Public Safety
Wor-Wic Community College employs a team of public safety officers who patrol campus facilities and grounds, and identify and address safety and security concerns. Wor-Wic public safety officers have the authority to ask individuals for identification to determine whether or not they have lawful business at the college. Wor-Wic public safety officers also have the authority to issue public safety citations for violations of college traffic/parking and smoking/tobacco use policies.
Wor-Wic public safety officers are not police officers and, as such, do not possess arrest power. All criminal incidents are referred to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office or the Maryland State Police. The public safety department at Wor-Wic maintains a working relationship with area fire, rescue and law enforcement agencies.
The college prohibits any individual from bringing or using a weapon on college property, including a firearm or any other instrument intended to cause harm or reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm. Individuals who are licensed to carry a concealed weapon are required to comply, but individuals affiliated with law enforcement agencies who are licensed to carry a weapon are exempt.
Requesting Public Safety Assistance
Any member of the campus community can call the public safety department at 410-334-2937 to request assistance with incidents such as altercations, disruptions, trespassing, theft, vandalism, medical assistance and/or vehicle assistance. Calls for assistance might or might not require law enforcement action. An incident can also be classified as hate bias if the incident is a hostile act of conduct, speech or expression motivated, in whole or in part, by intolerance, bias or prejudice against another individual or group. Although hate-bias incidents sometimes constitute hate crimes or discrimination, not all hate-bias incidents escalate to the level of a hate crime or discrimination.
Reported incidents are investigated, when applicable, and recorded on an incident report by the responding officer. Incident reports are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the public safety department located in Room 104 of Henson Hall. For incidents warranting an investigation, public safety officers follow the procedures under “College Investigations and Disciplinary Procedures” or in “Discrimination and Harassment ,” whichever is applicable to the incident.
Campus Operating Hours
The campus is open during the academic year on Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. College public safety officers can be reached during these hours by dialing 410-334-2937. A phone is available in every classroom, office and laboratory at the campus for anyone who needs to call for emergency assistance (911). A red sticker is affixed to each campus phone, which provides the public safety phone extension of 2937. The emergency “blue light” phones that are located in the campus parking lots and other strategic locations on campus are directly connected to the college’s public safety department.
The use of college facilities is restricted to currently-enrolled students, employees and invited guests and visitors with legitimate business. All individuals who enter college facilities must comply with all college policies and procedures. Invited guests or visitors, including children under the age of 16, are not allowed to accompany employees or students to academic spaces, including classrooms, laboratories, resource centers, study areas or the fitness center, unless their attendance is part of an authorized activity or program of the college. For safety and liability reasons, invited guests or visitors are not permitted in areas where dangerous equipment or chemicals are used or stored, without prior authorization.
Children are permitted to visit college offices, the café, bookstore or open spaces, but they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. The parent or guardian must also ensure that the children do not disrupt the educational or work environment. Children cannot be left unattended at any time. They also cannot be left in the care of another employee or student unless the child is attending an authorized activity or program of the college. In limited situations, children can visit an employee’s workspace during working hours for a brief amount of time with prior approval of the employee’s immediate supervisor.
Employees who fail to comply with this policy are subject to disciplinary action in accordance with dismissal policies and procedures. Students who fail to comply with this policy are subject to student conduct policies and procedures. Invited guests or visitors who fail to comply with this policy will be asked to leave the campus.
Access to Campus Facilities
Access to all college facilities during periods when the college is closed is limited to authorized employees and contractors. Signage to this effect is maintained at all entrances to the campus. The college is not responsible or liable for the safety of anyone at the campus when the college is closed.
Non-Campus Locations
Because college activities occur in diverse locations throughout the college’s service area, individual faculty members and other college employees assume responsibility, at off-campus, college-sponsored activities, in the event of an emergency situation.
Crime Reporting Procedures
Any member of the campus community who is a victim of, or witness to, a crime at the college campus or at an off-campus, college-sponsored activity, should call 911 and the college public safety department at 410-334-2937. Anyone who needs help reporting a crime to police can obtain assistance from the public safety department. Prompt reporting assures timely warning notices and accurate disclosure of crime statistics. Victims or witnesses can report crimes, or suspicious behaviors or activities, on a voluntary, confidential basis by sending a text message to 50911. The text message should begin with UTIPS, and the date, time, location and description of the incident should be provided in the text.
