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Campus Safety

NEC strives to keep our campus safe and welcoming for all NEC community members and visitors.

Our security officers enhance the safety of our campus through visibility, patrols, and continued training for emergency situations. We hope that you will help us in our endeavors to keep our campus safe and secure. If you would like to provide comments or suggestions concerning our public safety program, please contact Director of Public Safety Eric Schiazza.

Contact

Campus Safety

Student walk around the SLPC building

Emergency Communications

In an emergency, call 911.

In the event of an emergency, community members will receive emergency notifications via email, phone call and text from our Emergency Notification System. Please make sure your contact information is up-to-date in ADP (faculty/staff), PowerCampus (students) and/or ActiveNet (Expanded Education students and families).

24-Hour On-Campus Security

(617) 585-1777

Or extension 1777 from any campus phone

Security Supervisor on Duty

(617) 599-9965

Director of Public Safety

(617) 585-1125

Eric Schiazza Email

Campus Building Hours

Jordan Hall
Monday – Sunday
7:00 a.m. – 11:45 p.m.

SLPC: 255 St. Botolph Street
Monday – Sunday
7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.*

241 St. Botolph Street
Monday – Sunday
7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

33 Gainsborough Street
Monday – Sunday
7:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Changes to this schedule can be made at the discretion of the Director of Public Safety during periods of low occupancy.

*Students living in the Residence Hall always have card access.

Building Access

College Students, Faculty, and Staff

We require all of our students, faculty, and staff to present their Penguin Pass upon entering any of our buildings. 

Expanded Education Students and Families

Students participating in Expanded Education programs such as NEC Prep, Adult Education, or summer programming will use their Penguin Pass to enter our buildings. Prep parents/guardians must present their campus pass upon entering buildings. At the start of each academic year, new students will be issued their Penguin Pass, which they will use this for the duration of their program. Returning students should keep their Penguin Pass and continue to use it each year they are registered for their program.

Guests and Visitors to NEC

All guests of the NEC community must sign into the Visitor Log. Faculty members should submit the names of guests to Public Safety prior to their arrival so they can be verified. Faculty and staff should be escorting their guests upon arrival.

Concert Guests

Concert guests are subject to bag checks when entering NEC facilities.

Alumni

All alumni should have an Alumni ID on their person. If they are not in possession of an Alumni ID, they need to show proper picture identification, and sign into the Visitor Log. Alumni coming to use a practice room cannot do so unless accompanied by someone from NEC.

Building Access

We require all of our students, faculty, and staff to present their Penguin Pass upon entering any of our buildings. 

Prep students will use their Penguin Pass to enter our buildings. Prep parents/guardians must present their campus pass upon entering buildings.

Visitors will be required to present a photo ID and sign-in with security when they enter a building. Faculty and staff should notify security if they are expecting a visitor to expedite entry.

Concert guests are subject to bag checks when entering NEC facilities.

Additional Safety Information

  • Do not leave your belongings unattended. This includes practice rooms, dorm rooms, the Green Room Cafe, and the Blumenthal Family Library. Unattended belongings are the biggest cause of theft on campus. If you are using a laptop computer, do not leave it unattended at any time. Keep your purse, backpack, wallet, keys, and other valuables with you at all times. Petty theft is reported frequently at the locations lining Huntington Avenue.
  • Be aware of people distracting you so they can have an opportunity to take your belongings. Asking you for directions, the time, or for a light (for a cigarette) are the usual methods of distraction.
  • Faculty and staff should always lock offices when leaving for any period of time. Do not leave doors propped open.
  • Carry a minimal amount of cash and credit/ATM cards while on campus.
  • Do not carry passports, visas, or social security cards unless absolutely necessary.
  • Immediately report suspicious activity to Public Safety.
  • When walking around at night, remain in well-lit, well-traveled areas. Avoid shortcuts and remain alert. Travel with friends, rather than by yourself. Do not compromise safety for the sake of convenience.
  • Have your car or building key in your hand before you reach the door of your car or destination. Do not spend time at your car door or at your destination searching for your keys.
  • Be alert and aware of your surroundings.
  • Trust your instincts. If you are concerned about something you see or hear, notify Security and leave the area.

NEC provides a covered location for bike storage at 33 Gainsborough Street. For a bicycle registration form, please contact Public Safety Director Eric Schiazza before leaving your bicycle. NEC is not responsible for theft or loss of any bicycle stored at this location or anywhere else on NEC property.

If your Penguin Pass stops working, is stolen, lost, or in anyway needs to be replaced, you may go to Campus Safety (255 St. Botolph – SLPC) to obtain a new one. If your card has stopped working (due to demagnetization or a similar physical problem), then a new card must be printed.

All students receive one replacement for free (regardless of the reason), and every replacement after that is $20 (regardless of the reason).

NEC is committed to providing a safe, secure, and enjoyable environment for our guests, staff, and performers. For everyone’s safety, all people entering our buildings are required to pass through a security gate. All persons, bags, and cases that are flagged by the security gates will be subject to closer inspection.

If you are unable to walk through the gates, please speak with a member of the security team about an alternative screening.

