Campus Security Issues

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Pursuant to the requirements of the College and University Security Information Act and the Campus Security Act, the following information is available and will be provided to you upon request: (1) Annual crime statistics and rates for crimes occurring on this campus, and (2) copies of Tennessee Board of Regents and/or institutional security related policies and procedures. Contact the Office of Police and Safety to obtain information. This information is available on the web at www.northeaststate.edu/securityreport.

1. All student travel will be processed through the appropriate division office. Travel arrangements made by anyone other than the division secretary or designated college personnel will not be accepted. Students traveling must be accompanied by the faculty sponsor or designated college personnel.

2. Student travel must be submitted to the division office by the faculty sponsor at least THREE WEEKS in advance of the anticipated trip. The secretary will complete the Northeast State Authorization for Official Travel and other necessary forms such as Request for Field Trip, Student Travel Absence, and Release for Participation in Campus Activity (Hold Harmless). The student’s student identification number should be on all forms. Once the travel authorization and other necessary forms are prepared, the sponsor will be notified. The sponsor is responsible for notifying students and securing signatures. Completed forms must be returned to the division office for approval. Once the division office has approved the travel forms, the secretary will route them to the division office for approval. Once the division office has approved the travel forms, the secretary will route them to the supervising vice president’s office. In addition, if student activity fee funds are used, the approval of the vice president for Student Affairs is required. Authorization for travel by a student, regardless of the destination shall be approved by the president or his or her designee. A travel claim must be filled out after the students return from the trip. All receipts must be submitted with the travel claims.

a.     Request for Field Trip form: Used if there is NO MONEY requested for the trip. Faculty members desiring to take students on field trips must plan well in advance and coordinate the planning with the dean/division chair. All field trips must be approved at least one week in advance of the planned trip. Dean and Supervising Vice President will approve all field trip request forms. The president will only approve if the field trip is out-of-state. Faculty members should follow travel procedures that apply to employees and submit a travel authorization through the Dean to the Supervising Vice President. The Request for Field Trip form that lists the students who will accompany the faculty member and times that the students will be away from campus must be included with the faculty member’s travel authorization when submitted for approval. In order to have participating students excused from their classes, a Student Travel Absence form should be sent to the vice president for Academic Affairs listing the students’ names, dates, and times of absence and the course and section numbers of the class taking the trip. This form should also include the names of the instructors of the classes that the students will be missing in order for notification to be sent to the instructors. Students on authorized trips will be permitted to make up work missed while they were away from campus. Field trips should not be scheduled for the first or last week of the semester. Field trips for more than two instructional days generally will not be approved.

b.     The faculty sponsor may request that each student be provided with a 100% travel advance. The travel authorization must indicate the travel advance. The division secretary or designated college personnel will determine if the advance meets the Tennessee Board of Regents travel policy.

c.     Students are responsible for picking up their travel advance at the business office window. When the student picks up the check, he/she must sign the Authorization for Student Travel Advance form. This form will be filled out at the time the check is processed. 

3. The division secretary or other designated college personnel will make all reservations for transportation vehicles (van rentals, airline tickets, etc.). Only full-time faculty/staff are allowed to drive leased vehicles. Under no circumstances should a student be allowed to drive a leased vehicle.

a.     DO NOT request or accept extra insurance on rental vehicles. The driver will be covered under the Division of Risk Management only if enroute according to the travel authorization.

b.     Gas tanks are required to be filled before returning rental vehicles to the rental company. Four ways faculty sponsors may obtain payment for gas for rental vehicles are listed below:

Option 1. The sponsor will need to complete a purchase requisition requesting pre-payment for the estimated gas expense. The purchase requisition should indicate the sponsor’s name as “vendor” and should be turned in at least one week in advance to the purchasing office. Any unused funds and all receipts totaling the amount of prepayment must be brought to the business office as soon as the trip is complete. This procedure may only be used for pre-payment from institutional funds.

Option 2. If the sponsor plans on paying for gas out of a student organization’s club account, a Request for Funds or Payment from Student Organization Club Accounts form should be completed. This form will need to be submitted to accounts payable on or before 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Checks will be printed and available for the sponsor to pick-up on Wednesday or Friday.

Option 3. The sponsor may pay for gas out of pocket and be reimbursed by completing a Request for Funds or Payment from Student Organization Club Accounts form and attaching all receipts for gas.

