90 Missing Student Procedure

Missing Student Notification Policy and Procedures 20 USC 1092 (j) (Section 488 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008)

Any institution participating in a Title IV federal student financial aid program that maintains on campus housing facilities must establish a missing student notification policy and related procedures for those students who live in on campus housing.

For purposes of this policy, a student shall be considered missing if a roommate, classmate, faculty member, family member or other campus person has not seen the student in a reasonable amount of time, reports the pertinent facts to at least one of the staff and/or offices listed below, and, if after investigation the MSCPD determines that the student has been missing for more than 24 hours. A reasonable amount of time may vary with the time of day and information available regarding the missing person’s daily schedule, habits, punctuality, and reliability. Individuals may be considered missing immediately, if their absence has occurred under circumstances that are suspicious or cause concerns for their safety. If the initial report that a person is missing is made to a MSC department other than the Murray State Police Department or designated office listed below, the MSC employee receiving the report shall contact the MSCPD immediately.

Procedures for designation of emergency contact information

1. Students age 18 and above and emancipated minors. Students living on campus shall be given notice of this policy and an opportunity during the first seven days after move-in each semester to designate an individual or individuals to be contacted by the university “in case of emergency”. Contact information shall be registered confidentially, shall be accessible only to authorized campus officials, and may only be disclosed to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of a missing person investigation. In the event a student is reported missing, the MSC Police Department or their designee shall attempt to contact his/her emergency designee no more than 24 hours after the time that the student is determined to be missing in accordance with the procedures set forth below. An emergency contact designee shall remain in effect until changed or revoked by the student.
2. Students under the age of 18. In the event a student living on campus who is not emancipated is determined to be missing pursuant to the procedures set forth below, the university shall (is required to) notify a custodial parent or guardian no more than 24 hours after the student is determined to be missing in accordance with the procedures set forth below.

Official notification procedures for missing persons

1. Any faculty, staff or student who has information that a residential student may be a missing person should notify one of the following offices and/or staff members immediately:

MSC Police Department, Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, or Executive Director of Student Affairs.   If the notice comes to any department listed above other than the MSCPD, that office shall notify the MSCPD within 24 hours.

2. The Murray State College Police Department shall gather information about the residential student from the reporting person and from the student’s acquaintances (including, by way of example, description, clothes last worn, where student might be, who student might be with, vehicle description, information about the physical and mental wellbeing of the student, an up-to-date photograph, class schedule, etc.). Appropriate campus faculty and/or staff shall be notified to aid in the search for the student.
3. If the Murray State College Police department determines that a residential student has been missing for more than 24 hours, they or their designee shall notify the emergency contact (*for students 18 and over) or the parent/guardian (for students under the age of 18) that the student is believed to be missing. This notification must be made no later than 24 hours after determination is made. *Contact is contingent upon the correct emergency contact information being made available by the student.

Campus communications about missing students

In all cases when the student is declared missing by the Murray State College Police Department after an initial investigation and in consultation with other law enforcement agencies as appropriate, MSCPD will coordinate with the MSC Public Information Office to provide information to the media that is designed to obtain public assistance in the search for any missing student.  This coordination will insure that investigations are not impeded by the release of information.