Learn about MERT, our student EMS team

Office of Safety & Security

The Office of Safety & Security is located on the first floor of Doyle Hall in the heart of campus. We provide around-the-clock protection and assistance for the campus community.

Supervised by the associate dean for student safety, staff members enforce university policies as well as state and municipal laws in support of the academic mission of St. Bonaventure University.

Blue light and yellow emergency phones are located across campus. Mobility transports and safety escorts are available upon request.

Crime prevention & reporting

We believe most crimes are preventable, so we stress crime prevention education and assist in the presentation of crime prevention training and the introduction of new crime prevention methods and programs. We strive to minimize or eliminate criminal opportunities while encouraging students and staff to be responsible for their own security and that of others.

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) is a federal law requiring colleges and universities participating in federal financial aid programs to maintain and disclose campus crime statistics and security information within the university’s Clery reportable geography.

The Office of Campus Safety and Security prepares an annual Security and Fire Safety Report to comply with the Clery Act, which is published every year by Oct. 1 and contains three years’ worth of reportable crime statistics.

The latest report may be downloaded using the link below. Copies of this report may also be obtained at the Safety and Security office in Robinson Hall or by calling the office at (716) 375-2525.

Most Recent Campus Security & Fire Report in compliance with the federal Clery Act requiring disclosure of campus crime statistics and security information
Campus Security Authority, the conduit for recording and reporting crime data and helping to ensure Clery Act compliance.
Most recent Hate Crime Offenses in compliance with NYS Education Law Article 129-A, requiring colleges to report and post separately and clearly incidents of hate crime offensives.

Crime statistic information may also be obtained directly from the United States Department of Education’s website at https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/.

If an incident requires an immediate Safety & Security response (for example, a crime in progress or an emergency situation) call 716-375-2525 or 911.

Report a Crime Form
This form can be used by any individual to report a crime, including identified campus security authorities (CSAs) who are required under the federal Clery Act to report information they receive about crimes. The information collected from these forms will be used to compile required reporting statistics to be included in the university’s annual security report and daily crime log, as required by law.

Confidential Silent Witness Reporting Form
This form is to be used to anonymously report an incident. The form is sent directly to the associate dean for campus safety. All information is kept confidential.

As a requirement of the Drug-Free Schools and Campuses Act regulations (36 C.F.R. Part 86), St. Bonaventure University is required to disseminate drug and alcohol policies and information to all students and employees on an annual basis. The purpose of this notification is to provide the campus community with:

1. Standards of conduct that clearly prohibit, at a minimum, the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of controlled or illicit substances and alcohol by students and employees
2. A list of applicable legal sanctions under federal, state, or local laws for the unlawful possession or distribution of controlled or illicit substances and alcohol
3. A description of the health risks associated with the abuse of alcohol or use of controlled or illicit substances
4. A list of drug and alcohol programs (counseling, treatment, rehabilitation, and reentry) that are available to students and employees
5. A clear statement that St. Bonaventure University will impose disciplinary sanctions for violations of these standards of conduct and a description of those sanctions, up to and including expulsion or termination of employment and referral for prosecution

See our 2024 Annual Notification of Drug and Alcohol Policies and Programs.

Emergency preparedness

The Omnilert campus notification System provides emergency alerts to students, employees and parents.

The Omnilert system sends immediate campus emergency alerts to subscribers about any situation deemed a threat to the health or safety of students, their parents, and university employees. Omnilert subscriber portal.

Emergency preparedness plan

Student, staff and faculty may access the university's emergency preparedness plan by logging into the SBU intranet site, my.sbu.edu.

Fire safety

St. Bonaventure is committed to ensuring the safety of all individuals within the campus community.

We employ our own New York state code compliance-certified and trained fire/life safety official, and fire/life safety training is an ongoing and continuing process within residence life.

