Sexual Assault
Prevention and Reporting Procedures

Contents

About the Campus

Queensborough Community College, a unit of The City University of New York, was established in 1958 on a 34-acre campus in the community of Bayside, Queens. Ten major buildings on campus are used for instruction and extracurricular activities and six parking lots serve the students, faculty, and visitors.

The College enrolls approximately 12,000 students in day, evening, and weekend classes, and several thousand members of the community attend its continuing education classes and the diverse number of events it offers in its theaters, the QCC Art Gallery, and lecture halls.

The Office of Security and Public Safety

The primary responsibility of the Office of Security and Public Safety is to maintain an atmosphere in which the faculty, students, and administration of the College can feel free and secure in the pursuit of their academic activities within a safe and respectful environment.

The office is composed of a Director of Security supported by one 1 Lieutenant, three (3) Level III Sergeants, three (3) Corporals, 11 Level I Public Safety Officers, and 3 College Security Assistants. Sergeants and Campus Public Safety Officers who are or will be Campus Peace Officers in the City University Security Initiative are sworn and have arrest powers. A small number of contract guards are employed as needed to act as parking control persons.

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Operational Procedures

• Emergency and Complaint Response

All members of the College community are apprised that the Office of Security must be notified immediately of any emergency on campus, such as an incident involving a medical problem or any threat to the safety of personnel or property. Constant radio communication is maintained with all mobile and stationary Security units on campus so that on-site assistance can be summoned without delay and, if deemed necessary, off-site emergency assistance can be requested.

It is College policy that all complaints of a suspicious or threatening nature should be reported at once to the Office of Security and Public Safety, who will conduct an immediate investigation. If deemed appropriate, depending on the nature of the incident in question, the office will notify the New York City Police Department to confer regarding an appropriate response. The Office seeks to integrate its responsibilities involving the correction of external and on-site conditions that might have a negative impact on the College with the local police precinct. The Office works in full cooperation with the commanding officer and the community relations officer of the 111th Precinct. At present the College has no policy or procedures to allow victims or witnesses to report crimes on a confidential basis. Campus Security Officers, the Department for Student Affairs Office, Judicial Affairs, Title IX Coordinator and the Affirmative Action Officer will take reports of crimes. The College has no off-campus locations owned or controlled by a student organization.

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• Publications

Students, faculty, and staff are informed through a variety of publications, including the College Catalog, the Student Handbook, the Faculty Handbook, and general announcements, as to what procedures to follow in case of an emergency or a complaint. In addition, new students arriving on campus receive specific information through their freshman orientation classes.

Targeted publications regarding sexual harassment, sexual assault prevention, date rape, drug intervention, a daily crime log, among others, have been published for informational purposes. Also on QCC Web Site.

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• Preventive Procedures

As part of its overall responsibilities, the Office conducts a continuous review of the campus facilities and grounds to ensure that all lighting and landscaping hazards are reported for correction or eliminated. Its telephone communication system and its CCTV and electronic surveillance system has been upgraded and improved.

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• Access

The Office of Security and Public Safety is informed of all officially approved activities scheduled to take place on campus. According to this schedule, it secures the academic and administrative buildings and the gymnasium in the evenings and on weekends. Students, faculty, and staff coming to campus for classes or to attend activities are asked to carry their ID cards at all times in case they are asked to show them to a security officer. In case of theatrical presentations or such special events as Open House or Commencement, where large numbers of visitors are expected on campus, the Security Office must be informed well in advance so that appropriate provisions can be made.

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• Campus Advisory Committee

The Office of Security and Public Safety is under the supervision of the Vice President for Finance and Administration. The policies and procedures under which it operates in relation to threatening or emergency situations on campus are frequently reviewed by the Campus Advisory Committee on Campus Security. This committee is composed of equal representation from the student body, the faculty, and the administration. The Office of Security in cooperation with this committee seeks to foster a sense of mutual respect and civility among the many persons that comprise the College's multicultural population.

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• College Counseling Services

Students who have personal problems that may be affecting their academic progress are urged to seek the services of the Counseling Center on campus. All counseling is strictly confidential. The Office of Security prefers to resolve potential discipline situations and behavioral problems through the professional services of the counselors in this center.

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General College and University Policies and Procedures

• Sexual Harassment

It is the policy of The City University and Queensborough Community College to prohibit sexual harassment of employees and students. It is a violation for any member of the College community to engage in sexual harassment or to take action against an individual for reporting sexual harassment.

The College policy concerning sex discrimination is explained in the Affirmative Action Plan, which is available in the Affirmative Action Office and in the Reference Section of the College Library. Students who have a complaint concerning sex discrimination or sexual harassment should contact the Department for Student Affairs. They may also seek the assistance of the College Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator, or any other memberof the Sexual Harassment Panel Committee.

Allegations of sexual harassment should be made within 30 days of the alleged occurrence. Any person found responsible for sexual harassment will be subject to disciplinary action by the College and, if required, by civil authorities.

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Education Program

In an effort to inform the College community about sexual assault prevention, the Office of Security and Public Safety will do the following:

• Security officers will conduct crime prevention sessions at various college meetings and functions.
• Students and security personnel will form a crime prevention planning team. The team will determine in what areas and under what conditions students feel unsafe.
• The College will have a security and crime prevention column in the College newspaper.
• A foot officer will be available to provide an escort on campus to any student who is concerned about her/his safety and who calls security.
• If a serious incident occurs on campus, the Office of Security and Public Safety will inform the College community in writing to insure a consistent flow of information and prevent the spreading of rumors.

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Procedures Students Should Follow in the Case of Rape or Sexual Assault:

The Dean of Students and the Office of Security must be notified of any emergency on campus. If a sex offense occurs, the security office will inform the student of the option of notifying the police and will assist in notifying police, and obtaining medical assistance and campus counseling.

Students are advised that it is important to preserve evidence and get a medical examination as soon as possible. Students should inform the doctor of the act committed upon them. Doctors should take semen smears and note any injuries. Before seeing the doctor, the victim should not douche, bathe, shower or change clothes. The victim should inform the police of all details and give police any clothing stained or torn during the attack.

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Students’ Rights on Campus

Disciplinary Action

If disciplinary action is sought on campus, all students involved are informed of their rights. Under Article XV of the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York. Student Disciplinary Procedures (Section 15.3) "Notice of Hearing and Charges," each student has the following rights:

• To present her/his side of the story.
• To present witnesses and evidence on her/his behalf.
• To be represented by counsel, and be informed of the outcome of the hearing.

If a person is found guilty in a campus disciplinary procedure, possible sanctions for rape and other sex offenses range from suspension to ejection from the College.

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Annual crime statistics for Queensborough Community College are available upon request by contacting the Director of Security and Public Safety, Queensborough Community College. 222-05 56th Avenue Bayside, New York 11364. A copy is mailed to all members of the College community and can be visited on www.qcc.cuny.edu.

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