Rider University firmly believes in the use of timely warning notices as a means of preventing crimes or other serious incidents, as well as to notify the University community of crimes committed on campus or in the surrounding area. Members of the Rider community are encouraged to immediately report crimes and other serious incidents to the Department of Public Safety so that a timely warning notice can be issued as appropriate.
The University is also committed to ensuring that appropriate information is disseminated quickly and accurately in an emergency situation. The Department of Public Safety is responsible for coordinating emergency preparedness efforts, including emergency response and evacuation policies and procedures, in coordination with the University’s senior management team. Emergency policies, procedures, and notification systems are evaluated as needed and tested on an annual basis. Emergency response and evacuation procedures are publicized in the employee phone directory and on Rider’s Web site.
The Director of Public Safety, the Associate Vice President for Planning, and the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students determine when and how to issue timely warning notices and emergency notifications. Without delay and taking into account the safety of the University community, they determine the content of the notification and initiate the notification system, unless issuing a notification, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromises efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate an emergency.
Timely warning and emergency notifications to students, faculty, and staff include the use of RiderAlert, voicemail, email, web postings, and/or signage. RiderAlert is the emergency messaging service Rider uses to reach all students, faculty and staff in the event of a weather-related closing or campus emergency. To ensure that your contact information is up-to-date, please follow the instructions found here. If you have any questions about this process, please call or email the OIT help desk at 609-219-3000 or [email protected].
Remember that RiderAlert is only as useful as the contact information you provide. With this in mind, it is important that you keep your contact information up-to-date, should a need for emergency contact be required.