Student Safety
How does PCA&D work to promote a student’s safety?
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design takes an active role in ensuring the safety of its students, faculty, and staff. Students are taught to take basic cautionary steps and use common sense, just as they would in any other urban environment.
Campus Entrance Security & Monitoring
The College’s entrance is secured at all times and all external visitors to the College are required to check in with security. PCA&D has day and evening security to monitor our facilities while students are in the classroom and using studio space. The College is an active member of downtown safety organizations, which employ additional police coverage in our area in the evening hours. Lancaster’s police headquarters is located across the street from the College.
Campus-wide Text Notification System
PCA&D utilizes RAVE, a mass notification texting system, to share timely safety and weather alerts. Students, faculty, and staff all may opt into this service, and instructions to do so are shared widely at the beginning of each academic year.
Housing Access & Police Patrols
New students are housed in Lancaster Seminary or The Roost. Each housing community has safety as a top priority; both have double-lock entry. Lancaster Seminary and The Roost are patrolled by F&M College Police officers via car, bicycle, and foot patrols and by a Moravian Police Officer. Lancaster Seminary also has cameras installed around their property.
Adult Resident for Support & Protection
A professional PCA&D staff member also resides within Seminary to add an additional layer of support, protection, and emergency response. Community Assistants (CAs) – The CAs participate in an on-call rotation to ensure immediate emergency response at all times. CAs are trained how to respond to a variety of emergency situations and all have gone through background and clearance checks to be in the position. Our CAs do nightly walkthroughs of the communities to ensure safety and security for the students. CAs host Community Hours where students can come get resources or get help resolving issues that they are having within their spaces. The College also implements a double-layered on-call rotation for emergency situations in our Student Housing where professional staff respond to calls.
Ride Home Program
For PCA&D students who live in Lancaster City, the college provides a free Ride Home Program. This service is for students who are working after class hours and would feel more comfortable taking a cab home than walking.
- Service will be available from 6:45 pm Monday thru Friday until the building closes and from 5:00 pm Saturdays and Sundays until the building closes.
- Service is available only within Lancaster City limits, and only to your home or apartment. Exceptions require prior approval from the Dean of Students.
- Should you need a ride home, you must notify the guard at least one hour prior to your planned departure.
- Show the guard your ID and write your name and address on the Ride Home Report.
- Security personnel will call a cab for you.
- Please be ready to leave when the cab arrives at the requested time.
- When the cab arrives, you must show your ID to the cab driver. Security personnel will sign the charge slip for the driver.