Dear Campus Community:
At the University of Illinois Chicago, the safety, security, and well-being of every member of our community is paramount. It is a responsibility we share as students, faculty, staff, and partners. In service to this goal, we are pleased to present the 2025 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. It reflects the work of our leaders, safety professionals, and community members to make UIC a safe place for all.
Our urban setting requires us to remain proactive and innovative. Over the past year, we have enhanced our approach to safety through new technologies, expanded services, and community-centered strategies:
- We have enhanced transportation options, including the Night Ride program and the walking safety escort program, so that every member of our community has safe and reliable ways to travel across campus after dark.
- We have strengthened our campus safety presence through the UIC Police Department and dedicated unarmed security patrols, providing visibility, reassurance, and fostering a sense of trust across the university.
- We have expanded our use of advanced AI-driven Security Detection Systems, powered by machine learning models trained to identify weapons, fights, unattended packages, and unauthorized access. By analyzing existing camera feeds and distinguishing between real threats and harmless situations, the system provides timely alerts to UIC Police validators, enabling faster responses and more effective use of resources.
- We have launched a new Campus-wide Safety Training program to strengthen awareness, preparedness, and shared responsibility across the university, ensuring that every member of our community has the knowledge and confidence to contribute to a safer campus.
- We have dedicated a new Prevention and Threat Management Division to focus on targeted violence prevention, applying public health principles to ensure early recognition, intervention, and ongoing support.
- We have established a Hazing Prevention Task Force to advance education, awareness, and reporting resources, reinforcing UIC’s commitment to a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all students.
- We continue to advance a student-centered, health-promoting campus through U&I Care Initiatives and Counseling Center services, ranging from crisis support to therapy and case management. These efforts ensure students are quickly connected to inclusive resources that promote safety, well-being, and belonging.
This fall, as we launched our campus safety training, I emphasized that our commitment to safety extends well beyond policies. It calls on each of us to stay vigilant, remain aware, and have the confidence to speak up when something seems wrong. Safety depends on all of us being alert and looking out for one another.
On behalf of the UIC leadership team, the Chancellor’s Emergency Operations Policy Group, and all our many dedicated safety partners, thank you for your ongoing commitment to each other and to our wonderful university.
With regards,
