Security

U North Carolina Chapel Hill Turns to Mobile App for Campus Safety

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 12/09/14

The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill has deployed a security app in an effort to help protect its 41,000 students, faculty and staff.

The university decided to adopt the Rave Guardian app, which allows users to create a safety network that includes family, friends and campus safety personnel. Users can set a safety timer that allows their network to monitor their status updates, location and check-in times. If the timer runs out, or if a user hits a panic button, campus safety personnel will be notified.

The app also features two-way anonymous communication, including photos or other multimedia, between users and safety personnel for sending tips and information. Safety profiles, created by students, are designed to speed up response times by providing information such as medical conditions and residence to safety representatives during an emergency.

"The Rave Guardian App offers features that are ideal for the mobile lifestyle of an active university community," said Chief Jeff McCracken, director of public safety at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in a prepared statement. "The ability to create a virtual safety network that enlists friends and peers is tremendous, and students' parents also appreciate that they can be part of this process. With a quick tap, the 'panic button' puts users directly in touch with UNC Police, and 'safety profiles' include data that greatly improves responders' ability to locate individuals and more effectively provide for their specific needs. Most importantly, Rave has defined campus safety technology: their resources are the most proven in the industry, and they continue to raise the bar."