CAMPUS SAFETY AND SECURITY INFORMATION

Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 (20 U.S.C. § 1092)

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), as a part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose certain timely and annual information about campus crime and security policies. All public and private post-secondary educational institutions participating in federal student aid programs are required to comply with this law. The law, originally enacted by Congress in 1990 as the Campus Security Act, was initiated by Howard and Connie Clery after their daughter Jeanne was tragically murdered at Lehigh University in 1986. Amendments to the Act in 1998 renamed it in memory of Jeanne Clery.

The Clery Act requires colleges and universities to publish an annual report every year by October 1 that contains three years of crime statistics and certain policy statements including sexual assault policies, which assure basic victims’ right, the law enforcement authority of campus police, and where the students should go to report crimes.  Temple College’s Annual Security Reports can be found at https://www.templejc.edu/resources/campus-police/security-and-crime-statistics/. The complete text of the Clery Act can be found at http://clerycenter.org/ and the U.S. Department of Education regulations are available at <http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus.html >.

Campus Police Location and Contact Information

The Campus Police offices are located behind the University Apartment Complex. To contact the Campus Police by phone, dial (254) 298-8911. Officers are on duty or on-call 24/7.

Leopard Alert Emergency Notification System

Leopard Alert is an emergency notification service that gives Temple College the ability to communicate health and safety emergency information quickly by e-mail and/or text message. By enrolling in Leopard Alert, Temple College can quickly pass on safety-related information, regardless of your location.  Please sign up for Leopard Alert here: http://templejc.edu/resources/leopard-alert/.

Emergency Plan

It is the policy of Temple College that all crime and other emergencies be immediately reported to the Campus Police. In the case of crime, fire, or medical emergency, contact the police, fire department, or medical assistance directly by dialing “911.” A call to any administrator or the switchboard operator who contacts the Campus Police office will constitute notification to the administration. An administrator who knows of any incident of crime, accident, or emergency is to make sure the information gets to the Campus Police office.

During the times when classes are in session and on Fridays, the buildings are open with classrooms and commons areas unlocked. Certain offices, labs, etc. are unlocked only during the time they are occupied. When the buildings are closed, a Campus Police Officer will patrol the campus, check to assure doors are locked and keep unauthorized persons off the campus. Adequate security is provided at athletic events.

The campus police have the authority to confront, identify, retain, and control the actions of persons on the campus whom they feel might be in violation of the law or campus regulation. The Campus Police Office and the local police departments partner closely for the safety of our college communities.

Temple College uses various means to inform students and employees about campus security procedures and practices and encourages students and employees to be responsible for their own security and the security of others. Information is disseminated through the Personnel Handbook, the Student Handbook, as well as the Family and Student Orientation and Information Session. Additional information is available on the Temple College website.

Title IX – Freedom from Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Retaliation.

A victim of prohibited conduct (discrimination, harassment, dating violence, stalking, and retaliation as described by this policy, even if the behavior does not rise to the level of unlawful conduct) has the right to report the incident to the College District and to receive a prompt and equitable resolution of the report.

Any student who believes that he or she has experienced prohibited conduct or believes that another student has experienced prohibited conduct should immediately report the alleged acts to the Title IX coordinator or another employee or submit the report electronically through the College District’s website at https://www.templejc.edu/resources/campus-police/title-ix-sexual-violence/#incident_form . The submission of an anonymous electronic report may impair the College District’s ability to investigate and address the prohibited conduct.

A victim of a crime has the right to choose whether to report the crime to law enforcement, to be assisted by the College District in reporting the crime to law enforcement, or to decline to report the crime to law enforcement.

It is important that a victim of prohibited conduct go to a hospital for treatment and preservation of evidence, if applicable, as soon as practicable after the incident.

Any College District employee who suspects or receives notice that a student or group of students has or may have experienced prohibited conduct, regardless of when or where the incident occurred, shall immediately notify the Title IX coordinator and shall take any other steps required by this policy. Additionally, the employee may report to the College President or designee.

A report against the College President must be made directly to the Board. If a report is made directly to the Board, the Board shall appoint an appropriate person to investigate.

Reports of discrimination based on sex, including sexual harassment and gender-based harassment, may be directed to the Title IX coordinator. The College District designates the following person to coordinate its efforts to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended:

Please refer to https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/161?filename=FFDA(LOCAL).pdf for the full policy with detailed information on confidentiality and the process. 

Surveillance Camera Use

Temple College is committed to enhancing the quality of life of the campus community by integrating the best practices of safety and security with technology. A critical component of a comprehensive safety and security plan is the utilization of video surveillance cameras. The surveillance of public areas is intended to deter crime and assist in protecting the safety and property at Temple College. To ensure the safety and security of employees, learners, and visitors to our campus and centers, Temple College has determined that the use of video surveillance cameras is necessary. These video surveillance cameras are not a guarantee of safety, but such use is designed to help improve safety and security by deterring acts of theft, violence, and other criminal activity, and increasing the likelihood that perpetrators of these acts will be identified.