As part of its commitment to provide a safe and secure campus, NIU Student Affairs Division supports IVRT, a service that encourages and responds to the reporting of sexual assaults, domestic violence, and stalking both on and off campus. IVRT has eight components:
Access is free and confidential. The victim chooses the IVRT components he/she wishes to utilize. NIU was one of the first universities in the U.S. to establish this reporting system, placing it in the forefront nationally in encouraging students to report sexual assaults. If a victim selects a pastoral or professional counselor, the university’s policy is to empower counselors to inform the victim of how to report the incident voluntarily and confidentially for inclusion in the annual security report statistics.
With the assistance of a trained speaker’s bureau, Health Enhancement coordinates requests for presentations, consultations, and media-based initiatives. Direct program requests reached 4,500 students. Health Enhancement reached 1,700 students in working with several campus groups, as well as Safe Passage (community rape crisis center), in presenting large-scale programs such as Take Back the Night, White Ribbon Campaign, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Prevention education materials were provided to 140 floor Community Advisors for posting in all of the residence halls. Seven educational display ads were placed in the Northern Star. As part of the First Year Experience course (UNIV 101), instructors covered violence prevention education along with a similar text chapter. Educational materials were made available during 312 outreach hours.
This door-to-door service is available to escort students seven days a week from 10 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and on request will provide escorts at anytime to ensure student safety. This service is staffed by NIU Security Guards, under the supervision and funding of the Department of Public Safety.
A group of students, under the supervision of NIU’s Department of Public Safety, patrols the campus and escorts students from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., Monday through Friday.
The university maintains a Tipline based in part upon the International Crime Stopper Program. It provides callers with the opportunity to report information about illegal activities and/or violations of the Student Code of Conduct, without revealing their identity. To report information call (815) 753-TIPS (8477).
The Department of Public Safety has officers certified and trained to handle hazardous materials and other types of critical incidents.