Campus Safety Reminders & Resources | A Message for Students

Dear UW-Parkside Students,

As many of you return to campus or prepare for fall courses, we want to welcome you to the new school year. We’re glad you’ve chosen UW-Parkside, and we look forward to a safe and successful semester. 

We realize that this semester, and this school year, will be unlike any you’ve experienced. 

The COVID 19 pandemic continues to affect all of us as we work to provide a healthy and safe return to campus, and just a short while ago, our campus and our community were rocked by the shooting of Jacob Blake and the unfortunate aftermath of destruction and violence to the city. 

We are still dealing with this tragedy and, as you arrive on campus, you may see protests and unrest in Kenosha or near our university. While most protests to this point have been peaceful, some individuals have engaged in property damage and, unfortunately, violence. To date, our campus has not been the focus of protests, and we continue to work closely with city officials and remain committed to ensuring First Amendment rights are protected while keeping safety a top priority.

However, we also want you to look forward to attending classes, seeing your friends, and enjoying your academic career. Additionally, you may be out exploring this week or engaging in your right to protest. We support that right and your right to engage in free speech in a safe and lawful manner.

In addition to the Ranger Restart Responsibility Pledge, we know you may explore our local communities and/or engage in your First Amendment rights, we encourage you to be aware of your surroundings, know where you are, know who you are with, and know how to get help if you need it. Please also be aware of any curfew restrictions announced by the city of Kenosha. Currently, there is a curfew in place nightly from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. throughout the weekend, and most businesses (i.e. restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, etc.) are closed during the curfew, so please plan accordingly.

In addition, please take a moment to review the following safety tools available to you:

• Ranger Alert System – UW-Parkside provides the Ranger emergency alert system capable of delivering messages to your UW-P and personal email addresses, as well as to your cell phone. This system keeps you informed of safety issues on campus such as emergencies and weather-related class cancellations. Students are automatically enrolled in Ranger Alert.
• Safe Walk Program – Our Safe Walk Program helps provide a safe and secure environment for the University community. During the evening hours, any time a faculty member, staff, student, or guest feels unsafe walking outside at the University, they can request a Safe Walk.
• University Police officers are committed to community policing principles and provide a variety of services to our UW-Parkside community.

Additionally, the following wellness supports are available for students:

• SilverCloud – SilverCloud is an online, self-guided, interactive mental health resource that provides students with accessible cognitive behavioral interventions 24-hours a day. SilverCloud is not designed to replace in-person mental health treatment for many complex concerns but may be an effective option for students facing mild to moderate issues related to stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Student Health and Counseling Center (SHCC) – The Student Health and Counseling Center’s mission is to provide high quality care for the physical, emotional, and mental health needs of students. All currently registered students, both undergraduate and graduates, commuters and campus residents, who pay student fees, are eligible to use the services of the SHCC.

Please remember we are here for you, and we’re in this together. Please do your part to keep our campus and community safe and welcoming for everyone. As always, you can reach out to the Dean of Students or the UW-Parkside Police Department if you have questions or concerns.

James Heller
Director of Police & Public Safety
UW-Parkside
police@uwp.edu

Steven Wallner
Dean of Students
UW-Parkside
wallner@uwp.edu