As Rice University’s footprint expands into more public-facing environments, the scope of its efforts to maintain safety and security has grown as well. To better reflect this reality, the unit formerly known as Campus Safety and Research Security has been renamed Public Safety and Research Security.
This evolution will align resources and teams to better serve the growing and increasingly dynamic Rice community and reflect the university’s commitment to providing coordinated, responsive and forward-looking safety and security services across campus and beyond.
Introducing Public Safety and Research Security
Central to this change is the formation of the Department of Public Safety, which brings together several critical services under one unified structure:
“By aligning these teams within a single department, Rice is improving communication, reducing operational silos and enabling faster, more coordinated responses to emergencies,” said Tam Dao, associate vice president of public safety and research security. “Whether responding to a weather event, public health concern or criminal activity, the new structure provides a clear, centralized point of contact — removing uncertainty about who to call when urgent situations arise.”
Lt. Tom Hudak will serve as interim director of public safety and chief of police while the university conducts a nationwide search for permanent leadership.
The Department of Public Safety has joined Research Security and Export Controls to form the broader Public Safety and Research Security unit. Together, these teams support Rice’s mission by protecting people, research and institutional operations through a comprehensive and collaborative approach to safety and security.