Northern Illinois University - Health & Safety

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

If you believe lightning can’t strike the same place twice, then NIU is among the safest college campuses in America. The February 2008 killing spree by a former student came without warning and was largely unpreventable. Police response to the reports of a shooting was rapid and disciplined. The University is constantly updating its security policies as a result of both this event and the previous incident at Virginia Tech University a year earlier. Metal detectors and psychiatric screenings to enter classrooms aren’t forthcoming, so a repeat occurrence is a possibility, but no more so than at any other school. The University is aggressive in protecting the safety of its students. Violent offenders are shown the door before they know what hit them. It’s how non-violent offenders are dealt with that is a matter of controversy. The police sometimes look the other way when it comes to underage drinking, while vandalism and petty theft are issues that will never go away on a campus of this size. Take all necessary precautions and use common sense to protect yourself and your valuables. The services and resources available to students are excellent. The escort service is a godsend, especially in certain dank areas of campus. Emergency assistance call-boxes rarely see use, but it’s nice to know that they are there. Access to the dormitories is also controlled—at least in theory. Vigilance can sometimes depend on the student checking identification.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

The University police seem to have... The University police seem to have a few issues. Students seem to like them because sneaking a few beers past them isn’t that challenging, and neither is running from them. There’s a strong tendency to put students into rehab or community-service-type programs instead of arresting them, because at the end of the year, it makes the crime statistics look good. A while back, over a dozen cars were burglarized in the dorm’s parking lots on their watch on one weekend, and they all just shrugged their shoulders. 12345 Health & Safety Report

Anonymous says:

I am afraid to go out alone at... I am afraid to go out alone at night, and I always lock my door. I was really scared by what happened with the shooting. One of my good friends was in thatclassroom, and I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to them. I am looking into transferring. 12345 Health & Safety Report

Anonymous says:

There is a lot of theft and a lot... There is a lot of theft and a lot of drinking. At the end of the year textbook theft tends to be a common occurrence. If you live on or near Greek Row, it’s not unusual to see a lot of drunken fighting and arguing at night, especially on weekends. When I lived in Grant Tower, there was a pretty big problem with people occasionally deciding to vandalize the bathrooms—only they used human feces instead of spray paint. There were a few sexual assault cases during my time at NIU, and the school was pretty quick in getting rid of those students in each case. 12345 Health & Safety Report

Anonymous says:

I hate the system of the... I hate the system of the call-boxes. They are in very obscure areas, and they are limited. They need more! Also, I have never seen security walking around. I take a lot of late-night bike rides, and I know where to avoid (e.g., dark areas). Even just walking home from a night class can be scary. Walking through the Cole/DuSable/Reavis/Watson/Gabel/Graham area is dark! They definitely need more security. 12345 Health & Safety Report

Anonymous says:

There are police always around, so... There are police always around, so I think that is definitely great. I think that the campus is fairly safe. I believe the biggest issues would be that there are many homeless DeKalb residents on the streets. 12345 Health & Safety Report

Did You Know?

On Valentine’s Day 2008, safety and security at NIU became national news when former student Steven Kazmierczak entered a large lecture hall, killed five students and then committed suicide. The campus was locked down within 20 minutes of the attack and school was canceled for more than a week. The school’s handling of the event was widely praised by outside observers as police were on the scene within less than a minute and alerts went out via many different channels including e-mail and PA systems throughout campus.

Book theft is a significant problem at the end of every semester when it comes time to sell back books to the bookstore. Watch your stuff or lose easy cash. Police recommend putting unique marks on your books so that your books can be identified if stolen.

In addition to the health services provided at NIU, students also have access to the Counseling and Student Development Center (www.niu.edu/csdc), where they can seek out assistance for a number of mental-health issues.

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