Public Safety

The school’s hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 8am – 9pm, with the campus operating remotely on Fridays during the Spring 2022 semester.

CUNY students, faculty and staff access the building by presenting a valid CUNY SPH ID card or other CUNY ID card. Non-CUNY visitors having qualifying reasons to enter must show picture ID and sign in at the lobby desk.

Security desks are located on the 5th, 6th and 7th floors of the school. A security officer is stationed at the reception desk during hours of operation. If there is no security officer at the reception desk, please stop by the 7th floor reception desk for assistance. To gain entry to the 8th floor, please call the individual faculty or staff member you are scheduled to meet, in order to gain access to the floor. To access CUNY SPH floors, faculty, staff and students use their CUNY SPH ID to swipe in at authorized keycard access doors.  Students are provided with access to their required areas for classes, labs or lounges. Guests must present picture ID and sign-in at the Public Safety reception desk of the floor they are visiting (7th floor reception desk if the guest is visiting someone on the 8th floor).

All CUNY SPH students, faculty and staff are required to carry a valid CUNY SPH photo identification card while in the building. CUNY policy requires members of the college community to show their ID cards when requested to do so by public safety officers or other officials of the college. Lending an ID card to another person or using someone else’s ID card is prohibited.  The card is non-transferable.

To obtain a CUNY SPH ID card:

• Human Resources must send an email to Public Safety with the name, EMPL ID, and library bar code of newly hired faculty or staff.
• The IT department must send an email to Public Safety with the names, EMPL IDs, and library bar codes of newly registered students. All students must be currently registered in order to obtain a CUNY SPH ID card.
• Photo IDs are usually available during the following days and hours during the academic semester:
  Monday – Friday: 9am – 1pm, 4pm – 8pm

If you need a replacement ID or key(s), please stop by the 7th floor reception desk to report that your ID/key(s) are either lost or stolen. There is a $10 fee for replacing IDs and keys. Please stop by the Bursar’s office on the 5th floor (Room 550) with your check or money order. A receipt from the Bursar is required to replace your ID/key. Please check the Bursar’s page for their office hours.

*Please be aware that the Bursar’s office hours are subject to change 

CUNY SPH takes the safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff very seriously. To learn more about public safety at CUNY SPH, including procedures for reporting crimes, please see the Annual Security Report.

Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for CUNY SPH

Public Safety Desk
(646) 364-0272
public.safety@sph.cuny.edu

Desiree Joyner
Assistant Director of Public Safety
Campus Lieutenant
desiree.joyner@sph.cuny.edu  |  (646) 364-9571

John Flaherty
Director of Public Safety
jflaherty@gc.cuny.edu  |  (212) 817-7761
The Graduate Center
Room 9117
365 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY, 10016

NYPD 28th Precinct
(212) 678-1611 (or Call 911)
2271-89 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10027

Faculty, staff, students, and guests are encouraged to promptly report any past crime, attempted crime, or criminal activity in progress that occurs on campus or on the adjacent geographic perimeter of the campus to the Public Safety Department. Public Safety will expeditiously respond to the condition reported and make necessary notifications to the local police precinct.  Criminal activities, as well as other emergencies, can be reported by:

1. Calling Public Safety at (646) 364-0272 or extension 40272 may be dialed within the School’s telephone system, during operating hours, M-F, 8am – 10pm.
2. Emailing Public Safety at public.safety@sph.cuny.edu.
3. Reporting the information to the officer at the 7th floor Public Safety reception desk
4. If the situation you observe or are involved in is of an extreme or life-threatening nature, call 911.  When you make a 911 call, please also notify Public Safety at extension 40272.  They will also respond to assist and direct the police and other emergency personnel to the reported emergency.

The Public Safety Department is responsible for securing all items lost and/or found on campus. If you find an item, please bring it to the 7th floor desk, where it will be catalogued and inventoried for safe keeping. When possible, Public Safety staff contact the owner of the item to alert them that his/her property was found and can be claimed. Non-claimed items are disposed of pursuant to CUNY guidelines regarding property retention and disposal.

