University Safety and Security Council - UTDPP1036

Policy Statement

The University Safety and Security Council is a university-wide, standing committee appointed by the President not reporting to the Academic Senate of The University of Texas at Dallas.

The Council will oversee the University's compliance with the Requirements for Safety and Security in Section VI, Subsection 6.4.3, of the Criteria for Accreditation issued by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, viz:

• The institution must provide a healthful, safe and secure environment for all members of the campus community. Administrative responsibility for environmental health and safety programs must be assigned. A comprehensive safety plan must be developed, implemented, and evaluated regularly. The plan should give special attention to the adequate provision and use of safety equipment in laboratories and other hazardous areas; to the modification of buildings, if necessary, for easy egress in the event of fire or other emergency; and to familiarizing all building occupants with emergency evacuation procedures.

This subsection has been superseded by Principle 13.8 Institutional Environment with a similar concept for the University to "take reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all members of the campus community" within the Principles of Accreditation: Foundation for Quality Enhancement-.

The Council will provide a forum and clearing house for the common discussion and mutual coordination of the activities of all the campus departments and committees concerned with the campus environment in matters that affect personal health, safety, or physical security, including but not limited to ongoing safety arrangements and matters of general maintenance and operations that bear on safety and security. It will publish information to enable members of the campus community to direct complaints and recommendations on safety matters to appropriate committees or administrative officers. It will serve as a resource for the Campus Facilities Committee or whatever ad hoc committees the administration may form to consider plans for new facilities. It will review, evaluate, and make recommendations concerning the University Safety Plan and monitor its implementation.

The Council shall consist of four (4) members appointed from the membership of the General Faculty, (seven) 7 representatives of the University staff, one representative from Student Government and one representative from Graduate Student Assembly, and the chairs of the Institutional Biosafety Committee, the Campus Facilities Committee, the Committee on Parking and Transportation, and the Radiation Safety Committee. The 7 representatives of the University staff will be one representative from the South Campus Facilities (Callier Center in Dallas, Center for Brain Health, and the Brain Performance Institute), one Risk and Insurance Manager from the Office of Institutional Risk and Safety Programs, one representative from the Office of Research and Innovation responsible for lab safety, one representative from the AccessAbility Resource Center concerned with disability services, the Chief Compliance Officer, one representative from the Office of Communications - Media Relations, and one representative selected by the Staff Council. The University Chief of Police or designee, the Dean of Students, the Associate Vice President for Facilities Management, the Senior Director of Institutional and Safety Programs, the Assistant Director of Emergency Management, and the Emergency Management Coordinator shall be members ex-officio. Instead of a Chair and Vice-Chair, the Council shall have two Co-chairs. One Co-Chair shall be chosen from among the members from the General Faculty. The other Co-Chair shall be chosen from among the representatives of the staff. Either Co-Chair can call and preside over a meeting. The Responsible University Official shall be the Vice President and Chief of Staff. The RUO shall assure that the Council has adequate secretarial and office support.

The terms of office of the appointed Council members shall be two years, effective September 1 to August 31, staggered in time to make approximately equal numbers of appointments expire each academic year. Members may be reappointed by the President for additional terms. If a Council member resigns, the President shall appoint another individual to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.

The meeting schedule of the Council should provide for both flexibility and openness. The Council will hold at least one general regular meeting per long and summer semester but may also delegate its powers under this charge to subcommittees or such other working units as it may see fit to form to focus on specific issues. The purpose of the general meeting is to assure coordination and communication among all the concerned committees and departments, review any difficulties that may have arisen since the previous meeting, monitor the implementation of plans in place, and receive complaints and suggestions from the university community.

The dates of the regular meetings should be publicized through the entire university. Additional meetings will be called by the Chair or RUO as may be necessary to address items referred to it by academic or administrative units of the University or by the Council members.