EIU Student Affairs

Campus Safety @ EIU

The safety and well-being of the campus community rests with each and every individual of the community.  As members of a community we have a duty to ourselves and each other to protect our community.  Each of us should remain cautious and aware of our surroundings at all times and report suspicious persons and incidents immediately.

Notification Systems

Eastern Illinois University has taken steps to help protect the community by preventing or quickly responding to incidents that may threaten the safety of the campus.  Warning notification systems such as the emergency notification siren, Alert EIU (Phone Text Messages), and campus-wide e-mail alerts are in place. 

Sign up for Alert EIU (text messages) at www.eiu.edu/alerteiu.

Police Assistance

The University employs a 22-person armed and sworn police force.  The University Police are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.  The University Police Department also has mutual aid agreements with both the Charleston and Mattoon police departments, the Coles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Illinois State Police.  All of these police agencies are willing to provide assistance to the University when needed.

Additional Resources

The University relies on additional resources as well.  Video cameras have been installed in various locations throughout the campus, and additional cameras are scheduled to be installed. Nineteen emergency call boxes are strategically located across campus.  A push of the button on the call boxes activates flashing blue lights and places the caller in direct contact with a 911 emergency dispatcher.

Residence hall access is restricted and students need keys to enter their floors, whether the entrance is by elevator or stairwell.  Students, employed as Night Assistants, work with the police department and patrol residence halls nightly.

The University maintains a professionally staffed Counseling Center available to all students in the event that they need to talk to someone about the pressures in their lives.

A Threat Assessment Team consists of staff from various areas including the Counseling Center, University Police, Student Affairs, and University Legal Counsel.

What you can do to keep yourself and the campus safe:

• Keep your residence hall doors locked; do not prop open doors!
• Walk in lighted areas
• Take a self-defense course
• Get a whistle
• Have your keys ready
• Carry a cell phone
• Report suspicious behavior to the proper authorities
• Use the emergency call boxes when needed. If in doubt, use them.
• Please do not use the call boxes for frivolous activities!  Authorities must be available for those really in need of assistance.
• Monitor your Eastern-assigned e-mail accounts, which would be a primary method of communication in case of emergency.

Campus Safety Contact Information

Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
911

University Police Department
911 or 581-3212
www.eiu.edu/police

EIU Health Services
581-3013 or 581-2727 (nurse)
www.eiu.edu/health

EIU Counseling Center
581-3413 (regular business hours)  
www.eiu.edu/counsctr

Sexual Assault Counseling & Information Services
217-348-5033
www.sacis.org

Office of Student Standards
581-3827
www.eiu.edu/judicial

Charleston Police Department (non-emergency)
217-345-8407
www.charlestonillinois.org

We also encourage any student or parent with questions regarding safety issues to contact our Student Affairs Office at 217-581-3221.