If you suspect an item may have been taken from your office, workstation or personal belongings, report the item missing to Public Safety. Public Safety will complete an incident report. CUNY property and personal belongings that are stolen must also be reported to the 28th precinct. This includes all electronic devices, such as computers, laptops, printers, mobile phones, tablets and other equipment purchased with tax-levy, grant, contract or other school or university funds. When a report has been filed with the 28th precinct, our Public Safety Department will require the report number from report. The individual is also responsible for notifying Facilities of lost or stolen inventoried CUNY property, please contact the Facilities Property Specialist at (646) 364-9868.

Under the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), 20 USC §§ 1681 et seq., and its implementing regulations, 34 CFR Part 106, discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities operated by recipients of federal financial assistance is prohibited.  Sexual harassment of students, which includes acts of sexual violence, cyber stalking and unwanted verbal and physical contact of a sexual nature, is a form of discrimination prohibited by Title IX.  Sexual Harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that is sufficiently serious to adversely affect your ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program.  It includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature on or off campus.

Allegations of misconduct, including sexual assault, stalking, or dating, domestic and intimate partner violence should be promptly reported as follows:

Sahana Gupta
Chief Diversity Officer
sahana.gupta@cuny.edu
(646) 664-9521

John Flaherty
Director of Public Safety
The Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY, 10016,
Room 9117
jflaherty@gc.cuny.edu
(212) 817-7761

Arthur McHugh
Human Resources Director
CUNY SPH, 55 West 125th Street
Room 715
arthur.mchugh@sph.cuny.edu
(646) 364-9764

Ashish Joshi
Associate Dean of Student and Academic Affairs
CUNY SPH, 55 West 125 St,
Room 532
ashish.joshi@sph.cuny.edu
(646) 364-9774

To view a copy of the City University of New York Policy on Sexual Misconduct, please click here.

For more detailed information on Title IX including community resources, CUNY policies, how to get help, and guidelines on understanding and preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment please click here.

Policy Implementation Workflow – these charts reflects the resources available to the CUNY SPH community in the implementation of various relevant policies.

All students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to participate in the CUNY Alert system. CUNYAlert is the CUNY branded emergency alert system that is based on the NYAlert system operated by the New York State.

CUNY makes every effort to inform affected CUNY Alert registered users of an emergency in a timely and appropriate manner. The CUNY Alert system is designed to give you immediate and up-to-date information regarding weather, utility and emergency situations. The system can contact you and family or friends, as you designate, via text message, cell phone, landline and/or e-mail. The system can offer all methods of notice, a single method or any combination. It is user friendly and can prove to be invaluable before, during and after an emergency.

All CUNY faculty and staff with current CUNYfirst accounts will be automatically enrolled in CUNY Alert. Everyone will still have the option to enroll for phone alerts (work, home, mobile, etc.) and text message (SMS) alerts. Research Foundation (and other auxiliary payroll unit) employees who do not have CUNYfirst accounts may sign up for CUNY Alert as guests. Management of all CUNY Alert accounts will be done within the CUNYfirst system. Faculty, staff, and students will sign into the system and manage their preferences to receive emergency information.

Please be aware that CUNY is not responsible for outdated or incorrect subscriber information, technical limitations such as overtaxed communications systems, transmission errors, and cellular telephone roaming and out of range areas that may delay, block, or prevent, the communications of messages to certain users. CUNY also is not responsible for any costs incurred by the user for any alert received or for any actions taken or not taken by the user or any third party in reliance of an alert.

55 West 125th Street Building Management conducts fire drills and emergency action plan drills each year as required by local law.  During these drills, building occupants are familiarized with campus evacuation procedures. All members of the college community on campus must participate.  The college community will be notified of the drills in advance via community-wide emails.

An emergency can be reported in the following ways:

• Call x40272 to contact Public Safety during regular hours of operation (M-F, 8am – 10pm)
• Call 911 to report emergencies directly to the New York City Police, Fire and/or Emergency Medical Services.  If calling 911 while on campus, also call Public Safety at x40272 so the emergency response can be expedited.

Know your escape route using the building’s fire exits and fire stairs in advance (you should know your escape routes well enough to be able to make your way in the dark or in dense smoke).  Also be prepared to use an alternate exit in case your primary route is obstructed. Remain calm and proceed to evacuate the area in an orderly manner. Rely on planning and knowledge, do not rush, push, or panic. Listen for instructions from Fire Wardens, Security and Public Safety Officers and the Fire Safety/Emergency Action Plan Director (via public address announcements). Do not use an elevator to evacuate unless directed to do so by emergency service personnel.

