SWCC & Community

SWCC Campus Security Information: 2008

EDUCATING IN A SAFE & SECURE ENVIRONMENT

In fulfillment of the U. S. Department of Education's regulations under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy & Campus Crime Statistics relating to the Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act (Public Law 101-542, amended by Public Law 102-26), [formerly the Campus Security Act] – Statute available at

http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus.html#statute

SWCC provides its students, faculty and staff with the following information. Each year the U. S. Department of Education collects crime statistics and publishes data for colleges and universities at its web site:
http://www.ope.ed.gov/security/Search.asp
 

A PDF version of this publication can be downloaded at
http://www.sw.edu/security/CampusSecurity.pdf

SWCC seeks to provide its students, faculty and staff with a safe place to learn and work. The College will prosecute violators of local, state and federal laws in appropriate state and federal courts.

GETTING HELP AT SWCC On-Campus using a College Telephone: Dial HELP-4357

In an emergency a student, faculty member or staff member should use any of the following means to get help:

Call Campus Police by dialing HELP (4357) on any Campus office phone or phone on any elevator.  If you are outside a building, special HELP phones are located at:

·         Buchanan Hall (back of building facing parking lot),

·         Buchanan Hall (middle of the parking lot),

·         Tazewell Hall (entrance facing Buchanan Hall),

·         Dickenson Hall (front entrance),

·         Dickenson Hall Parking Lot (middle of lot on student side of lot),

·         Russell Hall (front entrance),

·         Davis Hall (front entrance),

·         Davis Hall Parking Lot (middle of lot),

·         Charles R. King Community Center,

·         Physical Plant,

·         Pavilion #4 near the Football Field

 Your call will put you in radio contact with a campus police officer.  The Campus Police Office is located in the Physical Plant Building located on the lower level of the campus near the football field.  Campus Police are on duty seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day (24/7).

On-Campus Phone Dial HELP 4357

Call 911 (for emergency, life-threatening situations) On-Campus or Off-Campus
OR contact any uniformed Campus Police officer.

An alternative during the day is to contact the Associate Vice President of Student Development Services at Ext. 7286 or 7287 during office hours (8:30 am to 4:30 pm) or visit the office which is located in Tazewell Hall (T-103). SWCC Counselors are available, if you want to discuss other options.

When a victim reports a crime to campus police officers, SWCC will seek to honor the victim's request for anonymity to the extent that this is possible and is permitted under law. If you have any doubts whether to report something that has occurred, report it. Students, employees and third parties should report incidents as soon as possible after the incident occurs.

On-Campus Access and  Security

During non-business hours, campus buildings are locked. Persons needing access during non-business hours may request access by using the HELP phones outside the buildings listed above. DIAL HELP (4357), which provides direct radio contact with Campus Police.
Persons who are not authorized to be on campus (for example people who disrupt College sponsored/sanctioned activities or loiter on campus) will be escorted to the edge of the College's property and informed of the Code of Virginia “TRESPASS ORDINANCE” or they will be taken into custody if their behavior warrants an arrest.
 

Campus Police Authority

SWCC Campus Police Officers have:

Full police authority within the jurisdiction of the SWCC campus and off-campus locations leased for College sponsored events under Virginia law (Campus Police Act, Title 23, Chapter 17, Sections 23-232 through 23-238 of the Code of VA).
SWCC Campus Police Officers may:

• Stop and question persons suspected of an activity that violates college, state or federal laws.
• Make arrests and use appropriate force to uphold the law, preserve life and protect property.

SWCC students, faculty and staff are encouraged to report crimes and emergencies to Campus Police Officers and the Associate Vice President of Student Development Services by telephoning them at the above numbers or contacting them as listed on page one.
SWCC seeks to encourage prompt notifications so that its Campus Police may be proactive to prevent crime as well as reactive to incidents after they take place.

