Residence is a safe place to live. However, the university alone cannot ensure your security. There are steps all residents must take to help us provide a safe living and learning environment for everyone.
Residence Advisors conduct nightly rounds of residence properties to ensure there are no safety hazards and all access doors are secure.
In Residence
- Lock your room/unit door and window when you’re away or sleeping, even on the upper floors. Police remind us that intruders can scale buildings.
- Don’t prop exterior doors to your residence building.
- Don’t allow strangers to tailgate you into residence buildings. People authorized to be in residence should have a key.
- Don’t leave valuables in plain view in your room or car. Avoid keeping large amounts of cash in your room.
- If a crime or stranger intrusion is in progress, call 9-1-1 immediately. Time is of the essence for police to attend.
- Report suspicious incidents to Campus Security immediately and then report it to the Front Desk.
- Keep essential UBC Security phone numbers in your cellphone.
Around Campus
- Always walk with a friend after dark.
- Use Campus Security Safe Walk, available 24 hours a day.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Stay alert: using a cellphone or earphones can distract you.
- If you feel you may be in danger, call for help using a Campus Blue Light phone or dial 9-1-1 in an emergency.
- Help your friends be safe. Tell each other where you are going and when you will return.
- Avoid providing personal information such as email, full name, address or phone number to people you do not know well.
- Be aware that signals and messages may be conveyed and interpreted differently between people. Communicate your limits as clearly as possible. If someone is pressuring you into an unsafe situation—say no. Be direct and assertive.
Who to Call
- In an emergency, dial 9-1-1.
- Campus Security will respond to emergency and non-emergency issues 24 hours a day. They also provide Safe Walk services.
- Blue Light Phones around campus also connect directly to UBC Security.
Protect Valuables
Laptops, tablets, smartphones, wallets, purses and personal identification documents can be an easy target for thieves in residence. Keep them safe by securing your room/unit every time you leave, even if it is just for a minute.
- Keep photocopies of all your identification, credit cards, serial numbers—anything that would have to be replaced if your belongings were taken.
- Get insurance to protect your belongings from theft or damage due an unforeseen cause like a fire or flood. UBC is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged property. Some students may already be covered under their family’s plan.
- Rent a safety deposit box at a nearby bank to secure valuables such as large amount of cash.
Bicycle Security
Cycling is a quick and healthy way to get around campus and see the sights. Consider these tips for keeping your bike safe from thieves:
- UBC Security recommends using a good quality steel U-lock and heavy cable lock for the front wheel.
- Don’t bring an expensive bike to campus.
- Purcell and Monashee Place residences have bicycle facilities.