This information is being provided as part of Thomas College’s
commitment to security and safety on campus and is the compliance
document for the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1999,
which has been amended and is now called the Jeanne Cleary
Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act
of 1999.
Thomas College is a private institution of higher education,
offering undergraduate and graduate programs in the business arts.
The campus population consists of 475 full-time day students and
another 600 graduate and continuing
education students in the evening division. The College is located
on 70 acres of rural landscape in Waterville, Maine.
Reporting of Criminal Actions or Emergencies
The Public Safety Department is the
unit responsible for campus security and safety. Public Safety can
be reached twenty-four hours a day by dialing extension 399 from any
campus phone, or by dialing 859-1399 from a private phone. Thomas
College public safety personnel are employees of the College. Full-
and part-time officers are certified in CPR and First Aid. Security
officers make routine vehicle and foot patrols of the campus
grounds, residence halls, and the administration/academic building.
The Town of Waterville police and fire departments are the primary
providers of law enforcement, ambulance service, and fire protection
for Thomas College. In case of emergency, campus community members
may dial 911 for the above services or dial Public Safety at
extension 399. Public Safety will call local police, fire, and
ambulance services. The Department of Public Safety does not have
law enforcement powers and will investigate only minor crimes such
as petty theft or vandalism. More serious crimes are turned over to
the Waterville Police Department for full investigation.
Any victim of rape or sexual assault
should do the following:
It is extremely important to tell
someone if you have been sexually assaulted. The physical and
psychological ramifications of sexual assault are serious for any
person having been assaulted is at risk for possible contact with
sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection. Women are
at risk for possible unwanted pregnancies as well.
In addition, physical injuries may be
sustained during the assault--injuries that may go unnoticed by the
victim immediately after the assault due to trauma.
Therefore, medical attention is
essential, even if the victim does not choose to report the assault
to local authorities or the College.
If the victim chooses to report an assault, prompt medical attention
is necessary to obtain the forensic evidence necessary to assist in
the apprehension of the assailant. Washing or changing clothing
before getting help often destroys critical evidence.
The psychological and emotional aftereffects of sexual assault–or
attempted assault–can result in severe emotional and psychological
symptoms, including anger, fear, shame, nightmares, nausea, loss of
appetite, depression, phobias, crying jags, etc. It is important
for the victim to realize that these are normal reactions, and they
will eventually subside. Sexual assault is an act of violence
against the body as well as the mind. Victims often need help in
dealing with their feelings and reactions to this trauma.
In the event of sexual assault, members of the campus community,
male or female, are urgently advised to contact New Growth Sexual
Violence and Support Center, Inc. in Waterville at 1-800-525-4441.
Trained advocates are available 24 hours a day to answer your
questions, provide support, and, if you wish, accompany you to the
hospital immediately after an assault--whether or not you choose to
involve the police. (The Dean for Student Affairs Director of
Student Life, and Director of Residential Life and Housing can
answer questions and offer support).
For more details, please refer to the Thomas College Student
Handbook or the Employee Handbook.
Access to Campus Facilities
All buildings and facilities are accessible to the College
community. Student guests and visitors must pre-register with
Public Safety, at which time they will be issued a guest pass.
Exterior doors on campus buildings are locked and secured after
normal operating hours. Public safety personnel routinely check all
buildings on campus, but place a special emphasis on student
residence facilities.
Campus Security
& Law Enforcement Authority
Campus security
officers are responsible for the security and safety of the campus
community, which includes students, staff, and property. Thomas
College security officers are not armed and do not have law
enforcement power. However, they do maintain a close working
relationship with the Waterville Police Department. When additional
assistance is required or an arrest is to be made, the Waterville
Police Department is called.
Security &
Maintenance of Campus Facilities
Thomas College
regularly inspects its buildings, grounds, and facilities to ensure
safety. Security and maintenance personnel closely monitor
maintenance and security deficiencies such as campus lighting, door
locking systems, etc.
As of 1998, Thomas
College residence hall fire alarm systems tie directly into the
Waterville Fire Department headquarters, cutting response time to a
minimum. Residence facilities have smoke detectors and audible and
strobe alarm systems. Students are required to participate in fire
drills that are conducted several times per year.
Security
Awareness and Crime Prevention Programs
Crime prevention
and sexual assault brochures are made available through the Student
Affairs office and the Health Center. In addition to printed
materials, workshops and programs are offered during the New Student
Orientation to cover a variety of topics such as date rape, sexual
assault, drug and alcohol awareness, and other pertinent topics.
