Emergency Notification and Timely Warning Policy

Effective Date:
April 6, 2026
Applies To:
Classified Staff, Appointed Personnel, University Staff, Students
Responsible Unit(s):
Office of Public Safety
Responsible Unit Email(s):
publicsafety@arizona.edu
Status:
Active

Purpose and Summary

The safety of Students, Employees, Designated Campus Colleagues (DCCs), and visitors is of paramount importance. The use of the Emergency Notification System (ENS) and Timely Warnings provides for the rapid dissemination of time-sensitive information to enhance the safety and security of the University of Arizona (University) community.

This Policy is intended to provide direction and establish responsibilities for notifying the University community of a Confirmed significant emergency or dangerous situation within or adjacent to University Property, utilizing the ENS. This Policy includes statements mandated by 34 C.F.R. § 668.41. This Policy is also intended to provide direction and establish responsibilities for Timely Warnings. This Policy includes statements mandated by 34 C.F.R. § 668.46.

Scope

This Policy applies to the Campus Community, including Students, Employees, DCCs, and visitors.

Definitions

Authorized User means an Employee who has been designated by the Chief Safety Officer to send Emergency Notifications through the ENS.

Campus Community means, for the purposes of Emergency Notifications and Clery Timely Warnings, all current Students, Employees, and DCCs who have been issued a University email account, members of the public who have opted into the ENS, and campus visitors present at a University location who are required to be notified when a safety or security threat, including an emergency, occurs.

Campus Security Authority (CSA) means specific individuals, groups of individuals, and organizations/offices designated the role of CSA as a result of their institution-related function(s) based upon their position or due to official job duties, ad hoc responsibilities, volunteer agreements, or similar. CSAs are required to facilitate the collection of accurate crime statistics by formally notifying the University of Clery Crimes observed by them or reported to them by another individual and to provide VAWA crime victims with information on crime reporting and victim support resources (i.e., Victim Rights and Options).

Clery Crimes means the following crimes which are designated as reportable under the Clery Act:  

  • Primary Criminal Offenses - murder and non-negligent manslaughter, manslaughter by negligence, sexual assault (rape, fondling, incest, and statutory rape), robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
  • Hate Crimes – any Primary Criminal Offenses and any incidents of larceny-theft, simple assault, intimidation, or destruction/damage/vandalism to property that were motivated by bias.
  • Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Offenses – dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.
  • Weapons, Drug, and Liquor Law Violations – arrests and/or referrals for disciplinary action for: a) liquor law violations, b) drug law violations, and c) carrying or possessing illegal weapons.
  • Hazing – incidents of hazing committed against a Student.

Clery Geography means buildings and properties owned or controlled by the University including those on each separate campus and considered to be:

  • “on campus” buildings or property owned or controlled by the University within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area; or buildings or property within the same reasonably contiguous areas, owned by the institution but controlled by another person, frequently used by Students, and supporting educational purposes. This category includes on campus student housing facilities.
  • “noncampus” buildings or property owned or controlled by the University used in direct support of, or in relation to, the University’s educational purposes, frequently used by Students, and not within the reasonably contiguous geographic area of the University; or buildings or property owned or controlled by a registered student organization.  
  • “public property” thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities that are within the campus or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.
  • “separate campus” buildings or property that are an additional location that: (a) the institution owns or controls, (b) is not reasonably geographically contiguous with the main campus, (c) has an organized program of study, and (d) there is at least one person on-site acting in an administrative capacity.

Clery Separate Campus means an additional location if it meets all the following criteria: 

  • The University owns or controls the site;
  • It is not reasonably contiguous with the main campus;
  • It has an organized program of study; and
  • There is at least one person on site acting in an administrative capacity.

Confirmation or Confirmed means that an authorized institution official (or officials) has verified that a significant emergency or dangerous situation exists. Confirmation does not necessarily mean that all of the pertinent details are known or available.

Designated Campus Colleagues (DCCs) means affiliates, associates, volunteers, and interns who are granted DCC status by the University, who contribute their time, services, and expertise to help the University accomplish its mission of teaching, research, and service.

Emergency Notification means notification to the Campus Community upon Confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation occurring on campus, posing an Immediate Threat to the health or safety of Students, Employees, or visitors.

Emergency Notification System (ENS) means the University’s system for issuing Emergency Notifications, which is operated by a third-party vendor under contract with the University. Emergency Notifications are disseminated via email, text message, classroom and campus message boards, the Campus Incidents webpage, and a mobile app.

Employee means all University employees, including faculty, staff, graduate assistants/associates, and student workers, whether their employment is full-time, part-time, permanent, or temporary.

Immediate Threat means an imminent or impending threat to the health or safety of Students or Employees.

