Missing Students

Policy Statement

It is the policy of Adelphi University, through collaboration with the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, the Department of Public Safety and Transportation, and others as deemed appropriate, to investigate any report of a missing student who is enrolled and attending classes at any Adelphi campus or global academic center. This policy, with its accompanying procedures, establishes a framework for cooperation among members of the University community aimed at locating and assisting students who are reported missing.

Reason for Policy

Adelphi University is committed to creating and preserving a safe and secure environment for its students. In order to support this commitment, this Policy sets forth rules and procedures to be followed in the event that a student of the University is reported to be missing

Who is Governed by this Policy

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Policy

How to Report a Missing Student

Any report of a missing student should be made immediately to the Department of Public Safety at 516.877.3511. If a student is reported to another department, such as Student Affairs, International Student Services, or an academic unit, those individuals or departments will immediately notify the Department of Public Safety by phone, who will work in conjunction with the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students. As the reporting party, be prepared to give your name and phone number as well as providing all information possible regarding the missing person including a physical description, what they were wearing when they were last seen, where they were last seen, what physical condition they were in when last seen, if they are driving or have a vehicle and its description and who they were with. Be prepared to provide information on any medical or other special conditions that you know about.

The Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, or designee, will attempt to determine whether the student is, in fact, missing. Steps that may be taken, depending on the circumstances:

• Public Safety, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, or designee, will attempt to contact the student through all reasonable and available means.
• Public Safety will investigate the validity of the missing person report and manage the information according to its established investigative standards.
• Public Safety may notify appropriate University personnel and seek their aid in the investigation (i.e. Residential Life & Housing, Center for Student & Community Engagement, and International Student Services, Student Counseling Center, Health Services, etc.)

If Public Safety or Student Affairs is unable to locate the missing student, the student is not known to have returned to the University (or otherwise located), or Public Safety has determined that the missing student has been missing for more than 24 hours, Public Safety will notify the local police.

At Adelphi University, each student completes a “Student Emergency and a Missing Student Contact Registration Form” in order to receive their Adelphi Identification Card. The form gives the student the option to identify an individual to be notified by Adelphi University (AU) if a student is determined to be missing. If a student is determined missing, AU will also notify the appropriate law enforcement agency no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing.

Students are advised that the missing student contact information will be considered confidential, accessible only to authorized campus officials and law enforcement and will not be disclosed outside of a missing person’s investigation.

Note Regarding Parents/Guardians and Emergency Contacts of Resident Students

• If the student is under 18 years of age and not an EMANCIPATED INDIVIDUAL, the University is required to notify a custodial parent or guardian or any other designated contact person no later than 24 hours after the time that the student is determined to have been missing.
• If the student is over 18 years and provided an emergency contact, that emergency contact must be notified not later than 24 hours after the student is determined to have been missing. Student’s emergency contact information will be registered confidentially, and this information will be accessible only to authorized campus officials. It may not be disclosed, except to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of a missing person investigation.
• If a parent/guardian or emergency contact cannot be contacted (reached), the local police must be informed no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing.

Definitions

Emancipated Individual

Emancipation by court order starts when a minor files a petition with the court asking to be emancipated. A minor must be at least sixteen years old to be emancipated.  The minor understands his or her responsibilities as an emancipated person.

Procedures

How To Report a Missing Student

Any report of a missing student should be made immediately to the Department of Public Safety, by phone, at 516.877.3511. Should an acquaintance report a missing student to another area, such as International Student Services, Student Affairs, etc., those individuals or areas will immediately notify the Department of Public Safety who will work in conjunction with the Dean of Students and Strategic Initiatives. TYPICAL INFORMANT: Roommate, Classmate, Residential Life & Housing Staff, Public Safety, Parent/Guardian, Faculty Member, or Academic Department Staff.

Procedures

• A Director from CSCE, Residential Life & Housing, and/or Provost for Global Affairs will be assigned to conduct the investigations as outlined below.
• The Vice President of Student Affairs and DEIB and the Vice President of Administration is to be made aware of any significant information as it is obtained by the investigator.
• The investigation conducted as indicated below must be done immediately and should be completed with all available information in a short period of time (typically a maximum of three hours).
• Information will be gathered as to the student’s whereabouts and last time/place seen, as well as a physical description, list of places frequented, etc.
• When administrators are contacted regarding a missing student, they shall take all necessary steps to gather and provide information on the student and his or her whereabouts.
• Many of the steps outlined may be done simultaneously with assistance.
• All contacts and responses are to be documented fully.
• The person doing the investigation will complete the Missing Person Information Sheet and Checklist as information on the student is obtained (copy of form follows).

