2023-2024 Surry Community College Catalog 
  
    May 20, 2024  
2023-2024 Surry Community College Catalog

Student Threat Assessment Policy



I. Purpose of Student Conduct Review

The College has an obligation to provide a safe place for its students to learn and a safe place for its employees to work. When any College employees or students have a concern about a student’s potential to have a negative consequence on the safety of College employees, other students or themselves, they are encouraged to report the matter to the Vice President of Student Services. If warranted, the SCC Crisis, Assessment, Response, and Evaluation (CARE) Team, a cross-functional multidisciplinary group focused on prevention and early-intervention for students exhibiting concerning behaviors, may be used to address the situation.

II. Procedures for Conduct Review

A. Step One

College employees or students who are concerned about a student displaying elevated levels of distress, disturbance, or dysregulation (e.g. suicidal thoughts or impulses, violent and aggressive impulses, depression, disruptive behavior, physical or sexual abuse) or displaying behavior that poses a direct threat to the health, welfare and safety of the College community are encouraged to contact the Vice President of Student Services and complete a Report an Incident Form to the CARE Team.

B. Step Two

The Vice President of Student Services will conduct a review based on the report. When conducting the review, the Vice President of Student Services shall consider, among other things: (a) the severity of the reported behavior; (b) whether the reported behavior represents a direct threat to the health, welfare, and safety of the College’s community; (c) the student’s academic, attendance and discipline records; (d) whether this type of behavior has been reported in the past; and (e) whether or not the reported behavior, if true, violates the Student Code of Conduct.

When conducting the review, the Vice President of Student Services may: (a) speak with the student; (b) gather additional evidence or information by interviewing members of the College community; (c) compile additional documentation; and (d) review other evidentiary sources.

Based on the result of the conduct review, the Vice President of Student Services may do the following: (a) treat the matter as a disciplinary action pursuant to Student Code of Conduct Procedure if a violation is believed to have occurred; (b) make a written referral of his/her findings to the CARE Team for review; or (c) no further action is warranted.

III. CARE Team Review and Determination

A. Membership

Members of the CARE Team are:

  1. Vice President of Student Services (Chair)
  2. Chief of Campus Police 
  3. Counselor
  4. Director of Accessibility Services 
  5. Director of Student Success & Academic Advising
  6. WTCE Representative
  7. Recorder
  8. Other appointees as needed

B. CARE Team Review

If referred by the Vice President of Student Services, the CARE Team will review the concern to determine if the speech or behavior in question is creating, or may lead to, an unsafe environment and impede the success of the student in question. The CARE Team’s report will be based on the nature of the behavior, the severity of the safety risk and the students’ needs. 

As a part of this evaluation, the CARE Team will review the Vice President of Student Service’s findings and may meet with the individual(s) bringing forth the concern, witnesses, and the student in question. Further, the CARE Team may request or require that the student be evaluated by outside professional(s) to determine their suitability to be a student at the College.

C. CARE Team Determination

Upon completion of the review, the CARE Team may recommend the following in their findings: 

  1. No action required. 
  2. Propose a resolution to address miscommunication. 
  3. Propose an action plan to address concerning behaviors and support student success. 
  4. Refer student for an external psychological assessment at the College’s expense and without further recommendation for an assessment.
  5. Refer the matter to Student Code of Conduct Policy to initiate appropriate disciplinary action if a violation is believed to have occurred.

The CARE Team is not authorized to suspend or involuntarily withdraw a student.

All documentation associated with each concern addressed will be maintained in the student’s permanent record.

D. Incident Follow-up

If warranted, the CARE Team, at its discretion, may require periodic follow-ups with the student. The desire and frequency of such follow-ups shall be included in the CARE Team’s written determination. Failure by the student to participate in required follow-ups may be treated as a disciplinary infraction.

Approved by the Board of Trustees, November 13, 2023