Report an Incident, Complaint or Crime
Reporting Suspicious Behavior
Students, faculty, staff and visitors can help protect our community by learning to recognize and report suspicious activity. Prompt and detailed reporting can help prevent crimes. Suspicious behavior or activity can be any action that is out of place and does not fit into the usual day-to-day activity of our campus community. If you witness behavior that concerns you, trust your instincts and call 911 or Fayette Police at 563-425-3500. Below are some tips on reporting suspicious behavior.
Don’t hesitate. Even if you are unsure as to what is going on, the best thing to do is to let officers investigate. You may help prevent violence or theft. You shouldn’t worry about using up an officer’s time. The additional information will give police important data to identify trends and make decisions about when and where to deploy patrols. It’s important to remember, however, that it is a person’s behavior, not their race, religion or national origin, that may be suspicious. Please note that the Chief of the Fayette Police Department serves on the UIU Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) and if the concerning behavior involves a student the BIT will be made aware.
Suspicious activities or behaviors may include, but are not limited to:
- Wandering around campus areas attempting to open multiple doors
- Seeming nervous and looking over their shoulders
- Entering restricted areas when not authorized or following immediately behind others into card-access areas while the door is open
- Claiming to represent a utility company, but not wearing a uniform, does not produce identification upon request or does not have a company logo vehicle
- Carrying property at an unusual hour or location, especially if they are attempting to hide the item
- Driving a vehicle slowly and aimlessly around campus
- Sitting in a vehicle for extended periods of time or conducting transactions from a vehicle
- Abruptly changing behavior when seen
- Dressing inappropriately for the weather or occasion (having a coat on when the temperature is warm, etc.)
- Leaving packages, bags or other items behind
- Exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms
- Unusual noises like screaming, yelling, gunshots or glass breaking
- Individuals in a heated argument, yelling or cursing at each other
If you witness concerning or suspicious behavior:
Call 911 or contact FPD is 563-425-3500 with the following information:
- Your name and location
- What you see (behavior, activity noticed as suspicious)
- Description of person(s) involved (height, weight, sex, complexion, approximate age, clothing, hair/facial hair, etc.)
- Location of person(s) involved (direction of travel)
What to do: When making a report, it’s important to stay calm and speak clearly to help dispatchers and officers effectively evaluate and respond to the situation. Keep a safe distance from the person until law enforcement arrives. Keep an eye on the person only if it is safe to do so. If the person attempts to leave the scene in a vehicle, bicycle, etc., do not attempt to detain them—but try to make note of the vehicle’s make and model, license number, color and any outstanding characteristics.
Submitting an Anonymous Report
The Lighthouse reporting platform does not replace our normal grievance process. We encourage individuals to use this resource when anonymity is necessary.
How to Submit an Anonymous Report
You can make an anonymous report of a complaint, incident or concern using any of the following options:
- Website: www.lighthouse-services.com/uiu.
- Toll-Free Telephone:
- English speaking USA and Canada: 833-350-0022.
- Spanish speaking USA and Canada: 800-216-1288.
- Spanish speaking Mexico: 01-800-681-5340.
- French speaking Canada: 855-725-0002.
- E-mail: [email protected] (you must include UIU’s name with your report).
- Fax: (215) 689-3885 (you must include UIU’s name with your report).
Please Note
- This reporting platform does not replace our normal grievance process. We encourage individuals to use this resource when anonymity is necessary.
- This is not an emergency service. Please recognize this platform is for those instances where an immediate response is not necessary. In an emergency, call 911 (6-911 from a Fayette campus phone).
- You are required to create a confidential pin number which will allow you to track your report. This pin number will also provide the appropriate UIU program administrator the ability to reach out to you for additional information, if necessary, without disclosing your identity.
- All reports received by Lighthouse are forwarded to a university designee for review. If a report is found to be in violation of a university policy, an investigation will be initiated. Please note that your identity will be protected to the fullest extent of the law. However, your identity may become known during the course of the investigation because of the information you provide.
Include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Crisis Services
Information about mental health crises, sexual assault and local area crisis resources.
More Campus Incident Reporting Strategies
Below are some other strategies for reporting an incident. However, remember trust your instincts and call 911 or Fayette Police at 563-425-3500. Prompt and detailed reporting to the police can help prevent crimes.
Students who are not satisfied with their efforts to resolve their complaint with UIU have the option to file a complaint online with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) or the Bureau of Iowa College Aid within Department of Education.
Fayette Campus Incident Reporting
Formal Complaint Procedure
The University provides procedures to ensure that all student grievance and complaints are given a fair hearing. The following procedure has been established as the formal grievance or complaint procedure.
- To initiate the formal process the student will complete the Student Complaint Form via the Quick Links section in myUIU. The link to the Student Complaint Form can also be found here on the UIU website: https://uiu.edu/consumer-information/
- The online form is designed to provide a formal platform for students to address complaints that meet the following criteria:
- Complaints must be submitted by the affected student and cannot be anonymous.
- Informal resolution must have been attempted at the individual or departmental level before submitting a formal complaint.
- The form is not for requests to change or appeal decisions (e.g., grade changes or waiver requirements).
- The complaint must not fall under an existing grievance process.
- When the form is submitted the student will receive the following message: “Thank you for submitting your Student Complaint. We have received your complaint and appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with us. Your submission is important to us, and we will hand it with the utmost care. Our team is reviewing your complaint and will contact you directly should we require additional information. We appreciate your patience during this time and want to assure you that we are dedicated to resolving this matter as efficiently and fairly as possible.”
Informal Complaint Procedure
Most complaints can be worked through informally by addressing the concern with the person involved and his/her immediate supervisor.
- The student will initiate the process by formulating the complaint.
- The student will discuss the concern with the employee and his/her immediate supervisor.
- The supervisor will be allowed to discuss and investigate the concern with all those involved and develop options for resolution within 5 business days of the formulation of the complaint.
- The supervisor will discuss the options with the students. If the student is not satisfied with any of the options, he/she may file a formal complaint utilizing the Formal Complaint Form.
- For all those complaints that are resolved, the supervisor will complete the Informal Complaint Form to notify the Assistant Vice President for Student Life (AVPSL) of the informal student complaint and the final resolution.
Colleges and universities are now required to inform students and employees of where they can learn of individuals who have been convicted of sex crimes. If you are interested in information, you can visit the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department on Highway 150 just south of West Union. You must appear in person and make the request in writing. There is also an online registry of those convicted of sex crimes; it contains those individuals labeled at risk to re-offend, not everyone convicted of a sex crime
Filing a Complaint in a Different State
Filing a Complaint in a Different State
- Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education
- Connecticut – If you have exhausted the complaint process at Upper Iowa University and still have a complaint to file, please reach out directly to the Connecticut Office of Higher Education. Formal complaints can be lodged by going here: Student Complaints (ct.gov) or by emailing [email protected]
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Louisiana Board of Regents
- Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
- Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
- Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services – Educational Approval Program