Student means any person enrolled in one or more credits at the University, including enrolled Employees.

Timely Warning means notification to the Campus Community of a Confirmed Clery Crime(s), reported to Campus Security Authorities or local law enforcement, that occurred on Clery Geography and represents a serious or continuing threat to the safety of Students, Employees, or visitors.

University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD) Command Staff means certified Arizona peace officers employed by UAPD and holding the ranks of lieutenant, assistant chief, deputy chief, or chief of police.

University Property and University Campus means all land, buildings, and other facilities owned, leased, operated, or controlled by the University. 

Policy

  1. Emergency Notification

    1. Emergency Notifications will be activated in cases of an Immediate Threat. Examples include but are not limited to:

      •    Violent activity (e.g., active shooter)
      •    Hazards (e.g., major fires or hazardous material spills) 
      •    Health issues (e.g., infectious diseases, following consultation with the Critical Incident Response Team)
      •    Major disruptions to University activity (e.g., severe weather or power outages) 
      •    Other events presenting an Immediate Threat to health or safety

    2. Confirm Significant Emergency
      1. Confirmation of significant emergencies may occur through investigation or verification by first responders to the emergency, typically sworn UAPD staff or other University officials.
      2. For all campus law enforcement issues, UAPD will be primarily responsible for Confirming a significant emergency or dangerous public safety situation on campus through victim, witness, and/or officer observations.
      3. For non-law enforcement emergencies (e.g., hazardous materials releases, utility failures, computer systems/telecommunications failures, and hazardous weather affecting University Property), other departments at the University (e.g., Risk Management Services, Facilities Management, and University Information Technology Services) may Confirm a significant emergency.
    3. Determining the Need for an Emergency Notification
      1. Upon Confirming a significant emergency or dangerous situation that is occurring on or posing an Immediate Threat to the University Campus, a UAPD Patrol Supervisor will evaluate the emergency circumstances to determine the need for an Emergency Notification. This evaluation will be based on the following considerations:
        1. Whether there is an immediate or ongoing threat to the Campus Community;
        2. Whether a serious danger to members of the Campus Community is occurring or just occurred;
        3. Whether timely and useful information can be provided to enhance safety;
        4. Whether issuing an Emergency Notification could compromise safety, rescue, or law enforcement efforts; and  
        5. Any unique factors specific to the situation.  
    4. A member of the UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User will, without delay, and taking into account the safety of the Campus Community, determine the content of the Emergency Notification and initiate the ENS, unless issuing a notification will, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to or otherwise mitigate the emergency.
    5. The University utilizes an ENS to disseminate information during an emergency.  At a minimum, Emergency Notifications are sent and they may also be distributed through additional communication channels as appropriate. The University sends Emergency Notifications by email, text message, classroom and campus message boards, the Campus Incidents webpage, and a mobile application (app).
      1. The University sends Emergency Notification email messages to the Campus Community.
      2. All active Students, Employees, and DCCs with 10-digit U.S. phone numbers in UAccess are automatically registered to receive Emergency Notification text messages to their cellphones. They may opt out of text messages at any time.
      3. Visitors, friends, and family who wish to receive Emergency Notifications via email or text message may subscribe for ENS notifications. Visitors, friends, and family may also download the mobile app to receive Emergency Notifications.
      4. The University notifies the greater community of emergencies through the following means:
        1. Emergency Notifications are automatically posted for 72 hours on the publicly available Campus Incidents webpage.  
        2. UAPD is in communication with local law enforcement.
        3. UAPD and University Communications notify media outlets as necessary.
    6. A member of UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User will determine whether the nature and scope of the threat warrant an Emergency Notification to the entire Campus Community or whether a targeted message to a specific segment of the community is sufficient to provide adequate warning. This determination will be based on the location of the Immediate Threat and/or the college, department, or unit that is directly impacted.
      1. The University sends Emergency Notifications regarding Tucson (Main Campus) to all ENS users. In addition to campus-wide notifications, Emergency Notifications may be targeted to the following specific community segments when the threat is localized:
        • Greater Phoenix
        • Sierra Vista
      2. A member of UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User will send Emergency Notifications to Campus Community members at Clery Separate Campuses through other means when necessary, including email, phone calls, and text messages.
      3. In consultation with UAPD, college, department, or unit leadership may send Emergency Notifications to members of their college, department, or unit when necessary using regular, non-ENS email, phone calls, and text messages.
        1. In consultation with UAPD, college, department, or unit leadership will use notification language provided by UAPD.
    7. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the emergency, a member of the UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User will generate Emergency Notification content. The content of an emergency text message must be short, concise, and understandable. If necessary, multiple notifications may be sent to explain a situation.
