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Crime Awareness and Campus Security: Policy, Procedures and Reports Welcome to The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP). The following manual contains a number of important policies and procedures concerning crime prevention. We wish to make you aware of them not only because we are required to do so by Federal law, but also because it is sensible to take precautions regarding your safety and security. Although violent crimes committed against LTSP students, faculty and staff are rare, all of us have a common interest in maintaining a safe learning and teaching environment. Take precautions to secure your valuables and those of the school. Unattended rooms should be locked, valuable possessions should not be kept in open view, and strangers in school buildings and residences should be reported. Always lock your car. Use a club or electronic alarm system. The seminary makes every effort to maintain a safe and secure environment. If you notice areas of our buildings that need repair and maintenance or need lighting replaced, or if you have suggestions that will help us improve the safety of the school, please use the repair request forms located in the facilities office in the basement level of Hagan Hall. Keep this manual handy for future use. It contains information on how to contact the police department and other important safety information. Thank you for being attentive to your own safety and that of other students and associates. Vincent D. Ferguson , Chief of Safety and Security LTSP highly values the individual and collective security of its faculty, staff and students. The U.S. Congress has set many requirements for campus crime policies and reporting. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), codified at 20 U.S.C 1092(f) as part of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), requires that LTSP disclose policy information and crime statistics as part of a campus security report published annually. This report serves as the campus security report for the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia for the academic year 2004-2005. At LTSP, the security department has the responsibility for gathering statistics, identifying reportable crimes and providing them to the Department of Education and the public, and for the preparation of this report. The campus security report can be viewed on the LTSP website and copies of it may be obtained from the LTSP security department or the Registrar and Dean. The information in this report comes from a variety of sources, including the City of Philadelphia Police Department, which reports pertinent incidents to The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. LTSP informs students and employees annually about campus security procedures and practices through dissemination of this report. LTSP has a campus safety staff on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This staff, however, has no police or arrest powers. LTSP urges persons affiliated with the school to make use of the extensive safety resources at the City of Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments. LTSP encourages students and employees to be responsible for their own safety and the security of others. You can do this by informing yourself about safety procedures and crime avoidance tips available from the campus security department.. The campus Security Department provides escorts on campus and to the immediate Germantown Avenue corridor. Should you desire such an escort, contact security at the Security office in the basement level of the Hagan Center, at 215/248-7502. Notice is helpful in anticipating the need for an escort. 2.1 Access to LTSP Campus and Buildings Access to all space on the LTSP campus is limited to the official occupant of that space and that occupant's officers, employees, students, guests and/or invitees. Access to the LTSP student housing buildings is limited to residents and their guests. Keys allowing entry to LTSP buildings and offices are issued by the Security Department. The Security Department maintains a list of persons holding keys. Unauthorized copying of keys, or lending them to unauthorized persons is expressly forbidden. Violations of this policy may result in the loss of access privileges. 2.2 Security of LTSP Campus Buildings Members of the LTSP community are charged with the responsibility of safeguarding the spaces under their control, maintaining custody of the keys to which they have been entrusted, and reporting promptly the loss of any such keys. 2.3 Procedures to Report Criminal Activity and Emergencies Members of the LTSP community, or any other person authorized to be present on the LTSP campus, should report any suspected criminal activity or other emergency that poses a threat to life or property.
