Safety & Security
General Safety at KU
The campus has a health center that has staff of medical and mental health professionals, an experienced international student support staff, and a personable and well-trained police staff. All of these units on campus work together to make sure everyone on KU's campus is safe and has a positive experience!
International Short Programs staff take the safety and security of all participants very seriously, and the Bridges program is no exception. Program staff will accompany participants at all times throughout the duration of the program. All Bridges participants have access to a 24/7 emergency phone number that connects them immediately with program staff who are trained in various emergency procedures including illness, injury, and lost items. In addition, staff has strong contacts with other KU units that may provide assistance for other emergencies like early program departures due to emergencies at home.
While at KU, participants will have emergency contact cards with them at all times and be given emergency action information including how to access the most up-to-date information about any emergencies at KU, so they and their families can feel confident that participants will be able to handle most emergencies.
Safety in KU Housing
The dormitories on KU's campus are kept very secure all year, with required keycard access, monitored entrances, and security patrols standard. As part of the Bridges program, there will also be program staff chaperones staying in a separate room on the same floor near the participants for overnight concerns.
Safety Getting to KU
Program staff is available to provide support with specific concerns before, during, and even after the program, and are happy to work with participants and their families to find the most comfortable travel process for them, whether a participant is coming from a block away from campus or flying internationally. Staff know in particular that international air travel can be stressful. There are many different ways for people under 18 to travel safely internationally, from communicating through airports to "Unaccompanied Minor" programs through major airlines like American, Delta, and United.
No matter what plan is decided on, Bridges program staff will be greeting participants at the airport or assigned on-campus drop-off points with water, snacks, and smiles!