Missing Student Protocol

If a member of the University community has reason to believe that a student who resides in on-campus housing is missing, he or she should contact City of Stephenville Dispatch at 254-918-1273, they will dispatch UPD who will generate a missing person report and initiate an investigation.

Tarleton State University must notify a custodial parent or guardian within 24 hours of the determination that a student is missing if the student is under the age of 18 and not emancipated. Any additional contact person designated by a student under the age of 18 will also be notified within 24 hours of the determination that the student is missing. Tarleton State University will notify local law enforcement agencies within 24 hours of a determination that a student is missing unless the local law enforcement agency was the entity that made the determination a student was missing.

If a Tarleton State University student living in University-operated housing is suspected to be missing from campus, this information should be immediately reported to a residence hall staff member (i.e. residence hall coordinator) or the University Police Department (UPD) by the notifying individual. The UPD will generate a missing person report and initiate an investigation.

Steps Taken by University Housing

Steps in the process of determining if a student from University-operated housing is missing include the following:

  • Residence Life personnel will immediately check the assigned room in University-operated housing to determine if the student is present;
  • Residence Life personnel will obtain the secured Personal Data Sheet information and will attempt to contact the student via their personal cell phone;
  • Residence Life personnel will attempt to contact the student at all applicable numbers available from the Personal Data Sheet;
  • Residence Life personnel will contact the University Police Department if none of the above three items result in contacting the student in a reasonable, timely manner;
  • Residence Life personnel will contact the Emergency Contact designee of the student if advised to do so by the University Police.

All reports of missing students made to the residence hall staff and/or the UPD will be investigated. If the investigation determines that the student has been missing over 24 hours, the University within the next 24 hours will:

  • Notify the individual identified as the student’s emergency contact person;
  • Notify a parent or guardian, if the student is under 18 years of age; and
  • Notify the appropriate law enforcement agency of the determination that a student is missing.

Emergency Contact Information

Tarleton State University requests that all new students voluntarily provide emergency contact information at the beginning of each year. In addition, students residing in on-campus housing have the option to complete a Personal Data Sheet to be used in the event the student is determined to be missing for more than 24 hours. This information will be accessible only to authorized campus officials and will not be disclosed except to law enforcement personnel in furtherance of a missing person investigation.