Resident Student

If the student reported missing is a resident student, the case typically will be assigned to the Director of Residential Life and Housing for investigation [see below for International Resident Students]

The Director of Residential Life & Housing (or alternate assignee) will do the following:

• Attempt to contact the student at all known telephone numbers, including home.
• Notify the professional Housing staff member responsible for the building in which the student lives. That staff member will attempt to find the student in his or her room or residence hall. If unsuccessful, that staff member will contact roommates, suitemates, neighbors and known friends of the student. Information will be relayed immediately back to the Director of Residential Life & Housing.
• Contact the Meal Plan Coordinator at Dining Services to determine the last time the student’s meal card was used.
• Access the student’s course schedule. Contact the student’s instructors and academic advisor for information on the student’s whereabouts or last time seen.
• Contact IT Security Team to check recent electronic locations by pinging the Missing Person’s phone/laptop or finding out IP address last used for email address. 
• Contact Human Resources to determine if the student is employed on campus. If so, contact the employing department for information on the student’s whereabouts or last time seen.
• Contact the Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management, or designee, and request that Public Safety officers be vigilant for the student’s car(s) and the student, and obtain emergency contact information. Determine last time the student’s I.D. card was used, if possible.
• Contact the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs (CSCE), or designee, to determine if the missing student is in a sorority, fraternity or other organization for possible assistance in determining the student’s whereabouts.
• Contact the Director of Athletics, Intramurals & Recreation, or designee, if the student is known or found to be a varsity athlete.
• Contact the Director of Counseling and Support Services, or designee, for possible information.
• Contact the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, to check on recent visits and to obtain emergency contact information. Health Services will check on hospital admissions.
• Contact any others who may have relevant information.

If the above efforts to locate the student are unsuccessful, the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, or designee, will:

• Contact parent(s)/guardian(s)* and/or emergency contact person(s) for information and to report the incident.
• Contact the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, who will contact the Garden City Police Department (GCPD) and file a missing person complaint. The Executive Director of Public Safety and Security will provide to the GCPD all information gathered on the student, as well as information on registered car(s) and identification photo, and will follow-up with them on the outcome of the complaint.

The Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students will follow up with parent/guardian and/or emergency contact person(s), original informant and Vice President of Student Affairs and DEIB and Vice President of Administration.

* Note: Regarding Parents/Guardians and Emergency Contacts of Resident Students:

• If the student is under 18 years of age, and not an emancipated individual, the University is required to notify a custodial parent or guardian no later than 24 hours after the time that the student is determined to have been missing.
• If the student is over 18 years and provided an emergency contact, that emergency contact must be notified not later than 24 hours after the student is determined to have been missing.
• If a parent/guardian or emergency contact cannot be contacted (reached), the local police must be informed no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to have been missing.

Commuter Student

If the student reported missing is a commuter student, the case typically will be assigned to the individual in the Center for Student and Community Engagement responsible for Commuter Student Affairs. (see below for International Commuter Students)

The individual in the Center for Student and Community Engagement (or alternate assignee) will do the following:

• Attempt to contact the student at all known telephone numbers, including at home.
• Access the student’s course schedule. Contact the student’s instructors and academic advisor for information on the student’s whereabouts or last time seen.
• Contact Human Resources to determine if the student is employed on campus. If so employed, contact the employing department for information on the student’s whereabouts or last time seen.
• Contact the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, and request that Public Safety officers be vigilant for the student’s car(s) and the student, and obtain emergency contact information.
• Determine if the missing student is in a sorority, fraternity or other organization for possible help with the student’s whereabouts.
• Contact IT Security Team  to check recent electronic locations by pinging the Missing Person’s phone/laptop or finding out IP address last used for email address. 
• Contact the Director of Athletics, Intramurals & Recreation, or designee, if the student is known or found to be a varsity athlete.
• Contact the Director of the Counseling and Support Services, or designee, for possible information.
• Contact the Executive Director of University Health and Wellness, or designee, to check on recent visits and to obtain emergency contact information. Health Services will check on hospital admissions.
• If the student does not live at home and the address is known, the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, will contact the landlord for information on the student’s whereabouts and for names of neighbors or fellow residents who may have relevant information. Contact those identified. If needed, the Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management will ask the Local Police Department to do a wellness check at the residence.
• Contact any others who may have relevant information.

If the above efforts to locate the student are unsuccessful, the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, or designee, will: 

• Contact parent/guardian and/or emergency contact person(s) for information, to report the incident, and to encourage them to make a missing person report to the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction.

• Contact the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, who will contact the Garden City Police Department (GCPD) and file a missing person complaint. The Executive Director of Public Safety and Security will provide to the GCPD all information gathered on the student, as well as information on registered car(s) and identification photo and will follow-up with them on the outcome of the complaint.

• The Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students will follow up with parent(s)/guardian(s) and/or emergency contact person(s), original informant and Vice President of Student Affairs ad DEIB and Vice President of Administration as necessary.

International Student

If the student reported missing is an international student, the case typically will be assigned to the Associate Provost for Faculty Support and Global Affairs for investigation.

