Murray, Ky.–The Murray State University Police Department and Center for Adult and Regional Education were named first in the nation for campus safety initiatives with both University units receiving the 2018 Department of the Year award from Safe Campus.
Safe Campus recognizes outstanding achievement by administrative departments. Both the Police Department and the Center for Adult and Regional Education were nominated based on their efforts and improvements in campus safety. All 4,706 accredited higher-education institutions across the U.S. were eligible for consideration. Both Murray State units were recognized in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the National Campus Safety Summit in February. Murray State University Police Department Chief Jamie Herring accepted the award on behalf of the co-winners.
“After meeting the other nominees for the award and hearing about the quality of their nominations, I was especially proud that Murray State was selected as Department of the Year,” Herring said. “It is just another example of what makes our community so special.”
A collaboration in 2017 between the Murray State Police Department and the Center for Adult and Regional Education led to the development of a centralized communications calendar and updated procedural plan specific to external groups who visit campus for various programs and camps. The collaboration also included senior leadership within the University as well as the establishment of a committee in which multiple campus units were represented to assess and implement these changes.
The Murray State Police Department provides a variety of important services to assist the campus community. These include the Racer Alert emergency communications system and the promotion and use of the LiveSafe app in addition to providing resources for faculty, staff and students — particularly for incoming students through the Great Beginnings new student orientation programs.
The University’s Center for Adult and Regional Education serves the unique needs of adult and non-traditional learners through program offerings and services available on the Murray State campus and regional campus sites in Paducah, Madisonville, Hopkinsville, Henderson and Fort Campbell. The center also coordinates many of Murray State’s summer youth programs, contracted camps and other events that welcome thousands of visitors to campus each year.