Brief Description: Enhancing campus security.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Kohl-Welles, Shin, Schoesler, Kilmer, Delvin, McAuliffe and Rasmussen; by request of Governor Gregoire).

Hearing Date: 2/20/08

Staff: Andi Smith (786-7304).

Background:

Campus safety planning can be broken down into five major components:

• Mental health services: including the availability of mental health counselors, psychiatrists,

   and mental health outreach programs;

• Communications: including public address systems, sirens, instant warning systems,

   intercoms, etc.;

• Police: including commissioned and noncommissioned officers and other first responders,

   including training;

• Campus planning and awareness: violence prevention programs, campus safety assessments

   and review, campus safety advocates, emergency management coordinators; and

• Building mapping and access: including key card systems, campus mapping, security

   cameras, etc.

The Council of Presidents conducted a survey of the public Baccalaureate institutions to compile
basic background information on the policies and procedures that are in place to respond to
campus security issues. The Baccalaureates agreed that responding to emergencies is "highly
episodic and circumstantial" and that institutions require flexibility to evaluate, assess, and
respond according to the best judgment on hand at the moment.

Responses from the Baccalaureate institutions indicate that each has established procedures to
make the university community and public aware of emergency preparedness policies, has some
means of alerting students, faculty, and staff to emergency situations, has "mapped" campus
buildings to include floor plans, utility diagrams, and the location of hazardous materials. The
survey also indicates that public Baccalaureate institutions have entered into mutual aid
agreements with emergency management agencies, law enforcement agencies and other partners
in addition to the commissioned police forces they employ.

There is not as much consistency in baseline policy and practice within the community and
technical college system. While the colleges have each developed emergency preparedness plans
and have identified mechanisms for public alert, the State Board for Community and Technical
Colleges estimates that only 10 percent of colleges have extensive "mapping" of campus
buildings. Because community and technical colleges do not typically have commissioned police
forces, they are also more reliant on local law enforcement and emergency management
organizations to provide emergency response.

Currently, each institution annually updates and distributes a report that includes crime
statistics for the prior three-year period. In addition, each institution provides every student
and new employee with information regarding enrollments, campus non-student workforce
profiles, the number of campus security personnel, and the arrangements with state and local
police.

Summary of Bill:

Each institution makes available to students, faculty, and staff an emergency management and
response plan. Other interested people may obtain the plan upon request. At a minimum, the
plan includes: (1) data regarding campus enrollments, campus non-student workforce profiles,
and the number of campus security personnel; (2) policies, procedures, and programs for
preventing and responding to violence and campus emergencies, setting the weapons policy on
campus, applying to controlled substances, and governing student privacy; (3) information about
where to view campus policies on complaints and contact information for the individual to whom
complaints may be directed in cases of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and sexual
harassment; and (4) mutual assistance agreements, access methods and options to programs for
persons with disabilities, available mental health and counseling services, and emergency
management plans.

For the most recent academic year, the emergency management and response must include: (1) a
description of programs and services offered by the institution and student organizations
providing crime prevention and counseling; and (2) security policies and programs at student
housing facilities.

Each institution enters into memoranda of understanding that outlines institutional and local
jurisdiction responsibilities during campus emergencies. Institutions also enter into mutual aid
agreements with local jurisdictions regarding equipment and technology sharing in the case of
campus emergencies. Institutions already have task forces to annually examine campus safety
issues. These task forces must annually review the emergency management and response plans
and make suggestions for improvement. A specific individual must be designated for monitoring
and coordinating the institution's compliance with the campus safety laws.

By October 30, 2008, each institution submits a self-study, assessing its ability to ensure campus
safety and an evaluation of its ability to provide an appropriate level of mental health services, to
its respective state governing board; plans to address unmet safety needs of each campus must
also be submitted. In October of each even-numbered year, each institution also submits updated
safety plans. The Higher Education Coordinating Board and the SBCTC report to the Governor
and higher education committees biennially on compliance and recommendations on measures to
ensure campus safety and security.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 12, 2008.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.