For Code of Virginia citations relating to Campus Police go to
http://legis.state.va.us/Laws/CodeofVa.htm

Type “Campus Police” at the search prompt
 

Crime Prevention  Programs

The College encourages faculty and staff to provide campus security procedures to students in orientation classes and other suitable venues. The Associate Vice President of Student Development Services and the Human Resources Manager will see that information relating to the annual campus security and completion rate report is made available to all students, faculty and staff each year.

 

Campus Crime Statistics

 

So that students, faculty and staff are aware of the level of crime on the SWCC campus, the following statistics were reported to Campus Police or local police for 2006, 2007, and 2008:

SWCC Clery Act Crime Data

 

   2006  2007   2008

Arson  

0 0 0

Murder 

0 0 0

Manslaughter  

0 0 0

Robbery 

0 0 0

Burglary  

0 0 2

Forcible Sex Offense  

0 0 0

Non-forcible Sex Offense   

0 0 0

Aggravated Assaults                            

0 0 0

Motor Vehicle Thefts                           

0 0 0

Any Other Crime Involving               

0 0 0

Bodily Injury        

0 0 0
       

                                                                     

None of the above incidents [if any were reported] involved situations where those arrested evidenced prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity.           

 

Monitoring and Recording Off-Campus Crime

SWCC Campus Police Officers are in frequent contact with the Sheriff's Departments in Buchanan County, Dickenson County, Russell County and Tazewell County well as the Virginia State Police office located in Claypool Hill. Illegal incidents involving SWCC students, faculty and staff are transmitted to the Campus Police Officers. SWCC Campus Police Officers have jurisdiction at off-campus student functions.

For assistance Off-Campus in emergency, life threatening situations Call 911.
 

Arrests For Drug, Alcohol & Weapons Violations

 

Campus Police Officers were involved in the following arrests involving drug, alcohol and weapons violations.

SWCC Clery Act Crime Data

 

                                      2006            2007         2008

 

Liquor Law Violations              0               1             0                              

Drug Abuse Violations             0               0             0

Illegal Weapons Violations       0               0             0

 

None of the above incidents [if any were reported] involved situations where those arrested evidenced prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity.           

Release Of Data

The provisions of the Family Education Right to Privacy Act (Amended 1998) allows the College to report substance abuse violations to parents of students under 21, to disclose the results of College disciplinary proceedings in cases of violent crimes, and to release student records to the courts in the case of a parent/student lawsuit against the College.

SWCC Alcohol Regulations

 

Federal, state and local laws regulating the possession and use of alcohol on the SWCC campus are enforced by the SWCC Campus Police.  SWCC does not permit the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on campus.

SWCC Illegal Drugs Regulations

Federal, state and local laws regulating the possession, distribution, sale and use of illegal drugs are enforced by the SWCC Campus Police. SWCC does not allow the possession, use, sale or distribution of narcotics, stimulants, depressants, mind expanding or other dangerous drugs, except as expressly permitted by federal and/or state law.

SWCC Drug and Alcohol Abuse Education Programs

SWCC provides information about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. The College has counselors available to discuss with students their abuse problems and concerns. Counselors have working relationships with off-campus private and public agencies, which deal with alcohol and drug abuse problems.

The Human Resources Office has an ongoing relationship with outside agencies that provide employee assistance such as mental health and substance abuse services.
 

Policies Relating To Sex Offenses

 

SWCC defines physical and psychological abuse as misconduct, which is subject to disciplinary action. Allegations of sexual harassment, rape, acquaintance rape and other forcible and non-forcible sex offenses are subject to disciplinary action.

Students are given information about how to deal with sex offenses during their orientation program. The College Counselors are trained to help students deal with sexual concerns and offenses. College Counselors may provide students with information about off campus private and public agencies who can assist them. SWCC's Human Resources Office has a listing of professionals outside the College who may help employees deal with sex related offenses.

The College encourages students to use its counselors and campus police officers when they are involved in a sex offense. The Campus Police are trained to inform victims of the importance of preserving evidence as proof of a criminal offense.

State regulations require all SWCC employees to treat seriously any allegation of a sex offense reported to them or face possible disciplinary action by the college up to and including discharge.