In accordance with New York State Department of Homeland Security Emergency Services education guidelines, we conduct mandatory periodic fire drills in all campus buildings, hold training exercises and present information via videos and other formats.

The campus fire/life safety officer holds annual classes to educate and update the campus community and Residence Life staff. The latter, in turn, relay the information to students in residence halls through floor meetings and postings.

Additional information is available from the fire/life safety office, (716) 375-4018, and in the Campus Security & Fire Report. (See Crime & Fire Statistics on this page.)

Transportation & parking

Owners and operators of motor vehicles on campus are subject to university rules, regulations and guidelines.

Operation of a motor vehicle on campus is a privilege that may be granted or denied by the university.

Specific guidelines for parking and traffic safety are outlined in a booklet that is available at the Office of Safety and Security in Doyle Hall. With the exception of police and other authorized vehicles, operation of a motor vehicle on campus is restricted to approved roadways only.

This map displays the parking lots on campus and when students can park in their dedicated lots.

On-campus mobility transports for people with temporary or permanent chronic medical conditions and disabilities are provided as a courtesy, when possible.

Walking safety escorts are available 24/7 to all community members within campus boundaries.

For either service, please call Security at (716) 375-2525 at least 15 minutes before your anticipated departure time.

We encourage bicycling as a safe, fun, economical, efficient, environmentally friendly and healthy transportation alternative for the SBU campus community.

Students, faculty, and staff are strongly encouraged to register their bicycles with the Office of Safety & Security as a deterrent to theft and to aid of recovery of missing bicycles. The bike's make, model, color and serial number (if available) will be needed at the time of registration.

Free indoor storage is available for all registered non-electronic bikes. Hoverboards, electronic bikes, electric scooters, and electric skateboards are prohibited from being stored inside university facilities. Batteries for such transportation are also prohibited from being stored in residential facilities. These modes of transportation are to be registered with Safety and Security and stored outside.

Any bicycle stored or operated on campus should have a valid permit affixed to it and must be parked in a bike rack, locked, and in operable condition. Improperly stored bikes (in stairwells, chained to trees, etc.) may be impounded.

Inoperable bicycles left for a period longer than 48 hours may also be impounded. Locks that are cut or damaged during removal will not be replaced by SBU.

Bikes may not be stored on campus during the summer months, unless the bicycle is being used. If you are a returning summer student with a bicycle, please email security@sbu.edu or call 716-375-2527 to make arrangements.

At the end of the spring semester, a campus-wide bicycle "cleanup" is performed. Unregistered and/or inoperable bicycles will be offered up at an auction. Bicycles not sold in the auction will be discarded or destroyed.

Join MERT, our student EMS Team

Three Medical Emergency Response Team members assist a fallen student in a training drill

The Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) is a student-run emergency medical services (EMS) agency of more than 40 members that is on call 24/7. Student volunteers are all New York state or nationally certified emergency medical technicians (EMT-B), or are training to earn the classification.

MERT serves the campus population as well as the surrounding community. Its members work with local organizations, volunteering for events held by Special Olympics and the Southern Tier Health Care System.

MERT is a great way to gain leadership and medical experience.

Interested in joining?

We're always looking for new members and no prior experience is required. If you want to become part of the team, download our MERT application and contact us at mert@sbu.edu.

In the event of a medical emergency, MERT can be reached (716) 375-2525.

Automated electronic defibrillators and Narcan can be found in these locations:

Richter Center: 1st floor front desk.
Reilly Center:
- 1st floor hallway between the south café entrance and the west middle lobby
- Swimming pool area
Swan Business Center: 1st floor main hallway, across from Room 101.
Plassmann Hall: 1st floor hallway, across from Heavenly Grounds café.
Murphy Professional Building: 1st floor main entrance, between two lecture hall doors.
Maintenance Building: 1st floor front entrance, across from Room 7.
Administration Building: 1st floor hallway, between rooms 126 & 127.
Francis Hall: 1st floor, near Freshens.