Missing Student Notification

1. PURPOSE

Federal regulations require the Brigham Young University–Hawaii ("BYU–Hawaii" or "university") to provide for means of notifying parents, campus authorities and law enforcement when a student who lives in on-campus student housing facilities has been missing for 24 hours.

2. POLICY

Annually, the university will inform all students via an automated alert of the option to confidentially register the name of one or more emergency contacts to be notified in the event that the student is determined to be missing. Students may update this information at any time through the Student Center of the student registration system. Information regarding registered emergency contacts will be accessible only to authorized campus officials and may not be disclosed, except to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of a missing student investigation. In the event that a student is missing, campus officials must immediately notify Campus Safety & Security as outlined in the following implementation guidelines.

2.1 Registration of Contact Persons by the student

The university affords all students with the option to identify a contact person or persons whom the university shall notify within 24 hours of a determination by Campus Safety & Security or local law enforcement that the student is missing. A general emergency contact and a missing student contact may be registered, although the contact person may be the same for both purposes. A student may choose to designate a parent as their contact person; however, the contact person may be anyone they choose. If there is no contact identified, only the Honolulu Police Department will be notified by the University.

2.2 Students Under the Age of 18

The university will notify a custodial parent or guardian within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing, in addition to notifying any additional contact person identified by the student.

2.3 Notification of Law Enforcement

The university, regardless of age or status, and regardless of whether the student has registered a confidential contact person, will also notify Honolulu Police Department within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing, unless the Honolulu Police Department made the determination that the student is missing.

3. IMPLEMENTATION

3.1 Definitions

3.1.1 Authorized Campus Officials

Authorized campus officials include the Student Life Vice President, director of campus life, members of Campus Safety & Security, and members of the Behavior Intervention Team.

3.2 Reporting

Any person who believes that a student is missing should immediately notify at least one of the following:

Campus Safety & Security – (808) 675-3911, 148 McKay;
A Residential Life hale coordinator;
A resident advisor;
Director of campus life (808) 675-3311, Aloha Center 166; or,
Dean of students – (808) 675-4586, LSB 121.

Reports of missing students may also be made to the Honolulu Police Department by calling 9-1-1.

Any missing student report must be immediately referred to Campus Safety & Security (808-675-3911 or 5-3911). If a student is determined by Campus Safety & Security or local law enforcement to be missing, Campus Safety & Security will coordinate with the director of campus life so that the Behavior Intervention Team can plan and oversee an investigation.

3.3 Investigation Procedures

3.3.1 Obligation of the Reporter

When a university employee or faculty member receives notification that a student is missing, the employee should help the reporter contact Campus Safety & Security to file a missing student report. If the reporter is unwilling to make a report, the employee should attempt to collect and report to Campus Safety & Security as much information as possible, including the following:

Name of the missing person.
Contact information of the missing person.
Physical description of the missing person, including clothing; hair, eye, and skin color; and any distinguishing features.
Time and location where the person was last seen.
Names and contact information of persons close to the missing person or recently seen with the missing person.
Name and contact information of the reporter.

3.3.2 University Procedures Upon Determination That Student is Missing

When a student is reported missing and has been deemed by Campus Safety & Security or local law enforcement to have been missing for 24 hours without any known reason, Campus Safety & Security will notify the Behavior Intervention Team chair, who is the director of campus life. The university will then follow the procedures outlined below:

The Behavior Intervention Team will initiate an investigation to make a determination as to the status of the missing student ;
The director of campus life will contact the Student Life Vice President;
The Behavior Intervention Team will identify and implement actions to assist in locating the missing student.
The director of campus life will notify the missing student notification contact(s), as identified by the missing student, within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing;
If the student is under 18 (and not emancipated), the director of campus life will notify the student’s custodial parent/guardian no later than 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing;
The director of campus life will notify the Honolulu Police Department within 24 hours of Campus Safety & Security determining that the student is missing.
All attempts to notify the contact person(s) will be documented. Any of the foregoing steps may be taken before a student is determined to have been missing for 24 hours if there is reason to believe the student is missing or may otherwise be in danger.