I. Purpose of Student Conduct Review
The College has an obligation to provide a safe place for its students to learn and a safe place for its employees to work. When any College employees or students have a concern about a student’s potential to have a negative consequence on the safety of College employees, other students or themselves, they are encouraged to report the matter to the Vice President of Instruction and Student Services (“Vice President”). If warranted, a Behavioral Intervention Team (“BIT”), a cross-functional multidisciplinary group focused on prevention and early-intervention for students exhibiting concerning behaviors, may be used to address the situation. The following procedures are outlined to guide this process.
II. Procedures for Conduct Review
A. Step One
College employees or students who are concerned about a student displaying elevated levels of distress, disturbance, or dysregulation (e.g. suicidal thoughts or impulses, violent and aggressive impulses, depression, disruptive behavior, physical or sexual abuse) or displaying behavior that poses a direct threat to the health, welfare and safety of the College community are encouraged to contact the Vice President or the College Counselor.
B. Step Two
The Vice President, with assistance from the Counselor, will conduct a review based on the report. During the review, the following items, among other things, shall be considered: (a) the severity of the reported behavior; (b) whether the reported behavior represents a direct threat to the health, welfare and safety of the college’s community; (c) the student’s academic, attendance and discipline records; (d) whether this type of behavior has been reported in the past; and (e) whether or not the reported behavior, if true, violates the Code of Student Conduct. When conducting the review, college staff may: (a) speak with the student; (b) gather additional evidence or information by interviewing members of the college community; (c) compile additional documentation; and (d) review other evidentiary sources.
Based on the result of the conduct review, the Vice President may: (a) treat the matter as a disciplinary action pursuant to Procedure 5.3.2 – Student Code of Conduct, if a violation is believed to have occurred; (b) make a written referral of his/her findings to the BIT for review; or (c) no further action is warranted. If a referral to the BIT is made, the student will be informed in writing concerning the referral; the student and the BIT will receive a copy of the review findings.
III. BIT Review and Determination
A. Membership
Members of the BIT are:
1. Vice President of Instruction and Student Services (Chair)
2. Counselor (Co-Chair)
3. Psychology Instructor
4. Campus Resource Officer
5. Director of Facilities
6. One at-large appointee by Vice President
B. BIT Review
If referred by the Vice President or Counselor, the BIT will review the concern to determine if the speech or behavior in question is creating, or may lead to, an unsafe environment and impede the success of the student in question. The BIT’s report will be based on the nature of the behavior, the severity of the safety risk and the student’s needs.
As a part of this evaluation, the BIT will review the Vice President’s or Counselor’s findings and may meet with the individual(s) bringing forth the concern, witnesses and the student in question. Further, the BIT may request or require that the student be evaluated by outside professional(s) to determine their suitability to be a student at the College. The student will have an opportunity to review any documentary evidence reviewed by the BIT and will be allowed to address the BIT and may be accompanied by an advocate; however, only the student will be allowed to address the BIT and not the advocate.
C. BIT Determination
Upon completion of the review, the BIT will submit their written findings and determination to the student and Vice President. The BIT may include, but is not limited to, the following recommendations in their findings:
1. No action required.
2. Propose a resolution to address miscommunication.
3. Propose an action plan to address concerning behaviors and support student
success.
4. Refer student for an external psychological assessment.
5. Refer the matter to Policy 5.3.2 – Student Code of Conduct to initiate
appropriate disciplinary action if a violation is believed to have occurred. The BIT is not authorized to suspend or involuntary withdraw a student.
A student’s failure or refusal to comply with determination of the BIT as administered by the Vice President of Student Services will constitute a basis to charge the student with an offense under Policy 5.3.2 – Student Code of Conduct and administer according to Procedure 5.3.2.2 – Discipline and Appeal Procedure for Non-Academic Violations.
All documentation associated with each concern addressed will be maintained in the student’s permanent record.
D. Incident Follow-up
If warranted, the BIT, at its discretion, may require periodic follow-ups with the student. The desire and frequency of such follow-ups shall be included in the BIT’s written determination. Failure by the student to participate in required follow-ups may be treated as a disciplinary infraction.
Adopted: January 8, 2020