Engaging Our Community as Partners to Help Protect Our Pack
We care deeply about the safety of all members in our UWG community. We are committed to fostering a caring, safe, and inclusive campus community. Through intentional programs, services, and campus partnerships, you can take advantage of campus resources and preventative education to identify risky behaviors, avoid dangerous situations, and help Protect our Pack!
Know Something, See Something, Say Something
Let’s work together to help maintain a safe environment for all members of our community. If you see any suspicious behavior, please report it immediately to the Office of Community Standards at 678-839-2466 and/or the University Police Department (UPD) at 678-839-6000. You should trust your instincts. If something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't. Don't ignore it or keep it to yourself. We recommend that you program the UPD number into your cell phone for easy access in case of an emergency. We are all responsible for safety. If you see something, say and do something about it—report any concerning behavior and suspicious activity. If you are unsure, call UPD—a false alarm is always better than a crime that could have been prevented. Suspicious behavior or circumstances can include, but are certainly not limited to:
- Anyone forcibly entering a car, building, or room.
- Someone tampering with property.
- Strangers loitering or entering rooms, offices, or labs with no apparent legitimate cause.
- Someone carrying a weapon.
- Strange vehicles parked in your area.
- Any behavior that is out of character on a college campus.
- Packages left unattended.
- Suspicious or noxious odors.
UWG Cares
You can to submit anonymous information to UWG Cares. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to report any suspicious behavior or campus safety concerns including medical, multicultural, psychological, and/or personal issues via UWG Cares. To make a report, visit https://www.westga.edu/UWGCares/ to express concerns about a particular student or to report concerning behavior.
Helpful Safety Tips for Crime Prevention
- Lock your car doors anytime you leave the car. It takes only seconds to lock and unlock
your car doors, and these seconds can save you from being victimized.
- Don’t leave obvious valuables in plain view in your car. Sometimes, temptation and
availability is all that is needed to cause a would-be thief to attempt and complete
a theft.
- Check the back seat of your car before you get in. You may have an uninvited passenger.
- Lock your residence hall room, apartment, or house door. This is probably the best
simple deterrent available to protect you and your property. A criminal will often
take the path of least resistance.
- Don’t display large sums of cash or expensive jewelry. Again, these actions may provide
temptation. Cash and jewelry are often impossible to trace and easy for a thief to
dispose of quickly.
- Know who is at the door before you open it. Do you readily open the door to your resident
hall room, apartment, or house without really knowing who is knocking or what they
want? Know who is at the door and what they want. If it doesn’t seem right, keep the
door shut and communicate through the door.
- Walk with a friend when out late at night, and walk on designated pathways and well-lit
areas. There is safety in numbers.
- Secure bicycles through the wheel and frame with a high-quality cable or other approved
device AND lock.
- Always pick a designated driver prior to attending festivities.
- Don’t impair your judgment with alcohol or illegal drugs. Avoid accepting a ride from
someone whose judgment is impaired by alcohol or drugs. Avoid taking a private walk
with someone whose judgment is impaired by alcohol or drugs.
- Work with another student when working late at night in campus buildings.
- Do not leave doors propped open.
- Engrave valuable possessions with serial numbers or owner-recognized numbers.
- Always know the location of the nearest telephone and how to report emergencies.
- Keep emergency numbers near your phone.
- Report any criminal or suspicious activities or other emergencies that occur on campus
to the University Police Department. It’s easy to do—just call 678-839-6000. Report
crime and testify against criminals. Every time a crime is reported, there is a chance
to catch the criminal. When a crime goes unreported, the criminal wins hands down.
- In most sexual assaults, the victim and suspect knew each other prior to the assault.
Knowing someone does not guarantee a sexual assault will not occur.
- Limit your use of alcohol and be wary of accepting drinks from others, even people
you know.
- Make sure that you have verbal and sober consent from anyone before engaging in sexual activity.
Resources
Also, the UWG community provides resources from a variety of campus educators, counselors, health professionals, and emergency personnel to support individuals experiencing personal distress and/or other emergency concerns. Listed below is a summary of assistance offered by the University Police Department, Counseling Center, Health Services, Title IX, and the Office of Community Standards.