow member of a campus organization.

Responsible Parties Available for Reporting

  • James Pillar—Vice President of Student Life 732-571-3417
  • Shannon Killeen—Associate Vice President and Dean of Students 732-571-3585
  • Megan Jones—Director of Housing Operations 732-571-7575
  • David Schenck—Associate Director of Residential Life 732-571-3465

Members of the Area Coordinator Staff:

  • Lauren Pfisterer—732-571-7546
  • Tony Conard—732-571-6015
  • Amir Gallashaw—732-263-6011
  • Maria Vasquez Garcia—732-263-6020
  • Angelique Jeanty—732-263-6013

When there is reason to believe that a student is missing, that information will be immediately reported to a “responsible party” (Area Coordinator or other appropriate Administrator). The Area Coordinator on duty, in conjunction with a member of the Director’s Staff (Associate Vice President of Student Life, Associate Directors, or Assistant Director), will notify the Monmouth University Police Department and the Office of the Vice President for Student Life. Credibility will be determined by reporting source; as well as by facts on hand.

Active Intervention

In the case of an alleged missing person, the first/coordinating official is the Area Coordinator on duty in consultation with a member of the Director’s Staff (Associate Vice President of Student Life, Associate Directors, or Assistant Director). A member of the Director’s Staff will notify the Monmouth University Police and the Office of the Vice President for Student Life.

Timeline of Action After Notification

Area Coordinator will contact student staff in the area in which the potential missing student resides, and the student staff will do the following:

  1. Perform a health and welfare check of the room – identify if the student is there.
  2. Canvass the suite/wing/apartment and inquire if the student has been seen on campus.
  3. Document all information.
  4. Inform the Monmouth University Police Department of a potential missing student.

The Area Coordinator on duty/working with the student staff will do the following:

  1. Interview the residents within the room/suite/wing/apartment and determine:
    1. Last sighting of missing student.
    2. Check the ProWatch system for building access activity.
    3. Check with Gourmet Dining Services to look for meals in any on-campus dining facility.
    4. Areas where student may visit or stay frequently.
    5. If the student has a boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other whom he/she stays with (on/off campus or at another institution).
    6. If determined that the missing student’s boyfriend/ girlfriend/significant other is at another institution, do we know first and/or last name of that person.
    7. If the students are aware of any issues/incidents that may have impacted the potential missing student within the past month.
    8. If there is any indication that the missing student may be in any sort of trouble, or may have been the victim of a crime, the University Police will be contacted immediately.
  2. Review the Residential Life’s documentation to see if the student has had prior incidents or is at risk. If the student has been a part of the “at risk” population, the Counselor on call should be notified.
  3. Apprise a member of the Director’s Staff as to the situation and update on all information gathered.
  4. If listed on the Residence Hall Contract, attempt to contact student via his/her cell phone, or an “ADSU” module in User Interface.
  5. Contact Health Services and determine if the student has been utilizing their services within the past five (5) days.

The Director Staff will do the following:

  1. Using User Interface, inquire if a student has purchased a meal plan; if so, proceed to “Step B.”
  2. Contact a manager of the Gourmet Dining staff at 732-263-5608 or extension 2701. The management staff will determine the last time the student’s meal plan was utilized. If the missing student has not purchased a Resident Meal Plan (apartment residents), inquire if he/she has purchased a Commuter Meal Plan. The activity of the student can be determined as well.
  3. Determine the last time the student used his/her ID card to gain access to any on-campus residence hall.
  4. If we have the name and institution of the missing person’s partner; (boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other), an outreach to that institution may be made to see if the telephone number of the missing student’s partner can be released to inquire if said student is there.

After 12 Hours:

The student staff will do the following:

  1. Perform a health and welfare check at the student’s room.
  2. Canvass the suite/wing/apartment and see if student was seen.
  3. Document all information and update Area Coordinator on duty.

The Area Coordinator on duty will do the following:

  1. Update the Director Staff as to the progress of the student staff.
  2. Check student’s class schedule/reach out to professors for attendance.