NEC reserves the right to deny entry to any guest who declines a security screening or refuses when asked to have their person, bags, or cases checked. No weapons of any kind, including licensed concealed weapons, are prohibited on NEC property.

The Clery Act requires institutions to disclose information about campus safety policies and procedures and to provide statistics concerning certain crimes that occur on campus. NEC’s annual Campus Security & Fire Safety Report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes and violations of NEC policy that occurred on campus, in Residential Facilities, and on public property within or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, reporting of crimes, safety notification procedures, crime prevention and educational programs, and policies concerning alcohol and drug use, sexual assault, Title IX violations or complaints, and other matters.

Download the Report

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the most common types of identity theft are:

  • Using or opening a credit card account fraudulently
  • Opening telecommunications or utility accounts fraudulently
  • Passing bad checks or opening a new bank account
  • Getting loans in another person’s name
  • Working in another person’s name

How Identity Theft Occurs

  • They steal wallets and purses containing your identification and credit and bank cards.
  • They steal mail, including bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, telephone calling cards, and tax information.
  • They complete a “change of address form” to divert mail to another location.
  • They rummage through trash, or the trash of businesses, for personal data in a practice known as “dumpster diving.”
  • They fraudulently obtain credit reports by posing as a landlord, employer, or someone else who may have a legitimate need for and a legal right to the information.
  • They get business or personnel records.
  • They find personal information in residences.
  • They use personal information shared on the internet.

Protect Your Identity

While there is no guarantee that your identity will never be stolen, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk:

  • Do not give your Social Security number to people or companies you don’t know; give it only when absolutely necessary. Don’t carry your Social Security card; leave it in a secure place.
  • Before disclosing any personal information, make sure you know why it is required and why and how it will be used.
  • Shred information you no longer need that contains personally identifiable information and account numbers.
  • Guard your mail from theft.
  • Secure personal information.
  • Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information.
  • Be wary of promotional scams.
  • Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work.

If You’re a Victim

Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus and request a “fraud alert” be placed on your file. Include a statement that creditors must get your permission before opening new accounts in your name. The three major credit bureaus are:

  • Equifax: To order a credit report, call 1-800-685-1111. To report fraud, call 1-800-525-6285
  • TransUnion: To order a credit report, call 1-800-916-8800. To report fraud, call 1-800-680-7289
  • Experian: To order a credit report, call 1-888-397-3742. To report fraud, call 1-888-397-3742

Contact all the creditors involved. Let them know that your accounts may have been used without your permission or that new accounts have been opened in your name. If your accounts have been used fraudulently, ask that new cards and account numbers be issued to you.

File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others who may require proof of a crime.

Contact the Federal Trade Commission. Call the FTC’s ID Theft Clearinghouse toll-free at 1-877-438-4338 to report the theft. Counselors will take your complaint and advise you on how to deal with the credit-related problems that could result from ID theft.

Keep a record of your contacts. Start a file with copies of your credit reports, the police report, any correspondence, and copies of disputed bills. Follow up all phone calls in writing and send all correspondence certified, return receipt requested.

NEC security officers will provide safety escorts to members of the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, upon request. They will provide students, faculty, and staff with walking escorts between NEC locations on campus as well as the nearby MBTA stations or parking garages. To request a safety escort, please call 617-585-1777.

NEC security officers account for, safeguard, and secure lost property turned in to the Department and make reasonable efforts to return lost property to its rightful owner. All lost property that has not been returned to its rightful owner will be kept for a period of 90 days. After that, the property will be destroyed or donated to a local charity. Any person who may have lost property is encouraged to go to the main security office at the SLPC (255 St. Botolph Street) and see if your property has been turned in. Security will not accept perishable items, water bottles, items that present a sanitation risk (soiled), swimwear, undergarments, flip flops, earplugs, or broken items of any kind.

NEC is committed to the safety of its residential and academic buildings. NEC buildings and housing facilities are completely equipped with integrated automatic sprinkler and fire systems, which are monitored 24 hours a day throughout the year. Each building is also equipped with an emergency generator or a battery backup system designed to automatically activate whenever there is a loss of power to the entire building. The generators and batteries will operate life safety systems, including sprinkler systems, hallway lighting, emergency exit doors, and lighting in all emergency exit stairwells. Occupants, especially dorm residents, should be very aware that tampering with fire safety devices is not only illegal but also jeopardizes the safety of everyone in the building. Fire Safety Tips A door can be the first line of defense against spreading smoke or fire. All doors must be closed for them to serve as protective barriers. When evacuating a facility during a fire alarm, please remember to close all doors behind you if it is safe to do so. Take control without depending on others to take the first step. Don’t be hesitant to let others know when you need assistance. Plan ahead. Be prepared. Know available telephones, exit signs, enclosed stairwells, and fire alarm pull stations in the buildings you frequent. Never use an elevator during a fire. Do not attempt to extinguish a fire unless you are trained. Do not return inside a NEC building until instructed. Smoke detectors will not work if they are disabled or covered. Smoking is NOT PERMITTED in any NEC building.