Dakota State University in Madison has been ranked for being a safe campus.  StateUniversity.com ranked DSU as the seventh safest public university in the U.S. and the safest campus in the state of South Dakota for 2020. A low local crime rate and a lack of aggravated assaults, arrests, arson, murder, vehicle theft and more influenced DSU’s ranking. StateUniversity.com utilized Cleary and FBI data to analyze close to 16-hundred colleges and universities’ safety levels to create the rankings.

Dakota State provides safety through security cameras installed throughout campus, residence halls controlled by card access, and an evening patrol done six nights a week. DSU started a new program called Campus Watch in January of 2019 that features two uniformed employees who aid students, staff, and faculty between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and midnight Tuesday through Sunday. Campus Watch employees complete security checks, provide accompaniment across campus, and assist with issues like jumping someone’s car.

The Campus Watch program was created by Jim Jacobsen, DSU’s vice president for Student Affairs and Heath Abraham, university safety resource officer, to provide safety and security personnel in the evening hours to everyone on campus.