Policies & Services
The Smith College Campus Safety Department offers a variety of services to assist the community. Have an idea for a service that you would like to see? Please contact us and share your feedback.
Policies
Weapons on Campus
In accordance with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 269 Section 10j, weapons are prohibited on the grounds of the college with the exception of law enforcement officers duly authorized to carry such weapons. No person shall be permitted to carry firearms or other weapons, concealed or not concealed, with or without a concealed weapon permit, while on properties owned or controlled by the college.
For the purposes of this policy, the term “weapons” includes, but is not limited to, firearms of any nature or description, including shotguns, rifles, pistols and revolvers, paint ball guns, or BB/pellet guns; firearm replicas; ammunition; martial arts-type weapons; explosives (including fireworks); bows, crossbows, arrows; slingshots; switchblade knives, double-edged knives, hunting (pocket-style) knives with a blade length of three inches or greater; swords; pointed metal darts; (unauthorized) pepper spray; or any other destructive device or instrument that may be used to do bodily injury or damage to property. In addition, items that may be used as weapons, whether or not they fit the definition above, will be subject to seizure.
Because these weapons may pose a clear risk to persons and property on the campus, violation of the regulations may result in administrative action from the college and/or prosecution under the appropriate state or federal laws.
Services Offered
The primary function of the Bicycle Registration Program is to provide identification for bicycles stored on campus.
Register Your Bicycle
Affix the bicycle registration decal to the bar underneath the bike seat, as if it were a license plate number, as soon as you receive it to avoid forgetting to do so. It helps to clean and dry the area before affixing the decal.
REGISTER YOUR BICYCLE
Why Register Your Bicycle?
To Discourage Theft and Identify Your Bicycle
The information on the bicycle is kept on file at the campus safety department for several years, so even if a student has graduated and something happens to their bicycle, we will be able to provide them information on their bicycle if they cannot locate its serial number, etc. Additionally, the sticker identifies the bicycle as belonging to someone who is at Smith College, so if it is located by a law enforcement agency, they will contact the college and therefore the bicycle is more likely to be returned to its owner.
To Prevent Its Removal From Campus
Unregistered bicycles and those registered to students who have graduated are considered abandoned and are removed at the end of each academic year in order to make room for new bicycles being brought to campus. Storage space on campus is very limited, and removal of bicycles no longer being used is vital to assure that there is space for new bicycles. There is not a limit on the number of bicycles a person can register while they are on campus; however, to be fair to other bicycle owners, members of the community should have no more than two bicycles stored on campus at one time so everyone will have room to store their bicycles.
Bike Lock-Ups Dos and Don’ts
The occurrence of bike theft (and of bike parts such as seats and quick release wheels) is higher in urban areas and on college campuses due to the numbers of bikes and the length of time during which those bikes may be left unattended. Take a few simple steps to protect your bike.
Do
- Keep your bike frame and wheels locked at all times.
- Lock your bike in a well-lit area.
- Use a sturdy bike lock.
- Lock your bike to an object that is securely bolted or cemented to the ground.
- Position your lock with the key mechanism facing down.
- Create a snug fit with wheels and frame so that there is little room in the U-portion of the lock for thieves’ tools.
- Record the serial number, make, model, color and bike decal number in a safe place.
- Make sure the bike is covered on home or renter’s insurance policies, especially if the bike is expensive.
- Lock your bike indoors whenever possible, especially if you will not be using it for a while.
Don’t
- Lock your bike to objects that can be easily cut.
- Lock your bike in the same area all the time.
- Position the lock near the ground to prevent thieves from attempting leverage or crushing the lock.
- Lock your bike to pedestrian railings, heaters or other objects not intended for bicycle security (your bike could be removed by college officials if not locked in a proper area).
(locking your bike images from San Francisco Bicycle Coalition)
If Your Bike is Stolen
Often, improperly secured bikes may be “borrowed” by people who might think it may be a “community bike”—it may be located elsewhere on campus. Try looking on campus or report the theft to campus safety.
Smith College campus safety can provide fingerprinting services for required applications and security clearances for members of the college community free of charge.
- Appointments can be arranged by contacting the department at 413-585-2490 or campus safety dispatch, to see if there is someone available to assist.
- You MUST arrive for your appointment with at least one government issued form of identification, such as a driver’s license or passport AND your Smith College OneCard.
Important: Have all of your fingerprint cards filled out as completely as possible prior to your arrival. Plan to arrive promptly at the scheduled time. Do not sign the fingerprint cards until advised to do so by us.
The safety department is able to provide lockout services for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Lockout services will only be provided to the person assigned to the space being opened, or for the person who is the owner of a vehicle being unlocked.
In order to protect the privacy and security of our community, we are unable to open a space or vehicle without the assigned person or owner present. If there is a specific need to gain entry to a residential space, the requestor should contact the office of residence life. If it is an academic space, the requester should discuss their needs with the department responsible for that area.
Laptop engraving is offered as an added security measure to help identify your laptop and help discourage theft.
Register your bicycle with our department for the ability to identify your bicycle should it be stolen.
Campus Safety Medical Transports
Campus safety can provide transportation for students to and from Cooley Dickinson Hospital (CDH) and Baystate Urgent Care on King Street for emergency/urgent medical needs. As officers might be handling other situations on campus, students might need to wait until an officer is free to transport them. If the student needs immediate transport, they should call 911 for an ambulance.
If students have scheduled medical or dental appointments, they need to make arrangements for transportation to get to the appointment. Below are a list of options students can use:
- Rent a Zipcar
- Use Uber or Lyft
- PVTA Public Transportation
- Contact a taxi service:
- Go Green Cab, 413-586-0707
- Cosmic Cab, 413-230-6119
Campus safety can also provide transportation for on campus students to the Schacht Center if they have an appointment and are feeling ill. The same applies that if campus safety is responding to an emergency on campus, the student might have to wait a period of time before being transported.
Campus Safety Escorts
Campus safety also provides safety escorts for students on campus. If a student feels unsafe walking on campus for any reason, they should contact campus safety for a ride. As officers might be handling other situations on campus, students might need to wait until an officer is free to transport them.