Safety Approach
Our approach to safety, in all senses of the word, aims to not only serve our community, but build it. This collective dedication builds trust, increases resilience, and fosters a welcoming campus environment.
Strategic Approach to Safety
We work to promote a safe and welcoming campus through three pillars of progress:
- Outreach and engagement - Create strong community connections and partnerships; advocate for support and resources that promote safety and belonging at the University; and provide support services to increase our students’ sense of safety in all forms of the word.
- Awareness and education - Build awareness of programs and resources that promote safety and a welcoming campus climate.
- Enhanced security - Implement proactive public safety strategies, and maintain and enhance our public safety infrastructure.
The University of Minnesota system expands upon those pillars through the systemwide Safety Plan, which lays a foundation for enhancing the campus community’s culture, policies, and practices to foster a safer climate on and near campus. Directed by MPact 2025’s Commitment 5, Fiscal Stewardship Action Item 5.4 to “assess and improve campus safety,” the plan's five safety goals serve as a roadmap for a holistic approach to continuous improvement of safety in the broadest sense.
Initiatives
As part of our approach, we work to strategically focus our efforts to reimagine and elevate safety in the areas needed most.
President’s Initiative for Student Mental Health. The need to address and support student mental health is critically important. PRISMH is part of MPact 2025, fulfilling our commitments to student success and community belonging.
Sexual Misconduct Prevention Program. The Sexual Misconduct Prevention Program (SMPP) provides strategic coordination of the University’s sexual misconduct prevention and response activities in partnership with University stakeholders systemwide.
M Safe. To advance our public safety and policing, the University held conversations facilitated by CL Alexander Consulting with our Twin Cities campus community to help us determine where we are strong and where we fall short. Read the corresponding report and recommendations, the M Safe Implementation Committee's review of that report, and the University’s plans for the future.
Read more about our recent public safety accomplishments
Campus Safety Progress 2023-2024 (PDF)
Strategic Safety Advisory Committee
The Strategic Safety Advisory Committee (SSAC) was created in 2022 to facilitate collaborative discussions to enhance safety and overall quality of life on and near the Twin Cities campus. Members meet regularly to freely consider and propose swift solutions, while also providing transparency on public safety issues.
Committee objectives:
- Propose and examine initiatives designed to improve University safety, in all senses of the word, for present and future use by the community.
- Become knowledgeable in various public safety topics with the ability to inform and/or educate other members of the University community.
- Generate greater awareness among key stakeholders about issues within the University community and how safety work impacts the University; specifically people, property, and reputation.