If there is reason to believe that a student may be missing, whether or not the student resides on campus, Campus Security and the Dean of Students will make all possible efforts to locate the student and determine his/her state of health and well-being. If the student lives on-campus, Security and Residence Life will coordinate efforts to locate the student, including a welfare check into the room in exigent circumstances. If the student lives off-campus Security will enlist the aid of local police; concurrently, SMU officials will endeavor to determine the student’s whereabouts through contact with friends, associates, teachers, and/or the student’s employers.

If located, verification of the student’s state of health and intention of returning to campus is made. If needed, a referral will be made to the SMU Counseling Center.

If the student is not located, Security will notify the family within 24 hours of receiving the initial missing student report that the whereabouts of the student is unknown; if the missing student lives off-campus, family members or associates are encouraged to make an official missing person report to local police. SMU Security will cooperate, aid, and assist local and state law enforcement agencies as prescribed by law and/or mutual aid agreements. If the student lives on-campus SMU Security will conduct an official investigation of its own in conjunction with local police as the primary investigative unit.

All pertinent law enforcement agencies including those of the student’s normal routes of travel or hometown will be notified and requested to render assistance; all law enforcement agencies involved will receive routine investigation status reports during the course of the investigation.

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