Title: Safety and Security
Number: BP 5.01
Adopted: March 1995
Reviewed: September 2020
Revised: March 2012

The Nicolet Area Technical College District Board of Trustees (Board) is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment of the College community and authorizes all appropriate measures to carry out this commitment.  The Board does hereby direct the administration of the College to ensure oversight of the development, implementation, and review of the College’s safety and security functions.  The Board also gives administration the authority to exercise the necessary measures to maintain individual safety and the security of properties under the control of the College.

The Board authorizes College administration to organize and codify policies and procedures related to the safety and security of the College.  The safety and security policies and procedures need to assure the College is in compliance with all mandated measures in Federal law (i.e., Jeanne Cleary Act).  The safety and security policies and procedures will not supersede or override any ruling of any Federal, or State Agencies, nor shall such policies and procedures be applicable if contrary to law.

Emergency Response

The Board directs College administration to develop an Emergency Response Plan to assist in the College’s safety and security functioning.  College administration also appoints an Emergency Response Team (ERT) to assist in the College’s safety and security functioning.  The ERT has the following responsibilities:

• In the event of a College emergency, available ERT members will assemble quickly to assess the situation and decide on appropriate action.
• In a situation prohibiting team assembly, individual ERT members may take appropriate steps to ensure safety.
• Any member of the ERT may call for evacuation of a building, send students and staff to emergency shelters, take other appropriate actions outlined in the College’s Emergency Response Plan, or initiate contact with law enforcement or emergency personnel.

Campus Safety and Security

The Board directs College administration to develop a Campus Safety Program in compliance with OSHA, NFPA, and Wisconsin requirements to assist in the College’s safety functioning.  College administration also appoints the Director of Risk, Compliance, and Safety to be charged with oversight of the College’s safety and security.  The Director of Risk, Compliance, and Safety reports directly to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), making recommendations to the ELT on all safety and security compliance issues.

The primary purpose of the Safety and Security Committee is the prevention of injury, illness, loss of life, and loss of property.  The Safety and Security Committee has the following responsibilities:

• Monitor all pertinent state and federal safety and security standards and recommend compliance action when needed.
• Recommend appropriate training for staff and students on various safety and security issues.
• Ensure the College is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title 504 accessibility standards and requirements.
• Ensure that identified risk-loss prevention issues are addressed.
• Ensure that all security issues are also addressed.
• Review and recommend changes and/or additions to all safety and security policies.
• Review all information forwarded from the Emergency Response Team regarding the handling of incident responses.
• Review the Emergency Response Plan and Campus Safety Program annually and recommend any changes and/or additions to the plan and program.
• Develop a communication plan to disseminate information related to timely warnings of potential emergency safety and security issues.
• Develop various methods to ensure the communication of the safety and security policies, and recommended emergency procedures to employees of the College.
• Address ways to disseminate the appropriate content of the policies, and recommended emergency procedures to the students and the general public.

CARE Team

The Board directs College administration to appoint a CARE Team, which will be chaired by the Administrator responsible for oversight of the College’s safety and security.  The CARE Team has the following responsibilities:

• Provide for the welfare, safety and security of all of students, faculty, and staff.
• Provide an environment where individuals are free to work and learn unencumbered and uninhibited by threats of intimidation and harm.
• Serve as a group that receives reports of all concerning behaviors from students and/or staff, and determine whether there may be an issue to monitor and/or address.

The safety and security policies, procedures, programs, and plans shall be continuously updated to reflect changes incorporated by the Board, State, and Federal legal rulings.

Title: Possession and Use of Weapons
Number: BP 5.02
Adopted: October 2011
Reviewed: September 2020
Revised: November 2015

This policy is part of the College’s commitment to provide a safe working and learning environment for all members of the College community including visitors. To that end, the College exercises its rights to prohibit the possession of weapons as allowed under Wisconsin State Law.

Definitions

“College buildings” include all buildings that the College owns, leases, occupies or controls, whether on a temporary or permanent basis.

“Special events” means an event that is open to the public, is for a duration of not more than three (3) weeks, and either has designated entrances to and from the event that are locked when the event is closed, or requires admission. [943.13(1e)(h)]

“Weapons” means any firearm, whether loaded or unloaded; any device designed as a weapon and capable of producing death or great bodily harm, any electric weapon, as defined in [941.295(4)]; or any other device or instrumentality which, in the manner it is used or intended to be used, is calculated or likely to produce death or great bodily harm.

“Illegal weapons” means items that are illegal to possess as defined by Wisconsin State Statutes.  These include the following:

• switch blade knives (941.24)
• short barreled shotguns and rifles (941.28)
• machine guns (941.27)
• firearm silencers (941.298)
• teargas, mace or similar substances except for pepper spray [941.26(1)(b)]

Illegal Weapons

The use, concealment, creation, manufacture, or possession of illegal weapons on any College grounds, facilities, College buildings, or at College sponsored functions held on public or private property is strictly prohibited.

Weapons in College Buildings and College Vehicles

The use, concealment, creation, manufacture, or possession of weapons in College buildings and College vehicles is strictly prohibited.

Prohibition of Weapons at Special Events

The use, concealment, creation, manufacture, or possession of weapons at special events is strictly prohibited.

Possession of Weapons by Employees

Employees are prohibited from possessing weapons while acting as an employee, except while in their own personal vehicle as allowed under Wisconsin State Statute.

Storage of Weapons in Unattended Vehicles on Campus Grounds

Weapons which are left unattended in vehicles in parking lots controlled by the College should be out of sight in a locked car:

• unloaded and encased: or
• in a locked gun rack.

Certain Individuals Prohibited from Possessing Weapons

Individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms and/or other weapons by Local, State, or Federal laws or by a court order are strictly prohibited from possessing said weapons (as defined in the applicable law and/or court order) on any College grounds, facilities, or College buildings, or at College sponsored functions held on public or private property. This applies  even if the individual is participating in a College sponsored course or program that has a component of the instruction authorizing the use of weapons.

Compliance with Applicable Laws

Individuals who are in possession of weapons in areas not prohibited must comply with applicable Local, State, and Federal laws.

Possession of Weapons at Non-College Controlled Locations

Employees and students must adhere to all applicable Local, State, and Federal laws, and all applicable policy and procedures of other entities related to the possession of weapons of any other employer or property owner at any alternative site.

Exceptions

The general prohibitions above do not apply to:

1. sworn law enforcement officers, whether on or off duty;
2. members of the armed forces on active duty;
3. instructors and students for training purposes, consistent with specific program practices  and procedures, when authorized;
4. individuals authorized by the College President or designee.

Right to Search

The College reserves the right to search employee desks, lockers, and any other work areas. Law enforcement will be engaged for individuals believed to be in violation of this policy.

Violation of this Policy

Any and all students, employees or guests who are found to be in violation of this policy will be referred to campus security and/or local law enforcement authorities.

Security staff will notify the Director of Risk, Compliance, and Security/Title IX Coordinator and/or the Emergency Response Team of the reported incident immediately.

Violators may be banned from any College grounds, facilities, or College buildings, or at College sponsored functions held on public or private property.

Any student or employee involved in a violation of this policy will be subject to the College’s disciplinary procedures up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from the College.

The State of Wisconsin revised or amended statutes may supersede this policy and the current laws shall be adhered to at that time.