Student News

Wildcats: Here are 3 campus safety tips you should know

students walking outside on campus in the spring
Campus safety is a shared responsibility. Mark Cornelison | UK Photo

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 19, 2023) — Here at the University of Kentucky, everyone plays an important role in keeping our community safe.

As we approach the first day of classes, here are three campus safety tips you should know:

  1. Sign up for UK Alerts via text and phone calls so you receive updates and instructions during an emergency. Parents can sign up, too.
  2. Always be aware of your surroundings, particularly at night. Identify Blue Emergency Towers across campus early in the semester.
    1. Claim your Wildcab Vouchers for 10 $10 Uber credits (to use in the designated service area between the hours of 10 p.m.-3 a.m.) — or consider utilizing UK’s free campus bus system for cross-campus trips.
    2. As a pedestrian, don’t rely on signals — look both ways before stepping off the sidewalk. Never assume drivers can see you.
    3. If you’re driving, limit distractions and be cautious of students walking in unexpected areas on campus.
  3. Report what you see.
    1. An easy way to report suspicious, unsafe or harmful activity is through the LiveSafe app, where you can communicate with UK Police (UKPD) directly through two-way texts.
    2. Never hesitate to contact UKPD. Dial 859-257-8573 (UKPD) to talk directly to UKPD communications officers. UKPD and Lexington Police Department have a strong partnership. When in doubt, dial 911. Lexington Police and UKPD will work together to swiftly and appropriately respond.

Campus safety is a shared responsibility. For more information on what you can do to help, visit go.uky.edu/safety.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.