All reports of criminal activity are investigated and recorded in the daily crime log in the public safety department by the officer taking the report. The daily crime log is available for public inspection during normal business hours at the public safety department located in Room 102 of Henson Hall.
In addition to the daily crime reporting log, the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act requires that certain crimes, which could require the assistance of local law enforcement officials, must be included in the annual security report. Primary crimes that must be reported include murder, negligent manslaughter, forcible and non-forcible sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson. All primary crimes, as well as larceny/theft, simple assault, intimidation, and destruction, damage or vandalism of property, are also classified as hate crimes when there is evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the victim’s actual or perceived race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin or disability. Other crimes that must be reported are domestic violence, dating violence and stalking, as well as criminal charges or referrals to the college’s student-faculty disciplinary committee for alcohol, drug or weapons violations.
Emergency Notification and Timely Warnings
Federal law requires that a report be made to the campus community if certain crimes are committed on Wor-Wic’s campus, at any of the college’s non-campus facilities or on public property that is immediately adjacent to Wor-Wic’s campus.
Anyone with information warranting a timely warning should report the circumstances to Wor-Wic’s public safety department by calling 410-334-2937 or at the public safety department located in Room 104 in Henson Hall.
The campus community is, without delay, notified of a significant emergency or dangerous situation that could pose an immediate threat to the health or safety of students and employees. Depending on the severity of the emergency, notification occurs by one or more of the following methods:
- Omnilert (a free subscription-only text, phone and email messaging service)
- Informacast (emergency notification system)
- Email to registered Wor-Wic email accounts
- Telephone
- Personal contact by public safety or other designated employees
- Posting of notices on exterior doors on campus that detail the situation
Prior to initiating the emergency notification system, a reasonable attempt is made to verify the validity and severity of the emergency. Personal or telephone contact with the reporting party or other reliable witnesses, typically by public safety or another designated employee, is the preferred method to confirm the validity of an emergency. Physical personal verification by public safety or another designated employee, with due regard for their own personal safety, is acceptable if the reporting party is unavailable or unreliable.
Taking into account the safety of the community, the college initiates the notification system, unless issuing a notification, in the professional judgment of responsible authorities, could compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to or otherwise mitigate the emergency.
Under normal circumstances, the determination to initiate the emergency notification system, as well as the content and means of the notification, is made by the president or a vice president. In extreme situations, it could be necessary to send an immediate emergency notification when the president or vice president cannot be reached in a timely fashion. If this occurs, the following individuals are authorized to compose and send the notification:
- Director of Public Safety
- Public Safety Supervisor
- Senior Director of Facilities Management
- Senior Director of Information Technology
- Dean of Occupational Education
- Dean of General Education
- Dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development
- Evening and Weekend Administrator
Unless notification would cause or further exacerbate an unsafe situation, all members of the campus community who have subscribed to Omnilert are notified. Timely warnings do not include the names of victims.
If, in the opinion of the president or a vice president, in consultation with on-scene emergency response personnel, the emergency is of such a nature as to require notification of the general public, a press release is prepared and disseminated to local print and electronic media outlets. All tactical communications or emergency notifications are the responsibility of on-scene emergency responders.
The emergency notification system is tested at least once per year. The test is coordinated by the director of public safety and could be announced or unannounced. The text in the message alerts recipients of an emergency and then directs for the appropriate response or action to be taken during the incident. The director of public safety maintains records of the date, time and description of the test, as well as whether it was announced or unannounced.
Bullying
Wor-Wic prohibits the bullying of a student, employee or visitor at the campus, any college-owned or operated facility or any college sanctioned event. The college defines bullying as an intentional, persistent, malicious and unwelcome verbal, physical or written conduct or electronic communication that creates a hostile educational or work environment by harming, intimidating, offending, degrading or humiliating another individual. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying and includes inappropriate communications such as a text message, photograph or audio/video recording, transmitted by means of an electronic device, including the use of social media sites, telephone, cell phone, computer, tablet or any other electronic communication device.
Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking
Wor-Wic prohibits acts of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and all other sex-related offenses.
Sexual violence is defined as physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent. A number of different acts fall into the category of sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual abuse and sexual coercion. Forcible sexual assault includes unwanted touching, rape, sodomy, sexual assault with an object and fondling. Non-forcible sexual offenses are acts of unlawful sexual activity against people incapable of giving consent.
Victims of one of these offenses are encouraged to report the incident to a college public safety officer. The public safety officer refers students to a college counselor and employees to the senior director of human resources, and informs the victim of a sexual assault of his or her rights to file criminal charges with the appropriate law enforcement official, to request assistance with notifying such authorities or to decline notification of such authorities. The counselor or senior director of human resources encourages the victim to contact law enforcement and medical personnel as soon as possible to receive guidance in the preservation of evidence needed for proof of criminal assaults, obtaining a protective order, and the apprehension and prosecution of assailants. At the request of the victim, the counselor or senior director of human resources assists in the notification of local law enforcement officials and makes arrangements for transport to the nearest hospital equipped with the Maryland State Police Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kit (Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Atlantic General Hospital or EdwardW. McCready Memorial Hospital).
The counselor or senior director of human resources also provides victims with referrals to appropriate counseling, mental health and other agencies in the community. Upon the written request of the victim, the counselor can arrange a modification to the victim’s class schedule and the senior director of human resources can arrange a modification to the victim’s employment situation if such an alternative is available and appropriate, and such an accommodation or protective measure remains confidential to the extent that maintaining such confidentiality does not impair the ability of the college to provide the accommodation or protective measure. The college protects the confidentiality of victims and other necessary parties by completing publicly-available documents without including personally-identifiable information.
To facilitate reporting and improve access to care, the college continues to pursue formalized agreements with organizations that provide trauma-informed services to victims of sexual assault.
Students who have been drinking and/or using drugs at the time a sexual violence incident occurs could be hesitant to report such incidents due to fear of potential consequences for their own conduct. When the college determines that a student (a) violated the substance abuse policy during or near the time of an alleged sexual assault, (b) in good faith reported a sexual assault or is participating in a sexual assault investigation as a witness, and (c) the college determines that the substance abuse violation was not reasonably likely to put the health or safety of another individual at risk, the college does not impose a campus conduct action for the substance abuse violation other than mandatory substance abuse intervention, when appropriate. The college provides any student or employee who indicates that he or she is a victim of such an offense, or who is participating in an investigation of such an offense, with an explanation of his or her rights and options, regardless of the location where the offense occurred.
Investigation and disciplinary procedures for sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking are provided under “College Investigations and Disciplinary Procedures” or in “Discrimination and Harassment .”
Substance Abuse
The college recognizes drug or alcohol abuse as an illness and a major health problem, as well as a potential safety and security problem. Health risks associated with substance abuse include death, stroke and diseases of the heart and liver, in addition to alcohol and drug related suicides, homicides and accidents. The college complies with all federal, state and local laws that regulate or prohibit the possession, use or distribution of alcohol or illicit drugs.
The possession, sale, manufacture or distribution of any controlled substance is illegal under both state and federal laws. Violation of drug laws are referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Violators are subject to college disciplinary action, criminal prosecution, fine and imprisonment.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages on the Wor-Wic campus, at any college-owned or operated facility or at any college sanctioned event is prohibited except by individuals over the age of 21 at officially-sponsored college events. Violations of Maryland law regarding the possession, consumption, sale or furnishing of alcohol to people under the legal drinking age are referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Violations of the alcoholic beverage policy by students are referred to the college student-faculty disciplinary committee. Employees who violate the policy are subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including dismissal.
Students with substance abuse problems are referred to the counselor, who provides evaluation, counseling and referrals to community agencies. All students agree to abide by the college’s substance abuse policies and procedures when they sign the college’s admission application.
