13
June
2019
|
12:43 PM
America/Chicago

Summer Safety at UHD

Summary

By Mark Kramer

The summer semester is under way at the University of Houston-Downtown. While the attention of students is focused on classes, it’s also important to take a moment to keep personal safety in mind.

The UHD Police Department (UHDPD) encourages students and others to always pay attention to their surroundings and not leave personal property unattended. Additional measures include traveling in groups on campus and to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

Students, staff and community members are encouraged to use the emergency call boxes located throughout campus and to sign up for alerts or use Twitter’s “Fast Follow” (text “follow UHD_Alerts” to 40404).

“We need our students and our UHD campus family to serve as our eyes and ears when it comes to the safety of others,” UHDPD Lt. Frederick Varela said. “If they see unusual behavior or activity on or near campus, they should report it to us right away.”

Summer weather can sometimes be unpredictable, so officials urge students, faculty and staff not to overlook the threat of severe weather. With a history of heavy rains causing flooding around the UHD campus and throughout the Houston area, students and staff are encouraged to prepare for weather events by signing up for emergency notifications through UHD Alerts and monitoring the weather through local television and radio media outlets.

“UHD Alerts allows our campus community members to know what is occurring with incidents in and around our campus,” UHDPD Lt. Frederick Varela. “High water or a bad traffic accident near campus can cause major issues when commuting to campus. If it affects our community, our alerts will allow members to take appropriate measures.”

The summer months also mean an increase in students riding their bikes to campus. Varela suggests that students register their bikes with UHDPD. “We hope it never happens, but if a bike is stolen, our investigators will have all the information they need, which would give them a greater chance of recovering it,” he said.

To ensure the safety of all faculty, staff, students and visitors, UHDPD provides police escort assistance. To request an escort to your vehicle, visit the Police Department in Suite N118 or notify the police dispatcher via any police call box. The service is available 24 hours a day.

To learn about additional Police services, visit their department website.

About the University of Houston-Downtown

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.

U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.