In all cases, report the incident to the Security Department. It is the policy of the seminary that all crimes be reported. Incidents that may or may not be crimes may also be reported to Campus Security. Such incidents may also be reported to those facilities persons with responsibility for controlling access to buildings or facilities and officials having significant responsibility for student and campus activities. Licensed counselors and campus clergy are exempt from certain reporting requirements. All matters of strictly pastoral concern are treated with confidentiality. The appropriateness of confidentiality in other instances is assessed on a case-by-case basis. LTSP encourages counselors and clergy, if and when they deem it appropriate, to inform those they counsel of procedures for reporting crimes on a voluntary, confidential basis for inclusion in the Campus Security Department Report. For clarity on issues of confidentiality, please check either with Dean J. Paul Rajashekar; the Rev. Marcia Bell, director of Student Services; the Rev. Eloise Scott, Director of Seminary Services, Evening Program, or the Rev. Dr. Pamela Cooper-White, Professor of Pastoral Theology. 2.4 Information About Registered Sex Offenders Information about registered sex offenders under section 17010(j) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 42 U.S. Code 14071(j), may be obtained from the City of Philadelphia Police Department. Federal law requires persons who must register as sex offenders to provide notice to the state if they are employed by or a student at an institution of higher education. Sex offenders must register with the City of Philadelphia Police Department. They must notify the police department within five days of enrolling in LTSP, or of being convicted of an offense qualifying them as sex offenders. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) does not prohibit institutions from disclosing information about registered sex offenders. No employee of LTSP, within the scope of his or her LTSP employment, has police powers or the authority to arrest individuals. Law enforcement is the province of the Philadelphia Police Department. It is the responsibility of each member of the LTSP community to be alert to the potential for criminal activity on the campus. All students, faculty, staff, administration, and tenants are expected to participate actively in maintaining the best level of security possible and to be aware of security at all times. 3. DRUG-FREE CAMPUS AND WORKPLACE LTSP requires that its campus be drug free. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance while at LTSP is prohibited. Abuse of alcohol (including underage drinking) on LTSP premises is also not allowed. Violation of this policy will be considered cause for termination from employment or from a student's program of study. LTSP is required to impose sanctions, up to and including the dismissal, of any employee engaged in the abuse of alcohol or the unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs while on school premises. Any employee involved in such illegal activity is subject to legal sanctions under local, state, and Federal law. Information regarding specific penalties is available at the LTSP Security Department. In addition, an employee convicted of any criminal drug statute for a violation occurring in the workplace is required to notify the Security Department and Human Resources of such a conviction no later than five days from the date of the conviction. LTSP complies with Pennsylvania state law, which prohibits possession or use of alcohol by, or sale of alcohol to, anyone under 21 years of age. Abuse of alcohol on the LTSP campus is prohibited. The health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol are many. Detailed information concerning the known health hazards resulting from the abuse of drugs and alcohol may be obtained from your physician, from the ELCA's wellness website (elcabop.org), or from the LTSP Human Resources office. Several drug and alcohol counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation programs are available to LTSP faculty, students, and employees. Members may seek information on these programs from the LTSP Human Resources office. See the personnel manual or student handbook for complete delineation of policy and educational programs for drug and alcohol abuse. 4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMPLIANCE WITH CAMPUS SECURITY ACT The Seminary President has overall responsibility for compliance with Title II of the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990. The Security Department shall:
The Dean and Admissions Director through the Communications office distributes an annual report on the web and in printed form each fall. The report. prepared prepared by the Security Department is available to current students and prospective students and their families. The Security Department arranges for student participation in all programs mandated by campus security laws. 5.1 Reportable Offenses Under the federal "Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act", LTSP annually distributes statistics on the reported occurrences of the following offenses:
5.2 Report Categories These offenses are reported according to their occurrence in the following location categories: Campus: (1) Buildings or property owned or controlled by LTSP within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and used by the school in direct support of, or in a manner related to LTSP's educational purposes, including residence facilities; and (2) buildings or property that are within or reasonably contiguous to the area identified in paragraph (1) of this definition, that are owned by LTSP but controlled by another person, are frequently used by students, and support institutional purposes (such as a food or other retail vendor). Non-campus: (1) Buildings or property owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by the institution; or (2) buildings or property owned or controlled by LTSP that are used in direct support of, or in relation to, LTSP's educational purposes, are frequently used by students, and are not within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution. LTSP has no non-campus buildings or property in the above categories. Public Property: All public property, including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities, that are within the campus, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. Public property statistics are compiled for the 14th Police District by the City of Philadelphia Police Department. 5.3 Sources of Data LTSP relies on the City of Philadelphia Police Department to provide statistics on crimes committed on campus, non-campus, and public property as defined in the section of this report titled "Report Categories". LTSP also relies on crimes reported to the campus Security Department. Although every effort is made to avoid duplication between Police Department and campus security incidents, individual incidents may be reported multiple times within the same calendar year. 5.4 Click Here for Crime Statistics LTSP is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of all forms of harassment, exploitation, and intimidation. Every member of the LTSP community should be aware that such behavior is prohibited by law and school policy. LTSP will not tolerate sexual misconduct in any form, including acquaintance or date rape. LTSP will take appropriate action to prevent, correct, and discipline behavior that is found to violate school policy or laws proscribing rape or sexual assault. LTSP prohibits rape and sexual assault. This policy affects only students currently enrolled as students at LTSP. The LTSP Faculty Handbook governs faculty members. For staff members and administrators, provisions contained in the LTSP Employee Handbook as well as memoranda of understanding prohibit conduct that violates the law and school policy, and provide for disciplinary action for inappropriate conduct. 6.1 Definitions Rape is defined to include all acts of sexual intercourse involving penetration imposed under the following circumstances:
