Policies

Being Safe At Central

What you should know about crime on campus

The safety and welfare of all members of the campus community is a primary goal at Central College. Although the campus and Pella are considered safe places to live and work, they are not exempt from dangers that exist in other areas of the country. Therefore, normal precautions for safety and well-being are encouraged, promoted and, hopefully, exercised.

Crime is a campus-wide concern and everyone on campus plays an important role in preventing and reporting crime. All members of the Central community must cooperate with each other and law enforcement agencies to maintain a safe campus.

As required by the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act, previously the Student Right to Know and Student Safety Act of 1990), the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 and the Department of Education’s final regulations (§ 668.46 Institutional security policies and crime statistics., 34 C.F.R. § 668.46) this text is designed to inform current and future members of the Central College campus community about:

• Crime statistics on properties controlled, maintained or adjacent to Central College
• Methods for reporting crime
• Resources, support and assistance available to crime survivors within the institution and in the community
• Prevention and awareness training, educational programs and safety protocols
• Policies relating to crime and campus emergencies

Compliance with these provisions does not constitute a violation of section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 123g), commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).

Information and an increase in personal awareness are the most powerful weapons you have to protect yourself. We hope that this information will increase your safety awareness, ultimately contributing to fewer crimes on campus.

Incident Reporting

If you are the victim of any crime, we encourage you to report the incident to the proper law enforcement agency as well as to student development staff who are prepared to respond. Consistent reporting by all members of our community can often assist police and college officials to discover patterns of crime. Reporting crime is also an important way of deterring offenders from continued activity that hurts others.

The vice-president for student development and dean of students, Title IX coordinator, deputy Title IX coordinators or assistant deans of students can help you report a crime to the police. Their contact information is provided here. Confidential help is available and discussed in the next section for those who prefer not to report an alleged crime, though all individuals knowledgeable of such occurrences are encouraged to do so.

College administrators also provide the college community with timely warnings of reported crimes that are considered to be an immediate threat to students and employees. Crime alert notices will be posted on the website and sent via email and cell phone text message to all students and those employees who have chosen to use this service. These notices may also be posted in appropriate areas. These notices generally do not include the names of individuals involved, but do describe the crime and circumstances surrounding the crime, to assist the campus community in protecting itself and in apprehending those accused of committing the crimes.

Confidential Reporting

Confidential help is available to those who prefer not to report an alleged crime. Contact information for campus counselors, the college chaplain and mental health providers in the community are provided here. The Central College counselors and chaplain are knowledgeable about referral resources that are necessary when a student’s needs exceed staff qualifications or when students would prefer to work with off-campus professionals.

Faculty, other employees and paraprofessional staff such as student orientation leaders and student resident advisors, are not confidential report takers but are trained regarding referral information and the process of making referrals. Confidentiality is not guaranteed by these professionals and paraprofessionals as they are required to inform non-confidential administrative professional staff when they become aware of criminal activity or victimization on campus.

Training, Prevention and Awareness Programs/Campaigns and Safety Protocols

Central College is committed to providing a safe environment for students and employees. This is an ongoing process that includes training, prevention and awareness programs/campaigns to reduce the risk of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

Training

• “Get Inclusive” has been contracted to provide primary prevention and awareness online training for employees and students that complies with federal requirements under Title IX, VAWA and the Campus SaVE Act.

Current Central employees complete annual training.

Incoming and returning students complete training each summer or fall.

Training for all new employees is an on-going process at the time of hire.

• The Title IX team, including administrative staff and faculty who serve as deputy Title IX coordinators and members of the grievance process pool completed annual training.  As required by law (34CFR, Part 106), materials and summaries of the training content are posted on Central College’s website at central.edu/about/title-ix.
• Emails are sent to employees in the fall with website links to employee policies on discrimination and harassment (including sexual harassment) and how to report concerns as well as the drug-free schools law and Central College policies on drug and alcohol use.
• The student development areas of residence life (RAs) and student leadership/involvement (orientation leaders and campus activities board) are provided training on the Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination policy, referral responsibility, bystander intervention (using Mentors in Violence Prevention curriculum), alcohol awareness and resource availability during training prior to the commencement of fall and spring classes.

Prevention and Awareness Programs/Campaigns

• Required attendance for all new students (first-years and transfers) at the “Can I Kiss You” program with Mike Domitrz from the Center for Respect has become an annual program. The Title IX coordinator and equity officer is introduced, the student body president speaks and the president of the college offers remarks after the program. Topics covered include sexual harassment and assault, active consent, bystander intervention, recognizing domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Crisis Intervention Service (CIS) and college counselors are present prior to and after the event to distribute educational literature and to address student concerns.
• Welcome Week discussions in residence communities reviewing community standards and students’ role in creating a safe and welcoming environment.
• Annual August residence life staff meetings within residence communities reviewing escort service, policies, procedures for reporting crimes and the need to protect self.
• The periodic posting in living units, in the daily email bulletin of announcements and through email correspondence of safety reminders and processes for confidential and non-confidential reporting of sexual and relationship misconduct.
• Distribution of a Title IX Resource Card for all students and employees at the beginning of each academic year that is designed for use either by someone reporting an incident and/or by someone receiving such a report. Posters with this information are placed in residence halls, academic buildings and public spaces.
• Multiple alcohol education programs throughout the year for students are conducted by residence life staff, including social norming posters.
• Topical annual training on emergency response conducted and practiced by the Central emergency management and response teams.

Safety Protocols

• Practice student fire response through residence hall fire drills each semester.
• Annual assessment and response to needs in emergency phone placement and lighting.
• Student Safety, Residence Life and dean of student staff members confront and document student behavior that violates campus policies. The Central College student policy website contains a complete description of the student conduct system and its procedures as well as details on college policies and procedures. Students are responsible for reviewing, understanding and abiding by the material in the policy website.
• On-call residence life area coordinator, student safety and Central student development staff member each carries a cell phone for responding to emergencies.
• Personnel are available on the campus 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to assist in keeping the campus safe. Student Safety personnel do not have the power to detain or arrest, but have cell phone access to the local police department. They can monitor activity on a police radio that they carry.  They also report violations of campus regulations to the campus student conduct officer and/or residence life staff member.
• Student safety personnel provide escort services on campus upon request during their scheduled hours (call 641-628-9000).
• A Safety at Central link is located in the footer of every page of the Central College website and includes information such as the Title IX coordinator, emergency planning, resources on- and off-campus, the Equal Opportunity, Harassment and Nondiscrimination policy and Clery Annual Security Report.

While the college works to prevent crime on campus, students also share the responsibility for protecting themselves and for ensuring that their environment is safe. Students are reminded to lock doors, walk and study in well-lit and well-traveled areas, store money and other valuables in safe places and avoid the use of intoxicants that may impair judgment.