4. There are four ways faculty sponsors may obtain and disburse payment for lodging:

Option 1. Charges for lodging may be placed on a sponsor’s personal credit card. Information on how to apply for corporate sponsored credit card may be obtained through the office of the vice president for Business Affairs.

Option 2. The faculty sponsor may request a 100% advance for the lodging expenses of all persons going on the trip. Sponsor will need to obtain all necessary information from the lodging source including the exact room rate, tax rate, and any extra charges that may not ordinarily be quoted. Travel advances should be indicated on the travel authorization and travel claim of the faculty sponsor. Receipts must be obtained from the hotel/motel at the time of check out and attached to the faculty’s travel claim when submitting for reimbursement. The total amount of pre-payment should be shown on the travel claim form.

Option 3. Students may receive a 100% travel advance for lodging. Sponsor will need to obtain all necessary information from the lodging source including the exact room rate, tax rate, and any extra charges that may not ordinarily be quoted. Travel advances should be noted on the travel authorization and travel claim. All receipts must be attached to the travel claim.

Option 4. Payment to be made directly to the hotel/motel can be requested on the travel authorization. Attach documentation to the travel authorization from the hotel/motel indicating room rate, tax rate, and any extra charges that may not ordinarily be quoted. The faculty sponsor’s travel claim should indicate that the lodging expense was paid directly to the hotel/motel.

Expense for lodging with multiple persons in a room may be indicated on the travel authorization and travel claim of the person designated responsible for the room receipt. Each individual responsible for a room must submit an itemized receipt for lodging with the travel claim. The sponsor should submit a list of room assignments indicating who will be staying in each room and who is responsible for the room receipt.

5. If prepaid expenses or lodging/activity reservations are involved and a student decides not to go on an approved trip, the faculty sponsor should contact accounts payable and the Office of Student Life (if applicable) by e-mail or memo. Sponsor must ensure that any travel advancement is returned to the business office. Sponsor should initiate refund for registration fees according to the conference policy. Accounts payable personnel will assist the sponsor when necessary.

6. After completion of the travel, all relevant receipts (airline, lodging, etc.) should be collected by the faculty sponsor and turned in to the division office with the travel claim no later than ONE WEEK after the trip. When using the student activity fee account for travel, all claims should be processed through the Office of Student Life.

Sexual Harassment - Sexual harassment and racial harassment have been held to constitute forms of discrimination prohibited by Title VI, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended and Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. Other types of harassment are prohibited by applicable law.

Generally, sexual harassment may be defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when one of the following criteria is met:

1. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of the individual’s employment or of the individual’s status in a program, course or activity;
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions, a criterion for evaluation, or a basis for academic or other decisions affecting such individual;
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or educational environment.

Whether the alleged conduct constitutes sexual harassment depends upon the record as a whole and the totality of the circumstances, such as the nature of sexual advances in the context within which the alleged incident occurred.

Racial Harassment - student’s status or performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment. Harassment on the basis of race, color, or national origin includes offensive or demeaning treatment of an individual, where such treatment is based typically on prejudiced stereotypes of a group to which that individual may belong.

It includes, but is not limited to, objectionable epithets, threatened or actual physical harm or abuse, or other intimidating or insulting conduct directed against the individual because of his/her race, color, or national origin. Title VII requires employers to take prompt action to prevent bigots from expressing their opinions in a way which abuses or offends their coworkers.

Any student, applicant for employment or employee who believes he or she has been subjected to harassment at the college shall present the charge to the designated EEO/AA or Title IX officer responsible for compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Director of Human Resources serves as the EEO/AA officer at Northeast State. All charges should be taken to his/her office in the Pierce Administration Building, Room P308.

Where the charge of harassment is against the EEO/AA, the President will identify an individual who has been trained in investigating such claims to investigate the claim and carry out the responsibilities assigned to the EEO/AA pursuant to the guideline.

Where the charge of harassment is by one student against another student, the Vice President for Student Affairs will investigate and resolve the complaint in accordance with student disciplinary procedures as described in this handbook.  

In Tennessee, hazing means any intentional or reckless act on or off the property of any higher education institution by one (1) student acting alone or with another, which is directed against any other student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of that student, or which induces or coerces a student to endanger such student’s mental or physical health or safety. Hazing does not include customary athletic events or similar contests or competition, and is limited to those actions taken and situations created in connection with initiation into or affiliations with any organization.

Northeast State recommends that students use their own discretion in attending classes when snow and icy conditions exist. Information on the cancellation of classes or alternate schedules due to inclement weather is available from the local media and www.NortheastState.edu. 