The Director Staff will:

  1. Consult with Monmouth University Police Department pertaining to the status of the student.
  2. Notify the Counselor on call about the missing resident.
  3. Update Vice President of Student Life.
  4. Notify Academic Advisor.
  5. Notify Health Services.
  6. In consultation with the Vice President of Student Life, a member of Residential Life or Monmouth University Police Department will contact parents, the student’s Confidential Contact, or the appropriate emergency contact.
  7. Regardless of age, emancipation status, or having registered a confidential contact, local law enforcement will be notified of a missing on-campus student within 24 hours of disappearance.

The Area Coordinator of that specific area will do the following:

  1. Determine which residents are in need of outreach due to the impact of the missing student and provide support as needed.
  2. Work with Monmouth University Police Department, if needed, assisting in any capacity.
  3. Meet with building staff and communicate all pertinent information.

After 24 Hours:

The student staff will do the following:

  1. Perform a health and welfare check at the student’s room.
  2. Canvass the suite/wing/apartment and see if student was seen.
  3. Document all information and update Area Coordinator on duty.

The Area Coordinator on duty will do the following:

  1. Update the Director Staff as to the progress of the student staff.
  2. Check student’s class schedule/reach out to professors for attendance.

The Director Staff will:

  1. Communicate with Monmouth University Police Department.
  2. Update Vice President of Student Life.

The Area Coordinator of that specific area will do the following:

  1. Work with Monmouth University Police Department, if needed, assisting in any capacity.
  2. Meet with building staff and communicate all pertinent information.

After 48 Hours:

The student staff will do the following:

  1. Perform a health and welfare check at the student’s room.
  2. Canvass the suite/wing/apartment and see if student was seen.
  3. Document all information and update Area Coordinator on duty.

The Area Coordinator on duty will do the following:

  1. Update the Director Staff as to the progress of the student staff.
  2. Check student’s class schedule/reach out to professors for attendance.

The Director Staff will:

  1. Update Monmouth University Police Department.
  2. Update Vice President of Student Life.

The Area Coordinator of that specific area will do the following:

  1. Continue to provide support as needed.
  2. Work with Monmouth University Police Department, if needed, assisting in any capacity.
  3. Check with building staff and communicate all pertinent information.

After 72 Hours Continuing Until Day 6:

All Professional staff will do the following:

  1. Update student staff as information becomes available.
  2. Continue to refer students to counseling as needed.

Follow Up When Student Is Found:

When the student is located, the Director Staff will do the following:

  1. Notify Monmouth University Police Department.
  2. Notify Vice President of Student Life.
  3. Notify Academic Advisor.
  4. Notify Director of Counseling and Prevention Services.
  5. Notify Residential Life Assistant Staff (Area Coordinator).
  6. Notify Director of Health Services.
  7. Notify Student Staff (Resident Assistants).
  8. Notify Support Offices with which the student may be affiliated (EOF, Athletics).
  9. Meet with student and discuss incident.
  10. Determine impact on professional staff. Determine if any additional follow-up is needed.

Intervention If Student Is Missing Over 7 Days

  1. The Associate Vice President and Dean of Students in consultation with the Vice President of Student Life and Leadership Engagement to determine the course of action.
  2. The Vice President of Student Life will convene:
    1. Associate Vice President and Dean of Students.
    2. Director of Health Services.
    3. Director of Counseling and Prevention Services.
    4. Registrar.
    5. Monmouth University Police Department.
    6. Any additional resources as determined appropriate by the Vice President of Student Life. This group will determine and verify that the student has not been found. Furthermore, the future responsibility of each area will be determined.
  3. Residential Life will meet with affected students with a member of Counseling and Prevention Services to debrief the students on the situation.
  4. Residential Life Staff will continue to monitor the effect of the incident on the community and make appropriate referrals to the campus resources.

Missing Resident Student Procedures

Schools with a campus police or security department

  1. Student missing for 24 hours
  2. Report to people or organization specified in school policy
  3. Immediate referral to campus police or security
  4. Campus police or security investigates and makes determination that student has been missing for at least 24 hours
  5. School must notify emergency contact/parent and local law enforcement within 24 hours of campus police determination