Events that could cause a person to be considered missing include contact from a concerned individual, including university officials, about an individual’s absence or lack of contact that is contrary to his/her normal behavior and/or if unusual circumstances may have caused the absence.
When a housing staff member becomes aware of a potential missing resident, an incident report is initiated that begins the Missing Person Protocol. The 24-hour period begins at the time the report is generated, and housing staff will follow the missing person procedures to report and investigate the missing person.
Resident Assistant Role:
- Gather information from the reporting source: name and contact information of the source, relationship to the missing person; name, age, description, campus address and contact information of the missing person; last seen date/ time/location; reason for the concern; any other information that may be helpful. Record all this information on the Incident Report (IR). Record “Missing Person” on the “other” category of the IR.
- Immediately notify the Hall Manager of the missing person report.
- Perform routine checks within the hall community:
- Check with roommates to see when the missing person was last there.
- Try to call, email, or text message the person.
- Check with their friends to ask when they last communicated with the person.
- If possible, check social network sites for useful information.
- Continually update the Hall Manager with new information, including finding the missing student.
Hall Manager Role:
- Gather as much information as possible from the Resident Assistant and the source of the initial report such as reasons why they believe the resident is missing and what actions have been taken to try and locate the person.
- Continue the investigation by:
- Checking the student’s room
- Interviewing roommates and asking them to watch for the student
- Leaving a note on the student’s door to contact you as soon as they return
- Instructing the Lobby Manager to watch for the student to enter the building
- Update the incident report with any new information
- Notify the Director of Housing if the missing resident has not been found within twelve hours.
Director of Housing Role:
- Review the IR and gather information from the Hall Manager.
- Inspect the missing person’s housing file for verification of vital information such as age, contact information, and ID number.
- Check the person’s mailbox to determine if they have been picking up their mail.
- If the person registered a vehicle, check the housing parking lots for their car.
- Check Banner for ID photo, registration verification, and class schedule.
- Consult with the Office of the Dean of Students.
- Contact the Office of Records and Registration to determine attendance.
- Contact Computing Services to investigate when/where the person may have used their ID or logged onto the university network.
- Continue to check in with roommates, hall staff and others for updates or additional information.
All housing investigating procedures should be completed by 24 hours after first notification of the missing student. If the resident has not been located, the designated contact or the custodial parent or guardian, and the Director UA Little Rock Police Department will be notified by the Dean of Students.
Circumstances to notify UA Little Rock Police Department without following the Missing Student Procedures include:
- Suspected foul play or danger including expressed suicidal ideology
- Known medical condition that could cause a life-threatening situation
- Natural disaster or other force of nature in which the student may have been involved
- The missing student has no designated contact on file
Individuals who believe a student resident is missing should contact Student Housing personnel to file an IR and initiate a student housing investigation. If the missing resident is not yet 18 years old, the custodial parent or guardian will be contacted by the university within 24 hours of notification. UA Little Rock will initiate official notification procedures for any resident who is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours.
- Designated Contact: All residents have the option to designate a person to be contacted by UA Little Rock should the resident be determined to be missing for more than 24 hours. A Confidential Contact Information Card is available from the Housing Office, East Hall Reception Desk, Hall Managers, or the UA Little Rock Housing web site (https://ualr.edu/housing.) All residents are encouraged to complete and submit a confidential contact information card.
- Law Enforcement Notification: If a resident chooses not to designate a contact and/or is not yet 18 years of age, the Dean of Students will notify the Director UA Little Rock Police Department when a resident has been determined to be missing for more than 24 hours.
