3.11.2 Institutional environment
The institution takes reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all members of the campus community.
Judgment of Off-Site Review Committee
Non-Compliance
Comments of Off-Site Review Committee
The college appears to build its case for compliance primarily on a Property Risk Control Report dated May 2004. The report outlines several deficiencies that do not appear to be addressed in a subsequent document or in newly adopted policies and procedures. Further, the Off-Site Committee was unable to find information addressing crime statistics for the campus, fire drills, disaster recovery plan or other indicators suggesting that the institution has taken reasonable steps to meet the expectations of this standard.
Bennett Focused Response
Bennett College takes reasonable steps to provide a healthy, safe and secure environment for all members of the campus community. The College’s Public Safety Department serves to protect the Bennett College community and strives to attain its primary purpose of a) safeguarding lives and property, b) maintaining order and keeping the peace, c) preventing and detecting criminal activity, and d) helping those in need of assistance.
Campus Safety
The College controls its physical resources through its own local campus security that tends to the oversight of the university’s buildings and the restrictions as to who gets access the campus. There is constant patrolling of the campus and security checkpoints throughout campus to police campus entryways. The security of the physical assets of the college is carried out by both security personnel and administration staff in concert with each other. Please see Crime Statistics(Campus Crime Report 2005-2006, Campus Crime Report 2006-2007) for the College.
To carry out its protective role, Public Safety is responsible for the following:
- Securing all campus buildings and property and for presenting to the administration of the College a plan for effectively implementing their services;
- Responding to emergency situations in an expeditious manner. Knowledge of such situations may be witnessed by campus Public Safety during patrol or in field contacts. They may also be reported by the Resident Directors if an emergency occurs in residence halls or by faculty, staff, or students if an emergency occurs on the campus grounds or in classroom buildings.
- Escorting students safely to residence halls after doors have been locked and maintaining records of the names of those students. These records are available to appropriate college officials upon request.
- Addressing students who have been disrespectful by use of profane and abusive language, disruptive behavior, or failure to respond to admonition when caught in an act of violation of the Bennett Honor Code of the Code of Conduct.
- Maintaining accurate records of visitors to the campus by implementing a sign-in/sign-out procedure with name and location of person(s) to be visited. These records should be available to appropriate college officials upon request.
- Maintaining a professional relationship with students.
- Responding to medical emergencies as communicated by the College Physician, Director of Health Services, or other college officials.
The Department of Public Safety also provides the following programs:
- Engraving of personal property
- Maintaining a list of property items, including brand name and serial numbers
- Liaison with local pawn shops dealers for recovery of stolen property
Health and Safety Reviews
Facilities and grounds are regularly reviewed for health and safety concerns. Marsh Risk Consulting surveyed the College to review the institution’s property risk control program. The most recent Property Risk Control Report covered the property protection systems and programs in place at the College and a physical tour of all buildings. Also, regular fire drills are conducted to ensure that students and staff are ready for an appropriate response in the event of a fire. See Fire Drill Reports( 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007).
Supporting Documents
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