Dear Agarwal,
Thank you for sharing your heartfelt petition with us. Chancellor Jones and the entire University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign community are grieving for the Dhawan family.
University of Illinois Department of Public Safety is conducting a thorough investigation into exactly what happened the night of Akul’s passing, and we are sharing information privately and regularly with Mr. and Mrs. Dhawan when we confirm its accuracy, and we will share information with the broader community as well.
We share safety and wellbeing information with students throughout the year, and we will continue to do that in the coming weeks and months.
We received a list of thoughtful questions from a group of parents, so I’m including those questions at the bottom of this message along with our answers in hopes they help address your concerns.
Best regards,
Robin
ROBIN KALER
Associate Chancellor
Strategic Communications and Marketing
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
507 East Green
Suite 313 | M/C 426
Champaign, IL 61820
217.333.5010 | fax: 217.244.7124 | rkaler@illinois.edu
publicaffairs.illinois.edu
Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act any written communication to or from university employees regarding university business is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure.
What is the first responder protocol, especially what time to respond?
All 911 calls are assigned priority by a dispatcher based on the information provided by the caller and the potential risk to life. Generally speaking, the University of Illinois Police Department has capacity to respond to high priority calls within 1-3 minutes of a dispatch in the campus area. In the recent case in which UIPD was called to check on the welfare of a student, the responding officer placed a call to the reporting person approximately one minute after the dispatch to begin his investigation. Exact response protocols differ from situation to situation.
Who do our children (or us) alert and continue to follow up with, in case of emergency?
This largely depends on the nature of the emergency. To report any police, fire, or medical emergency, 911 should be called. Our Emergency Response Guide (available at https://police.illinois.edu/em/planning/emergency-response-guide/ is a quick reference guide designed to provide instructions on how to respond to a variety of emergencies. In incidents involving a police response, parents would be provided with a point of contact at the police department. Typically, this is the detective investigating the case.
How is the Golden period (a.k.a. Golden Hour) for any emergency adhered to?
If emergency medical services have not yet arrived on scene, police officers are trained to provide initial, urgent medical care like bleeding control, CPR, AED or naloxone, especially in cases where there is an immediate threat to someone’s life, and to facilitate an emergency medical response. Medical assistance is turned over to emergency medical services as they arrive on scene and as the available resources allow.
In case of unusual situations like an accident, non-traceability, caught in weather hazards or dangerous surroundings etc., what do they do?
Emergency response may be vastly different depending on each situation, and may involve cooperation between police, fire, emergency medical services and university resources where applicable. To the best of their ability, police officers prioritize the preservation of life under all circumstances. Investigations are not closed until all parties are accounted for.
What should parents do if the student reaches them first? (Most families set up emergency signals among themselves.)
In an emergency, parents should direct a student to call 911. Police will need to speak with a local contact who has firsthand knowledge of the situation to collect more information about the nature of the emergency or render aid if required.
How does the university continuously educate or familiarise students to recognise risk
and develop safety behaviour, specially for international students, who come from
different social and cultural milieus. It is natural for young adults to explore and push
boundaries, but can the university remain vigilant of potential risks, educate and
correct ? E.g Alcohol and substance abuse, risk at uncontrolled social events, stranger
danger, Lack of moderation, peer pressures,etc
In addition to extensive orientation programming, including pre-arrival events in India, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) holds a large number of events throughout the year that focus on the physical and mental health of students experiencing both the United States and the University of Illinois for the first time. These events include a popular ‘Weathering the Winter’ event where ISSS, along with McKinley Health Center, teaches students how best to prepare for the unique challenges Central Illinois weather brings in winter, and a series of presentations in our ‘Global Engagement Lounge’ that have covered topics including homesickness, self-care, community building, and cultural differences in relationships. ISSS newsletters that are sent to all international students include details on these events as well as important safety resources. A full breakdown of ISSS events, programming, and communication on this topic over the past year is as follows:
PRE ARRIVAL
Local Welcome Event (Delhi & Mumbai, India) – April 2023
Presentation included information and tips related to general health, safety, security, for students studying at US colleges/universities
Pre-Arrival Orientation – June 2023
Virtual sessions with University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) representatives