The Associate Provost for Faculty Support and Global Affairs (or alternate assignee) will do the following:

• Attempt to contact the student at all known telephone numbers, including home.
• If the International Student is a Resident Student, International Student Services will: 
  • Notify the Director of Residential Life & Housing, who will have a professional staff member attempt to find the student in his or her room or residence hall. If unsuccessful, the professional staff member will contact roommates, suitemates, neighbors and known friends of the student. Information will be relayed immediately back to the Director of Residential Life & Housing.
  • Contact the Meal Plan Coordinator at Dining Services to determine the last time the student’s meal card was used.
• If the International Student is a Commuter:
  • Notify the individual in the Center for Student and Community Engagement responsible for Commuter Student Affairs who can determine if the missing student is in a sorority, fraternity or other organization for possible help with the student’s whereabouts.
  • If the student does not live at home and the address is known, have the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, contact the landlord for information on the student’s whereabouts and for names of neighbors or fellow residents who may have relevant information. Contact those identified. If needed, the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security will ask the Local Police Department to do a wellness check at the residence.
• Access the student’s course schedule. Contact the student’s instructors and academic advisor for information on the student’s whereabouts or last time seen.
• Contact Human Resources to determine if the student is employed on campus. If so, contact the employing department for information on the student’s whereabouts or last time seen.
• Contact the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, and request that Public Safety officers be vigilant for the student’s car(s) and the student, and obtain emergency contact information. Determine last time I.D. card was used, if possible.
• Contact the individual in the Center for Student and Community Engagement responsible for Commuter Student Affairs, or designee, to determine if the missing student is in a sorority, fraternity or other organization for possible assistance with the student’s whereabouts.
• Contact the Director of Athletics, Intramurals & Recreation, or designee, if the student is known or found to be a varsity athlete.
• Contact IT Security Team  to check recent electronic locations by pinging the Missing Person’s phone/laptop or finding out IP address last used for email address. 
• Contact the Adelphi University International Group to help locate the student. 
• Contact the Director of Counseling and Support Services, or designee, for possible information.
• Contact the Executive Director of University Health and Wellness, or designee, to check on recent visits and to obtain emergency contact information. Health Services will check on hospital admissions.
• Contact any others who may have relevant information.

If the above efforts to locate the student are unsuccessful, the Associate Provost for Faculty Support and Global Affairs will: 

• Contact parent(s)/guardian(s)* and/or emergency contact person(s) for information and to report the incident.
• Contact the Executive Director of Public Safety and Security, or designee, who will contact the Garden City Police Department (GCPD) and file a missing person complaint. The Executive Director of Public Safety and Security will provide to the GCPD all information gathered on the student, as well as information on registered car(s) and identification photo, and will follow-up with them on the outcome of the complaint.

The Associate Provost for Faculty Support and Global Affairs will follow up with parent/guardian and/or emergency contact person(s), original informant and Vice President of Student Affairs and DEIB and Vice President of Administration.

* Note: Regarding Parents/Guardians and Emergency Contacts of Resident Students:

• If the student is under 18 years of age, and not an emancipated individual, the University is required to notify a custodial parent or guardian no later than 24 hours after the time that the student is determined to have been missing.
• If the student is over 18 years and provided an emergency contact, that emergency contact must be notified not later than 24 hours after the student is determined to have been missing.
• If a parent/guardian or emergency contact cannot be contacted (reached), the local police must be informed no later than 24 hours after the student is determined to have been missing.

Campus Communications About Missing Students

In all cases of a missing student, where the student is declared missing by the Department of Public Safety and Transportation after an initial investigation (24 hours), the law enforcement agency conducting the subsequent investigation will provide information to the media that is designed to obtain public assistance in the search for any missing student. The Office of University Communications and Marketing is available to provide consultation on communication with the investigating law enforcement agency. Any media requests to the university will be directed to the Office of University Communications and Marketing. Prior to providing the campus community with any information about a missing student, the Office of University Communications and Marketing shall consult with the Department of Public Safety and Transportation and with law enforcement authorities to ensure that communications do not hinder the investigation.

Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report (PDF)

Forms

Forms listed below are for internal use by the parties that are searching for the missing student.

• Adelphi University Identification Form [Department of Public Safety & Transportation]
• Incident Complaint Report [Department of Public Safety & Transportation]
• Missing Person Information Sheet [Department of Public Safety & Transportation]
• Missing Person Checklist [Department of Public Safety & Transportation]
• Adelphi University/Garden City Police Department Memorandums of Understanding (Investigation of Violent Felonies and Missing Persons, and Sexual Assaults Reporting and Investigating)

Related Information

N/A

Document History

• Policy Origination Date: Not known
• Last Reviewed Date: August 5, 2024
• Policy Reviewed by: Policy Owner and Policy Experts
• Last Approval Date: August 5, 2024

Who Approved This Policy

• John Siderakis, Vice President of Administration
• R. Sentwali Bakari, Vice President for Student Affairs and DEIB
• Executive Leadership