New Executive Director of Security at AU
Major Melvin Owens was named Auburn University’s new executive director of security and public safety this week.
Owens began his career with Auburn University in 1981 as a patrol officer and then moved into the investigations section. In 1988 he was promoted to captain of auxiliary services and in 1997 he became assistant director of public safety.
Owens coordinates campus security with the Auburn City Police Department and oversees night security. He works with the TigerCard Office, the Office of Information Technology and Access Control among others.
“President Gogue made the appointment based on the recommendation of a security consulting firm, which specifically mentioned Major Owens as the ideal candidate,” said Don Large, Auburn University executive vice president and chief financial officer. “He is extremely well-suited for the task based on his law enforcement background and his experience at Auburn.
“I look forward to working together with everyone to create a safe and secure campus environment,” Owens said. “A college community, where the very ideas of open discussion and freedom are promoted, can be vulnerable, as events across this country have demonstrated.
Owens earned a bachelor’s degree in human resource management from Faulkner University and a master’s degree in criminal justice with a concentration in public administration from the University of Alabama. He is a graduate of the 160th FBI National Academy and studied criminal justice at the University of Virginia. He is a member of many state and national law enforcement associations.
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