If an incident occurs which is a violation of Virginia's criminal statues, prosecution may be undertaken by the Commonwealth Attorney. Regardless of whether criminal justice authorities choose to prosecute, the College reserves the right to pursue disciplinary action.

College Procedures

When the College takes action:
If a student is involved in an incident with another student the Associate Vice President of Student Development Services has jurisdiction over the incident. SWCC will change a victim's academic situation after an alleged sex offense occurs if the victim requests such changes and options are reasonably available. Students found guilty of misconduct may be penalized with any of the sanctions described in the College Catalog and Student Handbook.

If the student is involved in an incident involving a member of the faculty, a counselor, or others who work for the College or if the incident involves two college employees the President has jurisdiction over the incident.

Options for Employees:
Employees may file a complaint with the Human Resources Manager, the College President, their supervisor(s), or the College’s EEO Officer.
Employees may follow the Commonwealth Employees’ Discrimination Complaint Procedure, which is administered by the Office of Equal Employment Services within the Department of Human Resource Management.
Eligible employees may also use the State Employee Grievance Procedure, which is administered by the Department of Employment Dispute Resolution, to address harassment.

Also, employees may file a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

College employees may face suspension or dismissal under the circumstances described in the Faculty Handbook, Classified Handbook or the Commonwealth of Virginia's Standards of Conduct.

During any College disciplinary proceedings both the accused and the accuser will have the same opportunity to have others present during any session or meeting. Both the accuser and accused shall be informed of the outcome of any proceeding in which a sex offense is alleged.
ees may file a complaint with the Human Resources Manager, the College President, their supervisor

Disciplinary Actions (On-Campus/Public Property)

                                                    2006                2007                2008

 

Liquor Law Violations                          0                        0                    0                               

Drug Abuse Violations                         0                        0                    0

Weapons Violations                            0                        0                    0

 

None of the above incidents [if any were reported] involved situations where those disciplined evidenced prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity.           

Sex Offender List

The College is committed to providing a safe environment for learning. As in our communities, there may be persons enrolled at SWCC as students who appear on Virginia’s Sex Offender Registry. In conjunction with the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, Section 1601 of Public Law 106-386 (HR 3244), the Commonwealth of Virginia enacted a sex offender registration act authorizing the Virginia State Police to release sex offender information to the public (Virginia Code 19.2.390.1). A list of registered sex offenders is provided at the following web address:

http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/

External Contact

 

If you desire to file a complaint alleging that SWCC is in noncompliance with the campus security regulations, you should submit your complaint in writing to the U.S. Department of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office; 400 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20202-5901. 1-800-872-5327 (ED Organizational Directory).


Web Address is: http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus.html#resources


Prepared By Institutional Research Office 25 June 2009
 


Comparative Completion & Graduation Rates

In compliance with the Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act (Public Law 101-542, amended by Public Law 102-26), SWCC provides the following completion/ graduation information. Calculation of the Graduation Rate: A student shall be counted as a graduate if, within 150 percent of the normal time for completion of, or graduation from the program, the student has completed or graduated from the program. The graduation rates presented here are based on the number of full-time, first-time (FT/FT) degree- or certificate-seeking students enrolled at SWCC and neighboring community colleges and Virginia Community College System (VCCS) in Fall 2003 and Fall 2004.

Fall 2004 Entrants/Graduated By Summer 2007

 

College Total FT/FT Graduates/Completers (G/C)

Percent G/C

MECC 290 48

16.6%

VHCC 236 54 22.9%
SWCC 394 113 28.7%
VCCS 12,412 2,070 16.7%

                                                                                            

  Fall 2003 Entrants/Graduated By Summer 2006

 

College    Total FT/FT     Graduates/Completers (G/C)      Percent G/C
MECC 396 78

19.7%

VHCC 260 52

20.0%

SWCC 385 95 24.7%
VCCS 11,111 1,778 16.0%

      

 Source: http://system.vccs.edu/graduates/Rates.asp