Hatter Alert

If you are in danger or feel threatened, call 911 or contact Campus Public Safety

DeLand Campus: 386-822-7300

Gulfport Campus and Tampa Law Center: 727-343-1262

Emergency notifications, commonly known on campus as Hatter Alerts, are warnings issued by the university (typically by the Public Safety Directors or Emergency Management Team) immediately upon confirming a significant emergency or dangerous on-campus situation that involves an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees. The intent of a Hatter Alert is to caution the campus community about immediate threats, thereby enabling community members to take precautions to protect themselves. Therefore, a public warning may not be issued if we determine, in the exercise of professional judgment, that it will compromise efforts to assist the victim, respond to or otherwise contain the emergency.

Hatter Alerts will be issued through the campus Stetson Hatter Alert system to students, faculty and staff in all areas determined to possibly be effected by the emergency. The following additional means of communication may also be used:

  • Stetson Safety App
  • Facebook
  • Text-messaging and email notification
  • The daily announcements of the intranet, which is available to faculty, staff and students
  • Electronic Display Boards

If during regular business hours, on digital displays Hatter Alerts may be issued for threats to property, as well as threats to persons. Nothing prohibits the issuance of Hatter Alerts for crimes or continuing threats to the campus community beyond those crimes and incidents subject to data collection and reporting under the university's Annual Security Report.

After a Hatter Alert has been issued, follow-up to the initial Hatter Alert will be issued as needed, typically by email unless circumstances warrant other forms of communication as detailed above.

The Hatter Alert Emergency Notification System is tested annually.

If there is not an immediate threat to campus but a situation presents an ongoing safety concern to the Stetson community, the Public Safety Department will send out a Timely Warning through campus-wide email and other methods listed above.

The University has procedures in place to implement the emergency notification and timely warning system. The procedures provide a mechanism for the University to, without delay, confirm an emergency or dangerous situation; take into account the safety of the campus community; and initiate immediate and appropriate notification and warning, unless the notification will, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, compromise efforts to assist victims or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency. The procedures include processes by which University officials will confirm that there is a significant emergency, determine who to notify, determine the content of the notification, and initiate the notification system.