VCUarts is committed to maintaining a safe learning environment for students and faculty, yet emergency situations can happen anywhere at any time. VCU's police force is one of the top five largest campus police forces in the country. Our officers are thoroughly trained and well equipped, run their own police academy, and have an active working relationship with the Richmond City Police, State Police, and FBI.

• VCU maintains 293 Emergency Response Telephones (ERT's) which provide full-time direct links to the VCU police department.
  
  
• One hundred "trouble alarm" buttons are installed across the two campuses, in selected offices in academic buildings, as well in all residence halls.
  
  
• Each building has a fire evacuation plan posted and regular fire drills are conducted.
  
  
• Students receive instructions about campus safety during their initial orientation.
  
  
• Students are encouraged to opt-in to receive text messages in the event of an emergency.
  
  
• Approximately half of VCU's occupied buildings are secured with access controls.
  
  
• VCU maintains a listserv for the entire VCU population.
  
  
• We are currently working on an opt-in listserv for parents. (May, 2007)

In the event of an emergency at the School of the Arts – students, faculty and staff will receive an email from a VCUarts official with the subject line VCU ARTS EMERGENCY. The message will detail any information we have at that time.

The most current "alert" information can be found on the VCU Alert site.
The VCU Police phone # is 828-1234.