The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (previously known as the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act) contains critical information you should familiarize yourself with about campus safety and security. Described in detail is the University Police Department (UPD): law enforcement arrest authority; crime reporting policies, procedures and responses; working relationships with state and local police; encouragement of prompt reporting of crimes; and access control procedures. Additionally, there is information concerning drug and alcohol abuse prevention, sexual assault information, weapons on campus, and policies on missing students who reside in on-campus housing and fire safety information. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains data about crime statistics for the three previous calendar years detailing the reported crimes that occurred on the UTRGV Brownsville Campus, UTRGV Edinburg Campus, UTRGV McAllen Teaching Site, UTRGV at Starr County Facility, and the support facilities to include property owned or controlled by The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and on public property or property immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campuses.
This information is required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act and the Higher Education Reauthorization Act and is provided by The University Police Department. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available on the Web at www.utrgv.edu/police/clery or a hard copy will be provided if you contact the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities at 956-665-5375.
Any law enforcement information provided by state law enforcement agencies concerning registered sex offenders may be obtained from the University Police Department at 956-665-7151.
Annual Fire Safety Report
The UTRGV Department of Environmental Health, Safety, and Risk Management (EHSRM) is charged with oversight of the Fire Safety Program which ensures compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) mandates and Best Management Practices associated with fire and facilities safety in an institutional environment. All faculty, staff and students are required to comply with these specific mandates. In accordance with the HEOA, UTRGV publishes an Annual Fire Safety Report (included with the Annual Security Report), which outlines key information relating to the fire safety related systems associated with UTRGV campus housing. Included in the report is a description of the fire safety system for each on-campus student housing facility, the number of fire drills held the previous year, UTRGV’s policies or rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking, and open flames, procedures for student housing evacuation, policies for fire safety education and training programs, reporting mechanisms in the event of a fire, and plans for future improvements in fire safety. Also included in this report are Fire Safety Statistics, which outline the number of fires and the cause of each fire, the number of injuries or deaths, and the value of any property damage. In addition to the Annual Fire Safety Report, a Fire Log is maintained by the Clery Compliance Coordinator in conjunction with EHSRM, which lists any fires that occurred in an on-campus housing facility. For each fire, information regarding the location of the fire, the nature of the fire, the date the fire occurred, and the time of day the fire occurred is included.
A hard copy of the latest Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, Crime, and Fire Logs are available at the following University Police locations:
Edinburg Campus Police Station
Academic Support Facility
501 N. Sugar Road
Edinburg, TX 78539
Brownsville Campus Police Station
2671 FJRM Ave.
Brownsville, TX 78520
Harlingen Campus Police Station
2102 Treasure Hills Blvd.
Harlingen, Texas 78550
In addition, a copy of the report can be accessed at the University Police website
https://www.utrgv.edu/police/crime/index.htm
Making a False Alarm or Report
Pursuant to section 42.06 of the Texas Penal Code, it is a state jail felony to report a present, past, or future bombing, fire, offense, or other emergency that a person knows to be false relating to an institution of higher education.
Important Phone Numbers
| Department |
UTRGV Brownsville Campus |
UTRGV Edinburg Campus |
| University Police-Emergency |
956-882-4911 |
956-882-4911 |
| University Police-Non-Emergency |
956-882-7777 |
956-882-7777 |
| Dean of Students |
956-882-5141 |
956-665-2260 |
| Counseling Center |
956-882-3897 |
956-665-2574 |
| Health Services |
956-882-7643 |
956-665-2511 |
| Student Rights and Responsibilities |
956-882-5141 |
956-665-5375 |
| Accessibility Services |
956-882-7374 |
956-665-7005 |
| Office of Institutional Equity & Diversity (Title IX/Sexual Misconduct/Discrimination Reporting) |
956-665-2103 |
956-665-2103 |
| Substance Abuse/Recovery Services |
956-882-3897 |
956-665-2574 |
| Office for Advocacy & Violence Prevention (OAVP) |
956-882-8282 |
956-665-8287 |
Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) specifies The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley requirements for hate crime reporting, emergency response and evacuation procedures, as well as missing student notification and fire safety related issues for UTRGV’s on campus housing facilities.
Please refer to the Handbook of Operating Procedures Policy section on Notification Regarding Missing Resident Students.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
The UTRGV Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) is committed to openly engaging the university community in preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation of emergencies through an all-hazards approach. OEP’s highest priority is to help provide a safe and secure environment for UTRGV students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Office of Emergency Preparedness works cooperatively with all members of the UTRGV community, University of Texas System, Texas Division of Emergency Management, Cameron County and Hidalgo County Emergency Management, City of Brownsville Office of Emergency Management and City of Edinburg Fire Department to achieve this objective.
In accordance with the HEOA, UTRGV has developed a policy statement that outlines Emergency Response and Emergency Notifications utilized to immediately notify the campus community upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation.
In most cases, evacuations apply only to buildings immediately affected. In some cases, the evacuation could apply to the entire campus. Some potential causes for emergency evacuations may include but are not limited to a major fire or explosion, hazardous materials release, structural failure, bomb threat, chemical/biological/radiological spill. Evacuations are typically prompted by continually sounding fire alarms or by an official announcement through UTRGV’s emergency notification system and are advised not to re-enter the building until the all-clear is given by either UTRGV PD or by an official announcement via UTRGV’s emergency notification system.
For more information, visit the UTRGV Office of Emergency Preparedness website at
www.utrgv.edu/emergencypreparedness/
Gang-Free Zones
Premises owned, rented or leased by The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and areas within 1,000 feet of the premises are “gang-free” zones. Certain criminal offenses, including those involving gang-related crimes, will be enhanced to the next highest category of offense if committed in a gang-free zone by an individual 17 years or older. See Texas Penal Code, Section 71.028.