Employees are required to sign a statement before they begin their employment at the college, certifying that they understand that they are required to notify their supervisor of any criminal substance abuse conviction within five calendar days after conviction. The college is required to provide written notification of an employee substance abuse conviction to the U.S. Department of Education within 10 calendar days after receiving notice of such conviction and to take appropriate disciplinary action against the employee or to require that the employee complete a substance abuse assistance or rehabilitation program at his or her own expense within 30 calendar days after being notified of the conviction. Employees with substance abuse problems are referred to the college’s employee assistance program.
College Investigations and Disciplinary Procedures
In addition to any criminal or civil proceedings, any employee or student who is accused of substance abuse, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or any other crime or incidents warranting an investigation such as altercations, bullying, disruptions, trespassing, theft, vandalism, hate bias, hazing or violating certain college policies, is subject to college disciplinary procedures. The senior director of student development or the senior director of human resources, who both serve as the Title IX coordinators and discrimination investigators for the college, initiates a prompt, fair and impartial investigation in accordance with the procedures specified in the college’s discrimination and harassment policy. In all investigations, the investigator reviews the available facts to determine if there is a preponderance of evidence that a policy violation occurred and if there is probable cause for an appropriate corrective action(s).
Wor-Wic’s “Discrimination and Harassment ” policy is available on the college website, as well as in the college catalog (for students) and the policies and procedures manual (for employees).
Employee Disciplinary Procedures
If a sexual violence complaint is made by a student against an employee, the student disciplinary procedures for sexual violence are followed. Regardless of the reporting party, if the employee is found to have violated a policy listed here, appropriate personnel action is taken, up to and including dismissal. The reporting and responding parties are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present during college disciplinary proceedings, as specified in the employee dismissal procedures, and both are simultaneously informed of the outcome, the appeal process, any change in results and when results of the proceedings are final.
Student Disciplinary Procedures – Sexual Violence
Disciplinary proceedings and resolutions are prompt and equitable and provide an opportunity for the reporting and responding parties to be heard through mediation or a formal hearing. Students who allege or respond to an allegation of sexual violence are treated with dignity, respect, and sensitivity by college employees during all phases of the investigation and disciplinary proceedings. The college makes interim safety measures, as appropriate, to protect involved parties.
Students can obtain assistance by a licensed attorney, an advocate supervised by an attorney or a trained advocate throughout the investigation and disciplinary proceedings to attend and hold private consultations during hearings (except during questioning of the student at a hearing), meetings and interviews and to exercise any rights during disciplinary proceedings. Before the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings, students can access pro bono counsel or counsel paid for by the Maryland Higher Education Commission by selecting an attorney from the Commission’s list of attorneys and legal services programs. If students select and retain an attorney who is not on the Commission’s list, the Commission pays fees to the selected attorney that are equivalent to those paid to attorneys under civil legal services programs administered by the Maryland Legal Services Corporation. The Commission does not pay the student’s attorney’s fees for representation in a criminal or civil matter.
Notice of Sexual Violence Claim
Upon notification of a sexual violence claim, the Title IX investigator issues a timely, sensitive and appropriately formatted notice to the reporting and responding parties before the start of an investigation. This notice includes the date, time and location of the alleged violation; the range of potential sanctions associated with the alleged violation; the student’s rights and responsibilities as provided in this policy, including the right to assistance of an attorney or advocate and the right to a personal supporter throughout the process; legal and referral services available to the student; and information regarding other civil and criminal options. Additional timely and sensitive written notices are provided, as needed, to inform all parties of the date, time and location of each hearing, meeting or interview that the students are required or permitted to attend. Students can have no more than two people, including a personal supporter of the student’s choice, an attorney or an advocate, at any hearing, meeting or interview.
Mediation
The college uses mediation or other informal mechanisms for resolving a sexual violence complaint only if the claim is not sexual assault or sexual coercion, the reporting student requests an informal mechanism, all parties to the complaint, including the college, agree to the use of the informal mechanism, and the college provides a trained professional/employee to guide the process. Any party to the complaint can end the informal mechanism at any time in favor of a formal hearing.
Formal Hearing
If not resolved through an informal mechanism, claims of sexual violence policy violations are adjudicated by a hearing officer through a formal hearing. The adjudicating official is prohibited from considering certain evidence, including 1) a student’s prior sexual history with an individual other than a party to the proceedings unless used to prove the source of injury, prior sexual misconduct or ulterior motive, or impeach a student’s credibility after that student has put his or her own prior sexual conduct at issue and 2) a student’s history of mental health counseling, treatment or diagnosis unless the student consents.