Workshops of this type are also presented during the academic year.
Residence hall staff is responsible for providing residents with
programs addressing issues such as fire safety, alcohol awareness,
and other health and security issues.
Reporting a Crime
Thomas College is
committed to keeping the College community well-informed about
campus crimes and crime-related problems. The following outlines
these efforts:
1. Daily Crime
Log - the Public Safety Department maintains a daily log of
reported crimes. This report is available upon request. It
includes the date, time, location, and nature of the crime, along
with the status of the complaint.
2. Crime Alerts
and Emergency Notifications - the College community is informed
via crime alerts identifying dangerous or potentially dangerous
situations. These alerts appear in the following forms: campus
e-mail, posted alerts on bulletin boards, campus “events” channel,
and through residence life and security safety briefings.
3. Certified Crime Reporting
- the Public Safety Department at Thomas College, as required by
law, makes its crime statistics available to the U. S. Department of
Education.
Policies Related
to Campus Crime
Sexual
Assault/Harassment
Sexual assault,
including rape by an acquaintance or stranger, is prohibited by
Thomas College policy and Maine State law. Thomas College does not
tolerate sexual assault in any form. Violators of this policy will
be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal
from the College. Maine laws have now replaced the term “crime of
rape” with “crime of gross sexual assault.”
Sexual harassment
of either students or employees is a violation of Federal and State
laws. It is the policy of Thomas College that no member of the
College community may sexually harass another. Thomas College will
regard freedom from sexual harassment as an individual student or
employee right; one that will be safeguarded as a matter of policy.
Any student or employee will be subject to disciplinary action for
violation of this policy.
The following is a
partial list of examples of sexual harassment:
--
Deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or
pinching
--
Comments about someone else’s body
--
Sexual remarks or suggestions
--
Conversations or letters of a sexual nature
--
Pornographic pictures or stories
--
Obscene gestures
--
Offensive display of sex-related objects
--
Sexual jokes
--
Looks, leers, noises, or gestures
--
Pressure for dates or sexual favors
--
Actual attempted rape or sexual assault
Any reports of
incidents involving sexual assault or harassment will immediately be
referred by the Director of Student Life or Director of Residential
Life and Housing to the Judicial Review Board. If a violation is
found to have occurred, penalties may include a $100 fine,
disciplinary probation, 20 hours of community service, or dismissal
from the College.
Depending upon the
seriousness of the potential violation(s); local, state, and federal
authorities may also be asked to assist with any investigation of
the facts.
Such disciplinary
action may include verbal or written warning, required counseling,
suspension from school or employment, or termination of student or
employee status. In addition, violators may be referred to law
enforcement authorities for prosecution.
Sexual Assault Information
While recognizing
the different needs of victims, there are a number of ways to report
the perpetrator’s behavior. A student may pursue any or all of
these options. If the victim desires criminal prosecution through
the courts, the matter should be reported to the proper law
enforcement authorities.
If the accused is a
Thomas College student and the victim does not want to take action
through the courts but wishes the College to take formal action
against the offender, the matter should be reported to the Dean for
Student Affairs or the Director of Student Life.
The accuser and
accused are entitled to the same opportunities to have others
present during a disciplinary hearing. The accuser is also entitled
to be informed of the Judicial Board decisions and any sanctions
imposed concurrent with notice to the accused. Restrictions of
confidentiality shall apply equally to victim and accused.
A victim of rape or
sexual assault may request a change in living areas or academic
situations. If reasonably available, the student will be reassigned
to another room or class as required.
Alcohol and
Substance Abuse
Thomas College
prohibits the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of any
illegal drug or substance by students and employees on college
property or at any activities associated with the institution.
Students are
expected to be aware of and to observe the State and Federal
statutes concerning the illegal possession, use, distribution, sale,
and manufacturing of those drugs that have been designated as
subject to State and Federal drug laws.
Anyone found in
violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary actions.
Such actions may include fines, required counseling, verbal or
written warnings, suspension from school or employment, or
termination of student or employee status. Violators may also be
referred to law enforcement authorities for prosecution.
