Adelphi University offers one of the safest and most beautiful campuses among colleges and universities in the country, providing a secure environment for students, staff, faculty and visitors.
A campus should feel like more than just a place to study—it should be a home away from home. By making our Garden City campus a safe and secure environment, Adelphi University has done just that.
Over the years, Adelphi has been consistently ranked as one of the safest colleges in both New York state and the country by reputable organizations such as Safe Campus and BackgroundCheck.org. But it’s not just these organizations reporting this. It’s the students, too. In past Adelphi Student Quality of Life surveys, 92 percent of students felt well-informed about how to respond to campus emergencies, while 94 percent reported feeling safe on the Garden City campus.
Safe Town, Safe Campus
Adelphi’s 75-acre campus is located in the suburb of Garden City, New York. According to local law enforcement statistics, violent crime is exceptionally rare in Garden City, falling well below both the New York state and national averages. Garden City is also ranked as one of the best places to live in New York by several sources.
With Garden City as its backdrop, Adelphi has taken further action to ensure students’ safety at their home away from home. Adelphi maintains an emergency notification system that can quickly inform community members of any campus incidents. The University also offers an active safety and crime prevention program, including comprehensive safety training. Additionally, all entrance doors to University residence halls are permanently locked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Any access to dormitories requires an authorized electronic student ID card.
Hop on a Shuttle for Safety
Making regular runs around campus, the Panther Express provides free shuttle bus transportation to nearby train stations, supermarkets and shopping plazas—particularly during the nighttime.
Credit for security on campus goes to the Department of Public Safety and Transportation. The department is committed to transparency and regularly issues a fire and safety report which outlines practices, incidents that occurred on campus and responses to those incidents.
Adelphi’s officers also patrol the Garden City campus—often on bicycles —24/7, 365 days a year. But students don’t need to rely solely on patrolling officers. Students have direct, immediate access to campus security. In the event of an incident, they can dial “5” from any on-campus phone, use the blue light emergency call boxes scattered across the grounds or call the emergency line at 516.877.3511.
Not Just Safe. Safe From Pesticides, Too
Adelphi’s campus is more than just a safe space. It’s also a beautiful green space with prestigious accreditation. In October 2025, Adelphi renewed its Level I Arboretum Accreditation through ArbNet, part of the esteemed Morton Arboretum registry. Valid until October 2030, this accreditation places Adelphi on the global registry of accredited arboreta and public gardens. And it’s not hard to see why.
For more than 20 years, Adelphi University has maintained a 100 percent pesticide-free campus that’s fostered a rich biodiversity. Its campus has since become a gorgeous landscape that’s home to more than 100 different plant species, some of them with unique backstories. The azaleas on the flagpole lawn were planted by the Class of 1935 and have thrived for nearly 100 years. The vibrant pink cherry trees and rose garden have become iconic visual landmarks on campus during the springtime.
Plans are currently underway to label plant species and weave the arboretum into academic programs. There’s also a plan to develop a dedicated arboretum campus map that shows key points of interest, allowing students and visitors to explore notable plant specimens across the grounds.
This prestigious arboretum accreditation underscores Adelphi’s unwavering commitment to sustainability. But the University’s biodiversity does more than just protect the planet.
It offers a vibrant, living oasis that provides students with moments of calm and reflection—proving that a truly safe campus is one that protects both the body and the mind.