Dominican Campus Safety and Security

Dominican University is committed to promoting a value-centered educational environment, which includes the sense of safety and security that all community members must have if the environment is to be conducive to academic and personal development.

With the effective combination of security policies, educational programs, timely reporting and communication of campus crime statistics, the university can approach this ideal. Members of the campus community must realize that safety and security is a shared responsibility by the students, faculty and staff of Dominican University.

About Campus Safety and Security

The Dominican University Office of Campus Safety and Security is responsible for reporting all campus crimes and compliance with the Student Right-To-Know Act and the Campus Security Act. The office, located in the north end of the lower level of Lewis Hall, is staffed by full-time professional security personnel and is augmented by student personnel. Officers patrol the campus 24 hours a day. A central dispatch center coordinates all requests for service.

Security officers are an unarmed informational force and have jurisdiction in all areas of campus. They are in direct communication with the police and fire departments of River Forest and call upon their assistance when needed.

The Campus Safety and Security Office also issues parking permits and university IDs, enforces all on-campus parking, maintains university vehicles, oversees lost and found and locker registration, monitors the University’s video surveillance systems, and staffs dispatch. The Security main office phone number is (708) 524-6300.

Security Escort and Shuttle Services

The Office of Campus Safety and Security provides a security escort service for all individuals on campus. Escorts are available at all hours, every day, by dialing 5999 from an on-campus phone or (708) 524-5999.

A shuttle service is provided between Main Campus and the Priory Campus that runs every 15 minutes between 8:00 am and 11:45 pm Monday through Friday and by request at other times. The shuttle also makes trips to Harlem and Lake Avenues on the hour starting at 7:00 pm for access to the CTA Green Line stop. For shuttle schedules visit the Campus Safety and Security myDU website or stop by the office.

The shuttle does not run on a regular schedule during the hours of 12:00a.m. and 8:00a.m. Anyone may call for a ride between campuses. Campus Safety and Security will try to accommodate these requests in a timely manner. You may also request a shuttle from Harlem and Lake, however, please understand there may be a wait as the driver has other duties during this period.

Procedures for Reporting a Crime

Dominican University encourages individuals to report all crimes to campus safety and security in an accurate and timely manner. Dominican provides different ways to report crimes or other emergencies to campus safety and security or obtain help. It is the university’s policy that Dominican community members should report whenever they observe anything suspicious, believe they have discovered a crime or come across a hazard which could cause harm to themselves or others.

All campus individuals can report a crime confidentially to Campus Safety and Security from any campus phone by dialing 5999. Security dispatch is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As appropriate, Campus Safety and Security will contact the River Forest Police Department or other law enforcement agencies. In addition, victims can report crimes to the Office of the Dean of Students and/or the Office of Residence Life.

The Office of Safety and Security publishes the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which summarizes the elements of the campus security and fire safety program, which is administered and maintained by the Campus Safety and Security Department. This public disclosure is intended to inform current and prospective students and employees of the security and fire safety programs and policies in place at Dominican University, and the institution’s state of readiness to detect and respond appropriately to fire related emergencies.

The 2010 Annual Fire and Safety Report is published in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Please follow this link to view the report as an on-line pdf file. Hard copies of the report are available for public review by calling 708-524-6300 or by visiting the Office of Campus Safety and Security located in the lower level of Lewis Hall. The Campus Safety and Security office is open from Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm excluding holidays. 

School Closings

• Information will be available by 6:30a.m. or 3:30p.m. through the following:
• Listen to the radio — AM 720 WGN
• Dominican University and my DU
• Email to all DU accounts
• Voicemail broadcast to campus numbers
• Call the switchboard at (708) 366-2490

Contact Numbers to Report Concerns

• Campus Safety and Security and 24- Hour Security Escort Service: (708) 524-5999
• Office of the Dean of Students: (708) 524-6822
• Office of Residence Life: (708) 524-6217
• River Forest Police (non-emergency and off-campus escort): (708) 366-7125
• Emergency: 911