Thomas College
views alcohol and substance abuse as a serious problem that all
institutions of higher learning must address. In compliance with
the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug Free
Workplace Act, the College publishes and distributes a student
handbook to all day students and an employee handbook to all full-
and part-time employees. Each document contains in-depth
information regarding substance abuse, sexual harassment, sexual
assault protocols, and where to get help. Also covered in depth are
the State and Federal alcohol and drug laws, criminal and civil
offenses, and the sanctions that can be imposed.
For a copy of the student handbook,
contact the Student Affairs office. The employee manual may be
obtained through the office of the Vice President for Financial
Affairs.
Counseling
Services
Thomas College has
counseling services available to help students deal with issues
around substance abuse and sexual assault. You may discuss problems
with Health Center personnel, the Dean for Student Affairs, the
Director of Student Life, the Director of Residential Life, the
resident life staff, or through your supervisor if you are an
employee. These individuals can also help you get assistance from
trained professionals in the community.
Resources for Substance Abuse
Cocaine
Hotline (800) COCAINE
Maine Alcohol and Drug Abuse (800)
322-5004
Clearinghouse (for treatment
services
information)
Maine Bureau of Drug Enforcement (800)
452-6457
(Anonymous & confidential-you may
report
illegal drug activity)
Maine General Medical Center
(800) 225-3131
New
Directions (207) 873-1127
Resources for Sexual Assault
Family Violence Project
(800) 498-1930
Inland
Hospital (207) 873-0731
Kennebec County District
(207) 872-2240
Attorney’s Office
Kennebec County Sheriff’s
(800) 498-1930
Department
MaineGeneral
Medical Center (207) 872-1000
Maine State
Police (800) 482-0730
New Growth Sexual Violence
(800) 525-4441
and Support
Center
Statewide Sexual Assault Hotline
(800) 871-7741
Waterville Police
Department (800) 872-5551
CAMPUS CRIME STATISTICS FOR 2002
Category
Break Down:
On Campus
Residence: Of those On
Campus, offenses that occurred within the Residence Halls
Non-Campus: In or on a
non-campus building or property
Public Property: On Public
Property (Statistics provided by the Waterville Police
Department for the City of
Waterville. The crimes are not
associated with Thomas College.)
|
Criminal Offenses |
Venue |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
Murder/Non-Negligent
manslaughter |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTAL FOR
OFFENSE |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Negligent manslaughter |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Arson |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
Sexual Offenses: |
|
Forcible Sex
Offense |
On Campus |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
6 |
5 |
4 |
|
Non-Forcible Sex
Offense |
On Campus |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
4 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
8 |
7 |
10 |
|
Robbery |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
5 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| |
Public Property |
4 |
7 |
9 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
4 |
7 |
19 |
|
Aggravated Assault |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
3 |
4 |
10 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
3 |
4 |
10 |
|
Burglary |
On Campus |
16 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
16 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
97 |
110 |
75 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
129 |
110 |
75 |
|
Motor Vehicle Theft |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
26 |
20 |
18 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
26 |
20 |
18 |
|
Aggravated Assault |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
3 |
4 |
10 |
|
TOTAL FOR OFFENSE |
3 |
4 |
10 |
| |
|
Arrests |
Venue |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
Liquor Law Violations
- ARRESTS |
On Campus |
8 |
1 |
11 |
| |
Residence |
8 |
1 |
2 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
1 |
9 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
TOTAL FOR Liquor Law
Violations - ARRESTS |
16 |
3 |
23 |
|
Drug Law
Violations
- ARRESTS |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTAL FOR Drug Law
Violations - ARRESTS |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Illegal Weapons
Violations
- ARRESTS |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTAL FOR Weapon
Violations - ARRESTS |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
|
Disciplinary Action/Judicial Referrals |
Venue |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
|
Liquor Law Violations |
On Campus |
51 |
73 |
33 |
| |
Residence |
- |
- |
- |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
1 |
8 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTAL FOR
Liquor Law
Violations |
51 |
74 |
41 |
|
Drug Law Violations |
On Campus |
16 |
5 |
7 |
| |
Residence |
- |
- |
- |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
TOTAL FOR Drug Law
Violations |
16 |
5 |
7 |
|
Illegal Weapons
Violations |
On Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Residence |
- |
- |
- |
| |
Non-Campus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Public Property |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Hate & Bias Crimes: |
|
Assault |
On Campus |
- |
- |
- |
| |
Residence |
- |
- |
- |
| |
Non-Campus |
- |
- |
- |
| |
Public Property |
- |
- |
- |
|
TOTAL FOR Hate & Bias
Crimes |
- |
- |
- |
