Cornell University is launching Rave Guardian, a free mobile app that turns your smartphone into a personal safety device.
You can invite friends and family to join your network as “Guardians.” You can then request one or more of your Guardians to virtually walk with you on or off campus. It’s like having an emergency blue light system and a trusted friend with you at all times.
The app also has a safety feature that directly connects you to Cornell University Police (or 9-1-1 if off-campus) in an emergency, as well as the ability to submit an anonymous tip to Cornell University Police should you see something suspicious.
Cornell University Police and the Office of Emergency Management encourage all students, faculty, and staff to enhance their personal safety and the safety of their friends, and download the free Guardian app at the Apple store or Google Play. Explore the app features at Rave Guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions
The application is available for use by all currently registered Cornell University students and current employees of the university. Subscribers to the application must use a Cornell email address to login.
Yes. But we recommend you still enroll to CornellALERT to have redundancy of receiving the messages. To register through https://emergency.cornell.edu/alert/. We encourage all faculty, staff and students who have not already done so to opt-in for CornellALERT text and voice messages on their mobile device.
No. Your privacy is of the utmost importance. You can only be located if you have asked for help. Rave Guardian location information is only enabled when you choose to make an emergency call, send a tip or when your safety timer expires and Cornell University Police has been designated as your guardian.
No. Cornell University Police will only be able to obtain your information if you choose Cornell University Police as your guardian and your safety timer session expires and not before. Rave Guardian location information is only activated when the location setting is enabled on your smartphone.
No. Cornell University Police is only notified of your timer expiring if you selected them to be your guardian. If you select a personal contact to be your guardian and your timer expires, Cornell University Police will NOT be notified.
Yes, if you assign “Guardians” during any individual, “timed” usage, they will have the capability to track your status. But remember that you are in full control of this feature. It only works when you program it to. You must request them as Guardians. The Guardian will receive an invitation via text with a link to download the app. They must accept you to be a Guardian. Guardians not associated with Cornell University are called “Social Guardians.” They will not have the Call Public Safety Button and Eyewitness features of the app.
When using the safety timer, the user will receive a reminder text message 5 minutes before expiring. If it expires, a message immediately goes to your chosen guardian(s) and they can call your cell phone. If Cornell University Police is your chosen guardian, they will contact you by phone and send an officer to your location to verify that you are ok or assist you if you are in distress.
You can choose whether to send a tip anonymously each time you send in a text or photo tip. To send text or photo tips anonymously, tap the “Send a Tip” button and “Make Anonymous” is already checked for you. If you choose to send a tip anonymously, Cornell University Police will not be able to see your name, phone number or any other identifying information about you. If you do not choose to send a text or photo tip anonymously, “uncheck” the “Make Anonymous” and your name, phone number and profile are displayed to Cornell University Police when you send a tip through the Rave Guardian app.
You will opt in to this service and provide as much information as you like during the registration process. To maximize the full benefit of this service, your user profile should contain a current photo and accurate self-description. The more information you provide in your profile, the easier it will be for officers to locate you if necessary. The only way Cornell University Police will be able to see any information in your personal profile is if you make an emergency call, send a tip, or if Cornell University Police is your guardian when your safety timer session expires. Personal profile information will be treated as confidential information.
Tip: The more information you provide, the more the police know if they need to assist you in an emergency. At a minimum, you should include your address (home and school), your physical description and a recent photo. If you have particular health issues or other personal safety concern, you can include that information as well. YOU decide what YOU provide.
Yes. Rave Mobile Safety (the provider of Rave Guardian) uses the latest in security technologies and processes to ensure that all of your information is kept secure and private. Rave also undergoes regular security audits to ensure the data is secure.
Yes, the Eyewitness Tip feature works whether you are on- or off-campus; however, if you have an emergency at an off-campus location, you should dial 9-1-1. If you send a tip that is not on campus, the information will be forwarded to the off-campus law enforcement agency.
Absolutely. When on-campus, you can contact Cornell University Police at (607) 255-1111 or use any blue light phone. You can also walk into our office, which is located at G2 Barton Hall. When you are off campus, you will want to use 9-1-1.
The basic profile features of Rave Guardian work on any iPhone or Android smartphone running on any U.S.-based mobile carrier network with the app installed on it. Rave Guardian can locate most smartphone devices on the AT&T, Sprint and Verizon networks. Even if Rave Guardian cannot determine your phone’s location, all other profile information will be made available to Cornell University Police when you use Rave Guardian.
We recommend that you allow notification from Rave Guardian. This will alert you when your timer is about to expire, when you have received a response from Cornell University Police or when someone has requested you as a Guardian.
Yes. Factors include but are not limited to: whether or not you are calling from inside a building or a “dead spot;” the strength of your cell signal, such as proximity of cell towers or satellites; whether or not your phone is GPS enabled and the type and quality of your phone; carrier and signal. If possible, you should provide detailed location information via text or voice. This will enable Cornell University Police personnel to reach you quickly when Rave Guardian is activated.
- If I am no longer a student of Cornell University or inactive from the university, will my personal information still be available and will I be able to use the Cornell Guardian service?
Your Guardian account remains active until you delete it.