Stevenson University employs video surveillance via security cameras on campus and/or university property to enhance the safety and security of the Stevenson Community. The primary purpose for positioning security cameras in public areas is to deter criminal and policies violations and promote safety. As described in this policy recorded video images may be used by Stevenson University Campus Safety, other university departments and local law enforcement agencies to investigate alleged violations of university policies or law.
Video surveillance may be used in public areas on University property, which includes but is not limited to campus entrances and grounds, parking areas, athletic fields, common areas, building exteriors, loading docks, areas of ingress and egress to buildings, classrooms, lecture halls, study rooms, lobbies, theaters, libraries, dining halls, gymnasiums, recreation areas, building and residence hall corridors, and retail establishments. These are areas of the University in which persons would not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Other areas which have access restricted to a limited number of University employees but for which there is no expectation of privacy, such as storage areas, shall be considered public areas for the purpose of this policy.
Security cameras are not placed or used in areas in which a person, under law, has a reasonable expectation of privacy, including, but not limited to, bathrooms on University property; personal offices; non-common areas of residence halls such as student rooms and suites; shower areas, locker and changing rooms of athletic facilities; changing areas for theater performances; and areas dedicated to medical, physical, or mental health counseling or treatment.
Signage clearly indicating the use of video surveillance shall be placed at all University campus entrances. All such signs shall contain a notification that security cameras MAY be monitored for safety and security purposes. The placement of the signs and the text on the signs will be subject to the approval of the Director of Campus Safety.
Security camera footage, shall be used by the University for the purposes of enhancing public safety, discouraging theft and other criminal activities, and investigating incidents. When approved by the Director of Campus Safety or designee, or in response to a valid court order video footage may be released to external law enforcement agencies as part of an official investigation. Security camera footage will not be used to conduct personnel investigations without prior approval of the Vice President of Human Resources & Vice President for Facilities & Administration.
Security camera footage will be stored digitally on secure servers for three months with appropriate computer security and accessible by authorized personnel only.
Requests for release or compelled disclosure of recorded camera footage either by court order or other legal process should be submitted to the Vice President for Facilities & Administration.
The Director of Campus Safety, in conjunction with the University’s Chief Information Officer, or designee, will conduct periodic review of the deployment and utilization of video surveillance across the University, to ensure its effectiveness as a safety tool and compliance with the reasonable expectation of privacy of individuals on campus. The Director of Campus Safety will routinely review standard operating procedures with the Security staff.
(Approved Feb. 2026)