Student Handbook 2024-2025

Lock-down and Shelter-in-Place

A lock-down is used to protect building occupants in the case of an emergency. This requires the residents of a building to “Shelter in Place” where they are located once an emergency is identified and declared by the President, or appropriate delegate, unless there is a specific threat within the building that requires them to exit.

During a lock-down, police and other emergency personnel respond to the emergency. Piedmont University has 24-hour-a-day police protection through our own Campus Police who are fully trained in the use of firearms and carry weapons at all times. The University is also connected to a network of law enforcement and emergency support that allows for a coordinated response across agencies.

  1. Campus Buildings: All campus buildings will be locked to prevent entrance from the outside. The resident director, staff, or faculty member who has building keys will lock all exterior entrances. Students and personnel should not exit the building unless the situation in the building requires escape. Campus police may not be available to assist in the locking of the buildings if an emergency exists on campus.
  2. Faculty and Students: Faculty will move students to any lockable room in the building or remain in the classroom with the door barricaded if possible.
  3. Residential Students: Students in residence halls must remain in their rooms with the door locked.
  4. Staff: Staff will remain in their offices, or secure area, preferably without windows, with the door locked.
  5. Lock-down Notification: All students, faculty, staff and visitors to the college will be notified through the Emergency Notification Call Lists in Appendix A or Appendix B, depending on campus. Access to campus by outside constituents may be denied during the emergency.
  6. All-Clear Notification: All Students, faculty and staff must remain in the building they are currently in until such time as the lock-down status is removed. Notification of an "All-Clear" will be transmitted through all previous available communications methods. You should monitor updates via Piedmont’s website, e-mails and our Campus E-Alerts.