First and foremost, congratulations to all graduating seniors. We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors. With commencement just a few days away, here are a few things to pass along from Public Safety:
- For those who will be attending or participating in Spring Commencement, the Department of Public Safety would like to remind attendees of the following:
- Event rate parking for the ceremony will be available at the College of Charleston’s St. Philip garage (located at 81 St. Philip St., next to the AT&T building), Wentworth Garage (located at 81 Wentworth Street, on the corner of St. Philip and Wentworth streets), and the George Parking Garage (located at 34 St. Philip Street between George and Liberty Streets; garage entrance is between CVS and Liberty Street Fresh Food Company). Please refer to the College of Charleston parking map for the exact locations of the parking listed above.
- Handicap accessible parking is available in all of the garages listed above. A valid state-issued handicap-accessible placard is required to park in a handicap accessible space within these locations. A handicap drop-off/entrance is located on the eastern gate of the Cistern along St. Philip Street.
- The College of Charleston observes a strict no-alcohol or other drugs policy prior to and during the commencement ceremonies. Ceremony participants, graduation candidates, and guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages or other drugs onto the premises or consuming alcoholic beverages during the ceremonies. Any person determined by College personnel to be impaired will be removed from the premises and prohibited from participating in the ceremony.
- Public Safety Officers will be available to assist with directions and answer questions. More information regarding commencement is available here.
- Please help us to help you avoid becoming a victim of crime. If you have a bicycle parked on campus, please remove it no later than May 15, 2017. All bicycles remaining after this date are subject to being removed by Public Safety. No bicycles should be left on campus during the summer break unless you are taking summer classes. Please note all bikes secured on campus must be registered. Bikes may be registered at Public Safety at any time, free of charge. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at (843)953-4980.
- Public Safety will be holding a R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) class this summer. R.A.D. is a series of self-defense classes for women. This program will be open to students, faculty, and staff. The class is scheduled for June 17th from 10am to 5pm. The class will be held at MUSC, but we will be providing transportation to and from campus. Please stop by Public Safety headquarters or email sloanm1@cofc.edu to sign up.
- May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental Health of America offers a toolkit focused on this year’s Mental Health Month theme, Risky Business. MHA believes it is important to focus on behaviors, habits, or actions that can exacerbate mental illness or could be a sign of mental health problems themselves. These include risk factors such as unsafe sex, prescription drug misuse, internet addiction, excessive spending, marijuana use, and troublesome exercise patterns. You can also find information specific to college students and life on campus, including top freshman year issues, taking a leave of absence, and balancing work and school. You can also stop by CofC’s Counseling and Substance Abuse Services for additional resources and information.
- Be social with us! If you have not already, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for departmental news, upcoming events, and other important information. If you are having trouble accessing our pages, please make sure you are signed into your social media account.
Crime Prevention Tip:
Motor vehicle thefts are often crimes of opportunity. To reduce your risk of becoming a victim of motor vehicle theft, there are several habits you should practice: always lock your vehicle; never leave keys inside or around the vehicle; and, when possible, park in well-lit areas.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Take Care and Be Safe,
PSO Madeline M. Sloan
Crime Prevention Specialist
Department of Public Safety
Office of the President
89 St. Philip Street
Charleston, SC 29424
(843)953-5609