In-person sessions with UIPD videos and Q&A with campus representatives
INITIAL ORIENTATION
Summer 2023 Virtual Orientation
Presentation video by UIPD
Q&A with UIPD
Various resources from UIPD in Virtual Resource Fair (available year-round): https://uofi.box.com/s/6re8mvc1th3tfxekesp3fjrge934ny7t
Various additional resources about health and safety available in Virtual Resource Fair:https://uofi.box.com/s/kxjjyf4wftx3twk6cm7wgw6c0h6cyr4m
Fall 2023 Orientations
UIPD presentation and representative at Undergraduate (in-person) and Graduate (virtual) Orientations
Representative at in-person Resource Fair
Resources for health and safety also available in Virtual Resource Fair Box folder (linked above)
Spring 2024 Virtual Orientation
Presentation video by UIPD
Q&A with UIPD
Various resources from UIPD in Virtual Resource Fair (available year-round): https://uofi.box.com/s/6re8mvc1th3tfxekesp3fjrge934ny7t
Various additional resources about health and safety available in Virtual Resource Fair:https://uofi.box.com/s/kxjjyf4wftx3twk6cm7wgw6c0h6cyr4m
ONGOING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
Global Engagement Lounge Programming:
2/15/2023 - Relationships and Navigating Associated Challenges
4/12/2023: Self-Care and Self-Empowerment
4/19/2023: Consent Across Cultures
10/18/2023: The Power of Community Building
10/25/2023: American Dating Slang (explored slang as well as behavioral indicators of healthy vs unhealthy relationships)
11/1/2023: Debunking Diet Fads
1/31/2024 (upcoming): Dealing with Homesickness in College
Other Programs:
Healthier U (annual event) – 2/20/2023 & 2/23/2023 – Presentations/discussions focused on stress management and sexual health resources (with ISSS, Illini Union, McKinley Health Center, Counseling Center, International Education, UIPD & Courtyard Café)
Cocoa with Pups – 9/18/2023: Program to learn about safety on campus (with ISSS & UIPD)
Weathering the Winter Event (annual event) – 10/20/2023 – Learning how to best prepare for the winter months (with ISSS & McKinley Health Center Special Populations)
Newsletter Scam Alerts
Illinois International Newsletter: International students and scholars: What you need to know for spring 2023 | Illinois International News
ISSS Newsletter 2/3/2023: ISSS NEWSLETTER '22-'23 No. 11 (illinois.edu)
ISSS Newsletter 8/25/2023: ISSS NEWSLETTER '23-'24 No. 1 (illinois.edu)
ISSS Newsletter 9/8/2023: ISSS NEWSLETTER '23-'24 No. 2 (illinois.edu)
ISSS Campus Partners Newsletter 9/15/2023: ISSS Newsletter to Campus Partners - September 2023 (illinois.edu)
ISSS Newsletter 9/22/2023: ISSS NEWSLETTER '23-'24 No. 3 (illinois.edu)
ISSS Newsletter 10/6/2023: ISSS NEWSLETTER '23-'24 No. 4 (illinois.edu)
Illinois International Newsletter Spring 2024: ISSS offers tips, advice for Spring 2024 semester | Illinois International News
General
ISSS website, with standing Scam Safety banner on home page and additional scrolling banner “Review scam information and important safety tips”
(https://isss.illinois.edu/resources/scam_safety.html
University of Illinois students, including international students, have the opportunity to actively learn and grow from a variety of programs offered by a multitude of units on campus. For example,students were able to access ACE IT programming as early as June 2023. By the end of fall semester, there was a 90% compliance rate. ACE IT is a program that is required for all incoming first year students under the age of 21 including transfer students and international students. This program covers a harm reduction approach to alcohol use if students choose to drink. More detailed information can be found on our website here https://counselingcenter.illinois.edu/ACEIT In addition to ACE IT, the Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) prevention team collaborates with McKinley Health Education to deliver programming during alcohol safety week focusing on safety planning. Creating alternative alcohol plans (CAAP) was offered weekly in the fall and is continuing at the same frequency Spring semester https://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/CAAP The AOD team partners with our embedded counselor in University Housing and offered RA training, including Private Certified Housing, on the harm reduction approach and how to refer residents to campus resources. AOD successfully launched a risk management workshop in the fall with special consideration to fraternities and sororities that focuses on social norming, healthy bystander behaviors, and harm reduction. The harm reduction peers continue to offer tabling around campus to educate students on safe practices. Alcohol safety information is included in our tabling at all new student orientation fairs where we have opportunities to interact with students about general resources and specific AOD information.
The McKinley Health Center’s Special Populations Health Program (SPHP) provides illness prevention/health promotion programs to the University of Illinois diverse student populations including international students and their families. SPHP’s outreach programs are organized at locations where international students visit/reside and when appropriate, in collaboration with local health agencies. Alcohol safety information is shared who students who attend these programs. SPHP provides weekly tabling and self-care services at various locations on campus. In addition, SPHP partners with academic units to assist students including internationals with programs called “preparing for finals”. Annually we provide in conjunction with ISSS, a safety tabling session at the ice arena involving campus groups to address safety and general wellness.
