Campus Safety at CalArts is dedicated to ensuring a safe environment for everyone on campus. By staying vigilant and following essential safety guidelines, you play a crucial role in helping us protect our community.
General safety
- Be aware of your surroundings and any signs that something appears to be wrong or out of place.
- Stay in well-lit areas and walk mid-point between curbs and buildings and away from alleys and bushes when possible.
- Don’t carry extra credit cards or large sums of money.
- Lock your valuables securely, even in your room.
- Walk with someone whenever possible. Request an escort when traveling alone at night.
- Do not risk personal injury if someone forcibly attempts to take your wallet, purse, or property.
- Carry a whistle or personal alarm and use it if you feel threatened.
- Keep an inventory of personal property and mark items with your driver’s license number and the state.
- Avoid misuse of alcohol or drugs and situations in which others are misusing alcohol or drugs.
- Do not attach your ID to your keychain or mark your keys with your name and address.
- Get to know your neighbors and share information about suspicious activities.
- Call Campus Security at 661-222-2702 in an emergency or to report any crime or suspicious activity. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Art studio safety
It is essential for artists to understand studio hazards and how to protect themselves and those working around them. This safety guide provides an overview of the hazards associated with the arts and is intended to help instructors safely orient their students to those hazards. Labor and environmental laws extensively regulate many of these areas. This guide is not intended to replace the safety standards and training required of institutions and their employees. Specific resources pertaining to applicable workplace standards are listed in the reference section at the end of this guide.
Earthquake safety
Unlike other emergencies, procedures dealing with an earthquake are less specific. Since earthquake magnitude cannot be predetermined, everyone must initiate emergency precautions within seconds after the initial tremor is felt. The best earthquake instructions are to take precautions before the earthquake (e.g., secure or remove objects above you that could fall during an earthquake).
Campus Safety, in partnership with our insurance company, has prepared a quick tip sheet for earthquake precautions as well as what to do in the event of an earthquake on campus.
CalArts participates in California’s Great Shakeout earthquake drills, which provide our community, along with millions of others, to practice earthquake preparedness.
If you have any questions about earthquake safety at CalArts, please contact Campus Safety at 661-222-2702.
Earthquake preparedness tips (PDF)
Suspicious mail and packages
The US Postal Service provides tips and information on how to recognize a suspicious package and what to do should you notice a suspicious item.
Office safety
- When working late, make sure doors are locked. Let someone know of your location and expected departure time.
- Never prop doors open, even for a short time.
- Do not loan your office keys or allow them to be copied.
- Do not hold a door open for a stranger.
- Keep your purse, wallet, or other valuables in a locked cabinet or drawer.
Vehicle safety
- Register your vehicle with Campus Security. This is required for all student, faculty, or staff vehicles parked on campus.
- Lock all vehicle doors after parking.
- Help secure your vehicle against theft or burglary with an electronic alarm or kill switch.
- Keep a copy of your registration, title, and vehicle ID number in a safe place, separate from your vehicle.
- Do not leave valuables in your vehicle.
- If you park your car but don’t use it regularly, check on it daily.
- Immediately report thefts, as well as suspicious activity in parking lots or near parked cars, to Campus Security.