      1. An Emergency Notification will include information that enables members of the Campus Community to take action to protect themselves. The following information will be included in an Emergency Notification, if available:
        • Type and brief description of emergency;
        • Location, including a map link;
        • Action to take (e.g., stay away from a dangerous area, stay sheltered in place, follow evacuation plan); and
        • Suspect description if a crime has been committed.
    8. A member of UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User initiates the ENS by logging in to the ENS system with a secure login and password. Once logged in, a member of UAPD Command Staff, UAPD Dispatch, or an Authorized User inputs the content of the Emergency Notification, recipient group, and delivery methods, and then sends the Emergency Notification.
    9. In the event of a technical failure of the ENS, the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), managed by the Pima County Office of Emergency Management, will be initiated.  
    10. This section is intended to satisfy the disclosure requirements of 34 C.F.R. § 668.46. Operational details regarding Emergency Notification are outlined in the Emergency Notification Procedure, which supports this Policy but is not part of the Policy itself.
  2. Annual Testing
    1. Annually, the University of Arizona’s Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) will conduct an emergency training exercise concerning the Campus Emergency Response Plan to include readiness, response, and evacuation. Exercises may be:
      • Full-scale exercises;
      • Functional exercises;
      • Drills; and/or
      • Tabletop exercises.
        1. Publicity for the emergency response exercise may be limited before the exercise to help ensure the safety, security, and integrity of the exercise. When practical, the exercise will be announced in advance to CIRT members, University senior leadership, the University Community, and/or to a specific group that is affected by the exercise. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report will include a statement regarding plans to test.
        2. In conjunction with at least one emergency response test each calendar year, the University will publicize its emergency response and evacuation procedures to the Campus Community using prominent methods such as email or text alerts. Prior to the exercise, affected groups will receive instructions outlining specific procedures and actions to take in the event of an actual emergency.
        3. Following the exercise, an After-Action Report will be completed, documenting the following information:
          • Description of the exercise;
          • Date and time the exercise was held;
          • If the exercise was announced or unannounced; and
          • Future improvements.
        4. After-Action Reports will be collected by the University’s Office of Emergency Management. Each After-Action Report will be maintained in accordance with the university’s record retention requirements.
    2. Evacuation drills of all dorms are performed annually after the beginning of the fall semester. These are generally held in the evenings to simulate a true emergency and to include as many residents as possible.
      1. During drills, each dorm’s fire alarm system is activated, and all residents are required to evacuate. Dorm staff participate to enhance their training.
      2. Evacuations are observed to verify dorm staff and resident knowledge of and compliance with evacuation procedures. The drills are timed, and educational discussions with dorm staff are held after each drill.
      3. Fire alarm activation due to false alarms, minor incidents like smoking, cooking, etc. result in additional full evacuation of the dorms and add to the familiarization of the residents with evacuation procedures.
      4. Evacuation drills of dorms are documented and maintained by Housing and Residential Life.
      5. Detailed Building Evacuation procedures are available on the Emergency Management website.
    3. The ENS will be tested annually in conjunction with the Clery-required emergency response test.
  3. Timely Warning
    1. Timely Warnings are issued to alert the Campus Community of Clery Crimes that pose a serious or ongoing threat to safety of the Campus Community. These warnings are intended to be timely and aid in the prevention of similar crimes.
    2. A Timely Warning will typically include the following:
      • Details of the crime;
      • A description of the suspect (if known);
      • Information on whom to contact about the investigation; and
      • Timely crime prevention tips to prevent similar occurrences.
        • Personally identifiable information about victims, such as names, is not included.  
    3. The decision to issue a Timely Warning is made on a case-by-case basis by designated University officials, considering factors such as the following:
      • The nature of the crime;
      • Whether a continuing threat exists;
      • Whether the incident occurred within the Clery Geography; and
      • The possible risk of a warning compromising law enforcement efforts.
    4. Although UAPD Command Staff is primarily responsible for issuing Timely Warnings, the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer or designee may also compose and disseminate warnings on behalf of the University.
    5. A Timely Warning is disseminated as soon as pertinent information about a Clery Crime is Confirmed, even if not all facts surrounding that crime are known. Follow-up information will be issued as it becomes available.
    6. Timely Warnings are primarily disseminated by UAPD via campus-wide email through a UAPD-managed listserv to all Employees, Students, and DCCs with a University email account. To promote broader awareness, additional methods of communication may include the UAPD website, University and UAPD social media sites, posters, flyers, or other communications channels.  
    7. This section is intended to satisfy the disclosure requirements of 34 C.F.R. § 668.46. Operational details regarding Timely Warning are outlined in the Timely Warning Procedure, which supports this Policy but is not part of the Policy itself. 

Compliance

The Office of Public Safety is responsible for overseeing compliance with this Policy. 

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