Nevada's higher education system launches 'Eyes Open' portal for reporting concerning behavior on its campuses

What happened

The Nevada System of Higher Education has launched Eyes Open, a statewide online portal where people across the system can report concerning behavior they witness, the Las Vegas Sun reported. The campaign went live this week at all eight NSHE institutions. It includes signs and a new website that encourage students, staff and faculty to report concerning behavior on campus or connected to campus.

According to the Sun, the effort comes almost three years after the Dec. 6, 2023 shooting at UNLV's Beam Hall. In that attack, a gunman killed three professors: Naoko Takemaru, Patricia Navarro Vélez and Jerry Cha-Jan Chang. The project was paid for with a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In a statement reported by the Sun, Chancellor Matt McNair said safety is a shared responsibility across NSHE's institutions. He said Eyes Open gives the system a clear and consistent way to support that goal and makes it easier for people to speak up.

How the reporting portal works

What a report requires

Anyone can file an incident report through the site, and people who report can stay anonymous, the Sun reported. A report must list the institution, the date and location of the incident, and a description of what happened. People must also answer two questions: whether police were involved and whether they approached the person in question.

Who reviews reports

According to NSHE, reports go into a data collection system where emergency management officials assess each situation. They then send it to the resource best suited to handle it. Trained behavioral intervention teams include staff from counseling, human resources, student support, campus police and security.

Officials told the Sun that filing a report does not mean anyone or anything is considered a threat. The website says anyone facing an immediate threat or emergency should still call 911. The campaign is part of NSHE's Threat Prevention, Safety and Awareness Initiative, which focuses on behavioral threat assessment, early intervention and support before a situation gets worse.

Part of a broader safety push since 2023

Changes at Beam Hall and UNLV

Before Beam Hall reopened for classes in August 2024, UNLV repaired the building, the Sun reported. The university also added a staffed officer post in the atrium, cameras in every elevator lobby and key card access to floors three through five. The University Police Department's Southern Command hired more officers to address staffing shortages. It also expanded its Community Service Officer program to UNLV with seven community service officers, including a supervisor, and opened a substation in the student center.

NSHE also created a Public Safety Council, previously called the Chancellor's Ad Hoc Committee on Public Safety. The council reviews safety across the system and makes recommendations to the chancellor. More coverage of local safety issues is on our public safety page.

State funding from the 2025 session

During the 2025 Nevada legislative session, lawmakers gave the system $11 million for safety upgrades, according to the Sun. The University Police Department's Northern Command received $866,730 and the Southern Command received $1,265,000 for equipment. The rest went to the eight institutions for projects ranging from more surveillance cameras to fencing improvements.

What the police chief says the system will do

Arnold Vásquez, chief of the University Police Department's Southern Command, described Eyes Open as one more result of NSHE's ongoing work to improve campus safety after the 2023 shooting. He told the Sun he believes the website will also help organize crime statistics across the NSHE system. He said that would make it easier for officials to track crime statewide, find areas to improve and use the data when asking leaders for more support.

Vásquez said he has strong confidence in the campaign and believes it will help officials get ahead of many problems. The reporting form is available at EyesOpen.nevada.edu. For more on Nevada colleges and universities, see our schools coverage.

What to watch next

• Vásquez said NSHE will return to the Legislature in 2027 to request funding to modernize its police department with newer technology, such as body cameras and less-lethal tools.
• Whether the Eyes Open site helps organize crime statistics across NSHE institutions, as Vásquez told the Sun he believes it will.
• The Public Safety Council's work reviewing systemwide safety and making recommendations to the chancellor.