Northeast State officials have the authority to conduct warrantless searches of persons and property in order to ensure compliance with school rules prohibiting contraband substances or items. Written authorization to implement a search of a student or his/her property will be made by either the Vice President for Student Affairs or the President, in that order, and should, if possible, be based upon a signed statement setting forth in detail the facts and underlying circumstances justifying the search.

In exceptional circumstances a search may be made and Northeast State personnel may proceed with the search without a written authorization. Such circumstances are limited to those where the fruits of violation of the college’s regulation on contraband can be said to be in imminent danger of disappearance, destruction, or removal.

When the student voluntarily consents to a search, no written authorization for the search is required. A voluntary consent in writing will be requested from the student. In all cases where a search is to be made of a student’s property, the student should be present for the search whenever possible.

In the event that police or other law enforcement officials not employed by Northeast State request permission to search a student or his property, the college will notify the student of the request. All questions concerning this subject should be directed to the Vice President for Student Affairs or the President of Northeast State.

Sex Offender Information

In accordance with the federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act and the Tennessee College and University Campus Sex Crime Prevention Act of 2002, members of the campus community may obtain the most recent information received from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) concerning sex offenders employed, enrolled or volunteering at this institution. Names of sex offenders, if any, who are registered by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and employed, enrolled or volunteering at this institution, may be obtained at the following web site www.NortheastState.edu, click on “Students” and “Campus Police and Safety.” Additional information may also be obtained by visiting the TBI’s web site at www.tbi.state.tn.us under “Sexual Offender Directory.” For more information on sexual offenders please contact the office of Police and Safety located in Room C2401 or call 423.323.0255.

Northeast State Community College strives to maintain an environment that is free of intimidation and encourages education of students to their fullest extent. Therefore, the college will not tolerate acts or threats of acts of sexual assault, physical assault, or any type of violence.

A student who individually, or in concert with others, participates or attempts to participate in a sexual offense including, but not limited to sexual assaults or abuse, threats against, or the unwarranted touching of an intimate area, or any student, is subject to disciplinary action by the College notwithstanding any actions that may or may not be taken by civil authorities.

Anyone who is a victim of sexual assault should contact the Northeast State Office of Police and Safety. Reporting such an assault does not mean the victim must press charges or take the incident to criminal court. The reporting does establish a record of the incident for later use by the college and civil authorities. If requested, Northeast State police officers will assist the student in contacting local police. In a case of sexual assault, the victim must make every effort to preserve evidence at the scene of the crime and compose an accurate description of the events leading up to, and during, the attack.

Assaults against a student by staff or faculty should be reported through the office of Police and Safety to the Vice President for Business Affairs. Assaults against a student by a student should be reported through the office of Police and Safety to the Vice President for Student Affairs. In either case, the assault should be reported immediately to the office of Police and Safety.

• The college disciplinary procedures include the right for the accused and the complainant to be present at any hearing.
• The right to have a support person present during the hearing. This person is not entitled to represent the complainant or to assist in the testimony.
• The right not to have evidence of his/her past sexual history with third parties admitted as evidence.
• The right to have a hearing closed to spectators unless both the accused and the complainant consent in writing to have the hearing open to the public.
• The right to know the outcome of the hearing as defined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
• The discipline for acts of sexual assault may include suspension or dismissal from college.
• If requested by victims of alleged sexual offenses, the college will adjust class schedules or other reasonable actions that will reduce fear or concern.

Students involved in sexual abuse or violent situations are encouraged to seek assistance for referral in the Student Success Center, office of Police and Safety, or Health Services personnel.

Students who are victims of sexual assault may need off-campus counseling and assistance. The following organization is located in the Northeast Tennessee area:

• Crisis Center
  Hotline - 423.246.2273 (CARE)
  E-mail - contactconcern@chartertn.net

Northeast State provides college-wide programs that focus on sexual abuse and assault situations. These programs focus on prevention strategies and available options in the event or assaults or difficult situations.

In the event of illness or injury to an employee, student, or visitor, the Office of Police and Safety should be contacted immediately. Police officers will manage all emergency situations involving illness or injury. Depending upon the nature and seriousness of the illness/injury, the Office of Police and Safety will contact an external agency which provides emergency medical care. If an external agency responds to a request from the campus and provides emergency medical care, the individual receiving the care is financially responsible for the cost of the medical service.