University Housing provides on-going educational programs, including alcohol safety, services, and events throughout the academic year focused on safety initiatives. These initiatives are highlighted within the ‘residential curriculum’ which identifies the various needs of students living within the residential experience by holding regular meetings with staff and students to understand what is occurring within the respective residence hall and determining the appropriate response to the needs of the community. These programs are facilitated by professional and para-professional staff trained to identify the needs of the respective communities and the skills to facilitate on-going programs and initiatives. Safety initiatives are at the core of the residential experience with on-going programs, information and services provided via bulletin boards, individual and large group in-person meetings, social media presence, peer-to-peer advisory groups, to name a few. Some of our main partners in sharing information related to the health and security of our students include UIPD, the Counseling Center, Women’s Resource Center, McKinley Health Center, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), to name a few.
Community Outreach and Support (COAST)- Public Safety (https://police.illinois.edu/services/coast/ provides educational programming and safety presentations]
How are CCTV cameras deployed across the university campus and public areas? In case of any untoward incident, can the university police access them quickly for corrective action? Can parents, who are not US citizens or residents, be given access if they need the same?
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has a robust network of more than 2,400 security cameras placed in strategic locations across campus. Police and Public Safety personnel can access cameras in real-time and view up to 30 days of recorded footage. Security cameras provide valuable information and investigative leads. Many cases have been solved – some quite quickly – using this footage. However, because of the sheer number of cameras and the amount of footage they capture, police must have accurate information about locations and what or who to look for. Parents are not provided with access to the security camera system, but recorded footage is subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
In the experience of some of our students, safe walks and other help offered take a
long time. Sometimes suggested alternatives are not a desired option e.g waiting for
the next bus for 30 minutes. Can these response systems be made more efficient and
effective within reasonable limits?
Bus schedules and SafeRides services are determined by the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, not the university. SafeWalks are managed by the Division of Public Safety. In our advertisements, we ask SafeWalks users to provide 15 minutes advance notice so that our trained Student Patrol officers have time to make their way toward a user’s location. SafeWalks has a high success rate of providing a response within 15 minutes, usually less.
The university believes the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) is interested in hearing about individual rider experiences. Time of day, day of week, origin, and destination are pieces of information that could illuminate a rider’s experience and help to identify possible pinch points. MTD encourages students, faculty, or staff to contact MTD with concerns, suggestions, etc. via phone (217.384.8188)(Whenever service is on the street, there are people answering the phone!), email (mtdweb@mtd.org), on social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @ridemtd), or in person at MTD’s Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign. We understand that with the return of the Spring Semester, and a positive trending stabilization of MTD’s Bus Operator workforce, MTD is working to restore some of its previously cut trips.
As the semester progresses, we understand that MTD will continue to pay close attention to scheduling to determine when additional service can be restored on top of these initial efforts. MTD’s plan is to restore service in smaller amounts to ensure service is consistent. MTD has informed us that they are optimistic about additional service restoration this spring and summer and is working progressively towards the goal of full-service restoration this coming fall.
For many parents like us, who are not citizens or residents of the US, is there a point
of contact to provide smooth information, updates and access in case of any
emergency for our student? Can a hotline that operates odd hours for international
parents exclusively to reach in case of emergencies, be created?
The Office of the Dean of Students (https://odos.illinois.edu; 217-333-0050;helpdean@illinois.edu) coordinates the Emergency Dean program, which provides an administrator on call outside normal business hours and on holidays/weekends to offer support to students who are experiencing health or safety emergency situations in which an immediate university response is needed. (Note that the Emergency Dean is not a substitute for trained emergency personnel/first responders [police, fire, EMS].) The Emergency Dean may be reached at 217-649-4129. For more information, see https://odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care/emergency-dean/
Unfortunately, this news has got press coverage in national media in India as well. It definitely is generating concerns and doubts about safety in the university. This, in our minds, is very detrimental to UIUC ‘s reputation as a university of choice in India.
Information about the safety of campus can be accessed in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Generally speaking, college campuses in the United States are very safe places to live, work and study. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is no exception, and the volume of crime reports we receive is comparable to other similarly-sized institutions in the United States. Additionally, various campus units engage in proactive conversations with students about safety and available resources.
If you have additional questions, please let me know. Our campus is heartbroken over the tragic death of Akul Dhawan. We are steadfast in our commitment to providing a safe environment for all students in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign community.