In recent years, University administration sought feedback and input from the University community on public safety needs and concerns. The idea of creating a community-based group to advise the University on public safety issues came up early and often in those discussions. Thus, the University made a commitment to explore the idea and is now fulfilling that commitment. The concept of empaneling a group of community members to provide advice and counsel on public safety issues has become widely recognized across the country as important to trust and legitimacy in policing. Many cities and counties have created “civilian oversight” boards to enhance police accountability to the communities served. The same is true for law enforcement in the University context. 

• Identify and discuss issues affecting safety on campus and within the adjacent neighborhoods the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) serves.

• Collaborate with the UCPD and the Department of Safety and Security (DSS) in the development of policies and programs that support bias-free, community-driven policing.

• Review and provide recommendations related to existing and proposed policies, practices, or protocols that directly impact police-community interaction.

• Develop and implement practices or protocols for obtaining regular community feedback on the performance of the University’s public safety operations.

• Review and report on, as necessary, UCPD metrics of community concern (e.g., use of force, traffic stops, citizen complaints).

• Assist the UCPD in developing strategies and programs to inform the University community about public safety issues and DSS/UCPD operations and initiatives.

The Public Safety Advisory Council includes representation from various stakeholder groups within the University and South Side communities. The council has 15 voting members and six ex-officio non-voting members. Voting members include a chair, four academic appointee representatives, three student representatives, three staff representatives, and four community representatives. Student representatives serve one-year terms, staff serve two-year terms, and academic and community representatives serve three-year terms. The president and provost may reappoint any representative to serve one additional term without the need for a subsequent nomination or appointment.

The chair is an academic appointee or a member of University faculty or administration nominated by the provost and approved by the president. Three voting academic appointee representatives—including two tenured or tenure-track academic appointees and one other academic appointment faculty member—are appointed by the president based on an application process and after having been nominated by a selection committee composed of the University deans. One academic appointee representative, chosen to reflect the specific needs of UChicago Medicine, is appointed by the president after having been nominated by the dean of the Biological Sciences Division, based on an application process.
 
Student voting representatives are selected through an open application process. The Graduate Council oversees the selection process of two graduate student representatives, and the Undergraduate Student Government oversees the selection process of an undergraduate representative.
 
Two staff voting representatives from any division within the University are appointed by the president following an application process. One staff representative, chosen to reflect the specific needs of UChicago Medicine, is nominated by the dean of the Biological Sciences Division and appointed by the president following an application process. 
 
Four voting community representatives are appointed by the provost after being nominated by a selection committee led by the Office of Civic Engagement and composed of community leaders familiar with the University and its public safety and security efforts.

The council includes six ex-officio, non-voting members who were identified based on their having subject matter expertise and resources relevant to the work of the council.

The Public Safety Advisory Council generally meets monthly during the academic year. The council also holds one public forum each academic quarter to highlight a particular public safety issue or challenge. The council may choose to hold additional meetings as necessary. Members of the University community and its neighbors may attend council events, and records of council meetings are publicly available on this website.

The Public Safety Advisory Council may conduct public meetings or otherwise seek community input to inform its recommendations regarding policies, training, and practices.

Any specific recommendations regarding new or existing policies, training, or practices will be approved by a majority of all voting council members and delivered in writing to University administration. The council may direct recommendations regarding public safety policies and practices to the president, provost, the Department of Safety and Security (DSS), and/or the chief of the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD). Unless additional time is requested, the Public Safety Advisory Council will expect a written response to its recommendations within 30 days. 

To the extent that the council reports on its recommendations, all reports will include the recommendations made as well as any responses to the recommendations provided by University administration, the DSS, or the UCPD.

The Public Safety Advisory Council will be a permanent fixture of the University.

The Public Safety Advisory Council will actively engage the campus and South Side communities with its work, and will identify specific means and mechanisms for gaining community input and feedback. Additional information will be posted to this website when it becomes available.