Both the reporting party and the respondent(s) can offer testimony at a hearing; submit evidence, witness lists and specific questions to be posed during the hearing; provide and review testimony electronically or in a way in which the students are not required to be in the physical presence of the other; review and provide written responses to reports and proposed findings; and access the case file and evidence regarding the incident that was obtained by the Title IX investigator, after personally identifiable or other information is redacted as required by applicable law.
If a student is found to have violated the sexual violence policy, disciplinary action is taken in accordance with procedures that govern student conduct, up to and including permanent suspension. The reporting and responding parties are simultaneously informed in writing of the final determination regarding whether a sexual violence policy violation occurred and the basis for the determination, any sanction(s) imposed, and a description of the appeal process.
Student Disciplinary Procedures – Other Crimes and Disruptions
If the student is found to have violated a policy listed here other than sexual violence, disciplinary action is taken in accordance with procedures that govern student conduct, up to and including permanent suspension. The reporting party and responding party are entitled to the same opportunities to have others present during college disciplinary proceedings, as specified in the student conduct procedures, and both are simultaneously informed of the outcome, the appeal process, any change in results and when results of the proceedings are final.
Prevention and Awareness
Efforts to provide a safe and secure environment focus on the prevention and awareness of substance abuse, hate crimes, sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or other crimes, as well as hate bias, bullying and hazing. Prevention and awareness programs are offered to reduce the risk of such crimes and incidents, and to promote safety and bystander action.
Initial prevention and awareness programs include the dissemination of the college’s discrimination and harassment policy, as well as a copy of the annual security report, to all new employees on their first day of work. New employees must complete a Title IX training module for higher education within their first two weeks of employment. Credit students who take the mandatory Fundamentals of College Study course are presented with Title IX information and safety policies, and tested on the information. A public safety officer presents safety information at employee and student orientation sessions. Information related to harassment and discrimination, and safety and security, is published on the college website, as well as the college catalog and the policies and procedures manual.
Wor-Wic public safety officers are present on campus during all hours when the college is open and during special events when the college would otherwise be closed. Signs are posted at the campus entrances indicating that unauthorized entry after operating hours is prohibited and that surveillance cameras are in use. Operational procedures for public safety officers specify that officers regularly patrol all campus buildings, grounds and parking lots. Public safety officers also escort individuals to their vehicles in campus parking lots upon request. The director of public safety coordinates the safety prevention program for the college by performing nightly inspections of the lighting, landscaping, doors, locks and alarm systems at the college campus to initiate any safety or security improvements. The director of public safety also serves as the college liaison to law enforcement officials and as co-chairperson of the college safety committee.
The counselor coordinates the ongoing awareness program by disseminating pamphlets and brochures, displaying posters in college facilities, submitting articles for student and employee publications, coordinating guest speakers or providing information to students and employees at orientation sessions, workshops or meetings. The counselor shares information about substance abuse and makes referrals to local agencies. The counselor also maintains a list of campus and community resources available for victims of a sex offense. Educational programs to promote the awareness of rape, acquaintance rape, forcible and non-forcible sex offenses, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, and how to prevent becoming the victim of such crimes are also available from the local health department or local law enforcement agencies. These agencies can also provide counseling or other mental health services for victims of sexual offenses.
Annual training is provided to the college’s Title IX coordinators and discrimination investigators, as well as other employees who are designated as college Title IX investigators. These employees are required to attend an annual professional development session related to discrimination and harassment, including Title IX harassment.
College prevention and awareness programs, including employee professional development opportunities, are reviewed annually to determine their effectiveness and to ensure that sanctions are consistently enforced.
Information Concerning Registered Sex Offenders
Information about registered sex offenders can be obtained by searching the Maryland Sex Offender Registry at www.dpscs.state.md.us/sorSearch.
Missing Students
Wor-Wic does not provide on-campus student housing facilities and, as such, is not required to maintain missing student notification procedures. Missing person reports should be made to local law enforcement agencies.
|
