WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Parents have an expectation that when they send their children to school or college the campuses have security measures in place.
Following the deadly shooting at Michigan State University, WPTV looked into what security requirements public universities and colleges in Florida have to adhere to.
While colleges have to take steps to increase campus security and report crimes, individual students are also responsible for their own safety.
Federally, the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended creates the requirement for each university or college to immediately notify the campus community of an emergency or dangerous situation. For many students, this is a text alert they'll receive if there's an emergency, such as an armed intruder.
Every institution also has to have an evacuation procedure.
Universities are required to report crimes and compile crime statistics by category.
When it comes to Florida, WPTV contacted the state university system board of governors and asked what safety and security requirements public universities have to comply with.
They responded by saying, "We collect physical plant safety reports from universities annually."
This means every public university in Florida has to submit an annual security assessment and its own recommendations to improve safety.
Most universities have been proactive in creating their own safety and security committees.
Each campus police department often has its own safety and security procedures. Most schools also have a safety app available to download on their campus police page.