By Lisa Josvai, campus safety and security

Call campus safety at ext. 3911 or 608-780-1582, if:

• you discover a homeless person asleep inside an academic or administrative building early in the morning.
• a homeless person approaches you on campus and requests money, clothing, or food.
• a homeless person who is on campus appears to be disoriented or distraught.

The campus safety officers incorporate the Franciscan tenets of kindness, compassion, and hospitality into their response to these types of incidents, while also ensuring the safety and security expectations of the campus community are met. Here are the guidelines campus safety follows when interacting with a homeless person on campus:

• We politely greet the person.
• We introduce ourselves, using a friendly tone of voice.
• We ask the person for his/her name.
• We explain where the person is.
• We talk with the person for a minute or two. 
• We try to work these types of questions into the conversation: Are you alright? Where are you staying? Have you eaten recently?
• We inform the person about available services at the Place of Grace, the Salvation Army Shelter, the La Crosse Warming Center, and the Franciscan Hospitality House.

Providing a safe environment is a campus safety priority, as is demonstrating Franciscan values through its day-to-day operations. The campus safety officers are mindful of these important Viterbo priorities and keep them in mind when interacting with anyone on campus.