University of Wyoming Rolls Out Campus Safety App

University of Wyoming Rolls Out Campus Safety App

If the user is walking late at night, they can set a “Safety Timer” for the amount of time they expect to be walking and alert “guardians” — which users can set as a partner, friend, parent, or even the police — of their destination and expected arrival time.

The University of Wyoming has rolled out use of a new smartphone safety app as part of an effort to increase security on campus. The move comes after a sexual assault took place near the school’s football stadium in November.

In January, the university’s student government formed an ad hoc committee to study campus safety. Ben Wetzel, the president of the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming, said one of his goals in forming the committee was “to investigate bringing on some sort of mobile application service.”

The committee chose to work with the smartphone app Rave Guardian, which is not exclusive to the university. According to Wetzel, the app provides real-time security.

If the user is walking late at night, they can set a “Safety Timer” for the amount of time they expect to be walking and alert “guardians” — which users can set as a partner, friend, parent, or even the police — of their destination and expected arrival time.

Those guardians are then able to monitor the user’s location as they walk. If the user doesn’t reach their destination in the expected amount of time, both the guardian and the University of Wyoming Police are alerted. In addition, there is an emergency 911 button that can be pressed at any time to route the user to the UW Police Department’s dispatch.

Rave Guardian also allows users to send anonymous tips, including photos, to university police; even tips about faulty streetlights or water main breaks can be sent to the appropriate departments via the app, Wetzel said.

The university has signed a three-year contract to use the app. The cost, $6,000 per year, will come from the student government’s budget.

“Safety has always been an evolving conversation on campus,” committee co-chair Wendy Hungerford said. “This app offers students control over their own safety whether on or off campus.”

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Securing Higher Education: Combating Enrollment Fraud and Empowering Student Financial Success

    Higher education institutions are facing a costly and growing crisis: enrollment fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, the cost[1] of acquiring a new student surged by up to 32%, straining already tight budgets. At the same time, “ghost students” using stolen identities to enroll fraudulently put institutions at even greater financial risk. Read Now

  • How Composable Security Technologies Fortify Campus Safety

    Campus security teams have faced myriad risks threatening the safety and well-being of students and faculty this semester. Leaders have made tough tradeoffs about where to focus and how to channel limited resources to best protect their communities — but they now have a much-needed lift to their toolkit. Read Now

  • How Emerging Technologies are Transforming the School Security Landscape

    Students can't focus on learning when they're worried about their safety. As education systems nationwide face evolving security challenges with limited resources, a new generation of integrated technology solutions is helping schools create safer environments while maximizing staff efficiency. Read Now

  • How to Harness ALPR for Greater Security Efficiency and Collaboration

    Within higher education campus environments, the demand for greater security, efficiency, and resources is ever-present. Many higher education teams are adopting advanced technologies to secure their campus, streamline operations, and continue to best serve their students and faculty. Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology stands out for its ability to meet a wide range of campus objectives. Read Now