Primary Assembly Area: Marcus Garvey Memorial Park (On 124th Street; between Fifth Ave and Madison Ave)

Alternate Assembly Area: Collyer Brothers Park (On Fifth Ave; Between 128th Street and 129th Street)

In case of fire or visible smoke, pull the nearest fire alarm; call NYFD at 911 and/or Public Safety at x40272. Prepare to evacuate immediately upon the sounding of any fire alarm and alert those in the immediate area of the danger.  Follow the instructions given by the Fire Safety/Emergency Action Plan Director, Fire Wardens and Public Safety personnel. Before opening any door, touch the door with the back of your hand and do not open a door that is warm or hot. Close doors behind you to prevent fire spread, but make sure that you can reopen them if you need to retreat. Use stairs and not elevators. Help those less able and persons in wheelchairs to smoke free stairwells: report their location and condition to NYFD and college Public Safety personnel. Do not remove any person from a wheelchair or attempt to carry or negotiate wheelchairs with people up or down the steps. When at other colleges, comply with posted or announced fire instructions.

This course of action may be necessary during a release of toxic chemicals, biological agents, radiation, civil unrest, severe weather or other emergencies. Stay inside the building and close all doors and windows, sealing off openings to your room if possible.  Do not use elevators as they may pump air through the building. Remain in place until you are told that it is safe to leave.

Call NYPD 911 and/or Public Safety at x40272. In the event that there is an active shooting incident on campus and someone enters the area you are in and begins shooting, exit the building only if it can be done quickly and safely. If you are unable to safely evacuate, go to the nearest room, lock the door, remain low and if you can, safely phone 911.

Call NYPD or EMS at 911 and/or Public Safety at x40272. Public Safety personnel will assist and coordinate emergency response forces. The Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy peace officers and campus security assistants are not armed, and are not emergency medical technicians. The NYPD and Emergency Medical Service are called upon to perform these functions.

Students and employees injured in accidents should call Public Safety (x40272), seek medical attention, and notify their supervisor and the Office of Student Affairs or the Director of Human Resources as appropriate. Hazards should be reported immediately. All Public Safety Officers are certified in C.P.R., A.E.D., and First Aid.

CUNY has a long-standing commitment to promoting a safe and secure academic and work environment that promotes the achievement of its mission of teaching, research, scholarship and service. All members of the University community, including students, faculty, and staff, are expected to maintain a working and learning environment free from violence, threats of harassment, intimidation or coercion. While these behaviors are not prevalent at the University, no organization is immune.

CUNY prohibits workplace violence. Violence, threats of violence, intimidation, harassment, coercion, or other threatening behavior towards people or property will not be tolerated. Complaints involving workplace violence will not be ignored and will be given the serious attention they deserve. Individuals who violate this policy may be removed from University property and are subject to disciplinary and/or personnel action up to and including termination, consistent with University policies, rules and collective bargaining agreements, and/or referral to law enforcement authorities for criminal prosecution.

Any person who is the subject of a potential violation of this policy or is a witness to such suspected violation, should report the incident to his or her supervisor, or in lieu thereof, Public Safety. Students should report such incidents to Student Services or in lieu thereof, Public Safety. The Public Safety Department will work with Human Resources or Student Services on an appropriate response. Any person experiencing or witnessing imminent danger or actual violence involving weapons or personal injury should call the Public Safety department immediately, or call 911.

The CUNY Workplace Violence Policy and additional information on workplace violence can be found here, here, and here.

Policy Implementation Workflow – these charts reflects the resources available to the CUNY SPH community in the implementation of various relevant policies.

A constructive relationship between the Public Safety Department and the School community, fostered by trust and confidence, is essential to a successful security and safety program. In order for us to better understand the community’s perception of our service; it is important that we investigate any allegation of inappropriate officer conduct. Your criticisms and constructive suggestions for improvement are welcomed. Each complaint will be thoroughly investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken when warranted. You can file a complaint at the 7th floor reception desk by asking for the tour supervisor or by emailing or calling the Director of Public Safety.

Personal Safety Tips