Acquaintance rape is sexual intercourse undertaken by a friend or acquaintance without the consent of the student. Sexual assault is defined as the imposition of non-consensual sexual conduct excluding rape, including but not limited to oral copulation, penetration by a foreign object, caressing, fondling, or touching of a person's genitalia, buttocks, or breasts. Consent is defined as positive cooperation in act or attitude pursuant to an exercise of free will. The individuals consenting must act freely and voluntarily and have knowledge of the nature of the act or transaction involved. It is a defense to the allegation of non-consent that a defendant held a reasonable and good faith belief that the complainant was consenting. A current or previous dating relationship is not sufficient to constitute consent. The determination regarding the presence or absence of consent should be based on the totality of circumstances, including the context in which the alleged incident occurred. The fact that an individual was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol at the time may be considered in determining whether that person had consented to the act in question. Students should understand that consent may not be inferred from silence or passivity alone. 6.2 Prevention Of Sexual Assault And Rape LTSP uses a number of means to prevent sexual assault and rape, including:
6.3 Responding To Sexual Assault And Rape Since LTSP maintains a Security Department, all violations of the law involving sexual assault or rape should be reported immediately to the department for further investigation by the City of Philadelphia Police Department's rape unit. Incidents of sexual assault and rape should also be reported to the Dean, or any other senior administrator of LTSP. Students are not required to report incidents to the Police Department or District Attorney, although they are encouraged to do so. LTSP officials will honor requests for confidentiality by the student alleging sexual assault or rape, but shall report anonymous information to the Security Department, so that the incident can be included in LTSP crime statistics. If an incident is reported to an LTSP official, the official shall inform the student of her or his right to inform the Philadelphia Police Department or District Attorney. The student shall also be informed of the importance of preserving evidence required for proof of possible criminal activity, and of the availability of school officials to assist the student in notifying authorities of the incident, upon the student's request. Finally, the student shall be informed of counseling, mental health and other services:
Victims of sexual assault and rape may request that LTSP change academic and living situations. LTSP will change those situations if it is able to do so and if the changes requested by the victim are reasonably available. If a student is determined to have committed sexual assault, rape, acquaintance rape, or other forcible or non-forcible sex offense, disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from academic programs may be imposed by LTSP. 6.4 Procedures For Disciplinary Action In The Case Of Sexual Assault And Rape When a student reports being sexually assaulted or raped by another student, the Dean shall conduct a timely investigation of the allegations in the case, including interviewing any witnesses as needed. The decision to proceed with charges in a sexual assault or rape case is a joint decision of the Dean and President, with final authority residing with the President. If formal charges are brought against the accused student by LTSP, the case shall either go to a hearing for adjudication, or be disposed of administratively in a settlement agreement. The student charged with sexual assault or rape is entitled to due process and will be given notice and full opportunity to respond to the allegations. The student can seek representation, have the same opportunity as the student who reported being assaulted to have a non-participating observer present during the proceedings, and is entitled to information about the school policy on sexual assault and rape, and the procedures that will be followed to address the charges. If formal charges are brought against the accused student by LTSP, the Dean will notify the accused in a written statement outlining the charges. The student charged will have seven working days to respond in writing. The Dean may then seek a settlement that is mutually agreeable to the person making the allegations and the student charged. The Dean and student(s) involved will have 10 working days after receipt of the charged student's response to negotiate an administrative settlement agreement. If no such agreement is reached after 10 working days, the incident shall proceed to a hearing for adjudication. If a hearing is required, the Dean shall, within 15 working days, appoint a committee composed of three LTSP staff members from the administrative council. The committee will, within 30 days of being appointed, hear evidence presented by the accuser and accused, and/or their representatives, and may interview any witnesses as needed, and review any other available evidence. The committee will vote, with a majority having final authority, on whether to sustain the charges. The committee will notify the Dean, the student bringing charges, and the student charged, of the outcome of its vote within five working days of voting. If the charges are sustained, the committee will recommend disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from all academic programs at LTSP, to the Dean. The Dean may act on the recommended disciplinary action, or take other action, up to and including dismissal from all academic programs at LTSP. The Dean will inform the student charged of disciplinary action within 10 working days of the committee notification. The student charged may appeal the outcome of the disciplinary action in writing within 10 working days of being notified. The appeal is to be directed to the President of LTSP, who will review the case. The President will make a decision on the disciplinary action recommended by the Dean within 10 working days and will inform the student charged. The decision of the President is final and no further appeal is allowed. Campus Security (Clery Act) Information |