Dear Students, Staff and Faculty,
As another semester at MCAD gets underway, there are a few reminders Campus Safety wants to provide for everyone’s safety.
Facility Policies and Security
As part of an urban neighborhood, Campus Safety officers patrol campus 24/7, including the interiors of academic buildings and residential facilties. Students are strongly encouraged not to walk or work alone, especially at night.
During business hours, the college is open to the public. All visitors check in at the Welcome Desk in coordination with Campus Safety. After hours, access to academic buildings is limited to the locked north or east Gallery doors and the south door near parking lot C. Each of these doors is equipped with an intercom that connects directly to Campus Safety. For admittance, an MCAD ID Card is required. If you have forgotten your campus ID, you must check in at the north (Welcome Desk) or south (Door Monitor) entrance. At the direction of President Freed, everyone is required to badge in (no piggy-backing people) with no exceptions. You must carry your MCAD ID card at all times.
Campus Emergency Operations Group
We have an Emergency Operations Group (EOG) on campus that includes the President's Cabinet, Campus Safety, and other key staff. EOG meets monthly during the academic year to review protocols, assess potential threats and risks, and address any concerns. Each semester, the group also conducts an emergency-preparedness exercise, which includes participation from our partners—Mia, Children’s Theatre Company, and the Minneapolis Police Department. These partnerships are vital to ensuring we are prepared to respond effectively to any incident on or near campus. This fall the EOG will be conducting an active shooter tabletop exercise.
Campus Communications
Timely Warnings
When serious, nearby crimes are reported to Campus Safety or local law enforcement and deemed by the college to represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees, Campus Safety will issue a timely warning or “Safety Bulletin” by email to the campus community. The warning will provide general information about the incident and how incidents of a similar nature might be prevented in the future. All efforts will be made to maintain confidentiality except where prohibited by law or college policies.
Emergency Notifications
When an emergency situation arises, Campus Safety will notify the campus community using one or more of the following methods: handheld, public-address devices; Omnilert text or email messages; emails; and pop-up alerts on college-networked monitors. As long as your Paylocity or Jenzabar contact information, you will receive any of these notifications.
Campus Safety actively monitors activity in the surrounding neighborhood. If a nearby incident poses a risk to campus, we receive notification from the Minneapolis Police Department and respond accordingly.
Smart911
Because MCAD is part of the broader Minneapolis community, you are also encouraged to sign up for the City’s Emergency Notification System—Smart911. The City uses Smart911 to send alerts about:
- Snow emergencies
- Severe weather
- Public safety incidents
- Major infrastructure issues
- Large special event impacts
You can learn more or register for Smart911 at: https://www.smart911.com
Evacuation Procedures
All faculty, staff, and students should familiarize themselves with the evacuation routes and stairwell locations in campus buildings that they regularly use. Evacuation route maps are posted in several locations (i.e. near stairwells and elevators) on each floor of the academic buildings. For resident students, evacuation maps and related information are posted inside each residence hall room and near each stairwell.
In the event of an evacuation, follow these general guidelines:
- Take essential personal items with you, such as your wallet, ID/access card, phone, and purse or backpack.
- Close doors behind you as you leave.
- Use the nearest stairwell. Do not use elevators.
- Exit the building calmly and proceed to the nearest safe building unless directed otherwise.
- Follow instructions from Campus Safety, law enforcement, or fire department personnel if they are on the scene.
Campus Safety will assess each situation to determine whether evacuation is necessary, as every incident is different. If there is a potential threat to health or safety, they will initiate emergency notification procedures and evacuate the affected building or area.
Evacuations may be required for incidents such as:
- Bomb threats
- Fires
- Chemical spills
- Utility failures
- Hostile intruders
Sheltering in Place
If an incident occurs outdoors (e.g., the buildings around you become unstable, the air becomes dangerous due to toxic or irritating substances), it is usually safer to stay indoors. Should this type of situation arise, a “shelter in place” Omnilert text and email notifications will be sent to the community through our emergency notification system. To shelter in place, close all exterior doors, shut and lock all windows, turn off air conditioners and fans, and close off ventilation systems if you are able. (College staff will turn off building ventilation systems as quickly as possible when necessary). Monitor your cell phone and email for further instructions and updates. A subsequent notification will be sent when it is no longer necessary to shelter in place.
If you are outdoors, proceed to the closest building quickly or follow instructions from emergency personnel on the scene.
Medical Emergencies
Campus Safety Officers are trained in basic first-aid procedures.
Emergency medical care is available at nearby emergency rooms. The closest emergency rooms are located at: Abbott Northwestern Hospital, 800 East 28th Street at Chicago (entrance on 28th), Minneapolis, 612.863.4233 and Hennepin County Medical Center, 701 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, 612.347.3131.
If ambulance service is required, call 911 and then contact Campus Safety at 612-874-3555. If ambulance service is not required, transportation is available through a taxi service. Contact Campus Safety to receive a taxi voucher.
Escorts
Escorts are available to enrolled students, staff, faculty, and their guests and should be used for rides between the MCAD Main campus and a person’s residence, parked vehicle, or bus stop/HourCar. Please see the Escort Range Map on the intranet for specific boundaries. Escorts will be made on foot when on campus or near campus; otherwise the Campus Safety patrol vehicle will be used. There may be a wait period due to other pending service calls.
To request an escort, call Campus Safety at 612-874-3801 (or dial "0" on campus, or go to the Welcome Desk in Main. Be prepared to show an I.D. if the Officer does not recognize you. You can also contact Campus Safety by using courtesy phones located in the 3D shop, Media Center, Print Shop, and Morrison.
Additional information on topics such as Active Shooter Preparedness, Campus Emergency Plan, Parking and Transportation Information, and Student Safety Manual can be found on the Intranet.
We've been working to establish a consistent and safety-forward culture across campus. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me directly (phoffmann@mcad.edu) or:
Campus Safety–email questions directly to campus_safety@mcad.edu
Parking & Transportation–email questions directly to parking@mcad.edu
Environmental Health & Safety–email questions directly to ehs@mcad.edu
Sincerely,
Pam Hoffmann