Policies & Procedures

Sexual assaults, including rape, are serious crimes of violence in which the assailant, by threat or physical force, involves or attempts to involve the victim in involuntary sexual conduct. The College annually sponsors several activities and speakers on the subject of sexual assault in addition to providing literature on request. Literature is also available through the Counseling, Health & Wellness Center in the lower level of Donnelly Center. If you are the victim of a sexual assault, you should immediately contact your Area Coordinator, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, or the Department of Campus Safety for medical and safety assistance. You should also attempt to preserve any potential evidence where the assault took place.
 
All reports of sexual assault will be taken confidentially and investigated fully. Should allegations lead to formal on-campus disciplinary proceedings, both the accused and their accuser may have others present at their hearing and both will be informed of the outcome. Sanctions for on-campus convictions can result in expulsion. Victims of sexual assault will have the opportunity to notify local police if they choose and can be assisted by campus officials. Victims will be notified of any on-campus and local counseling and mental health services and medical services, and will be given the opportunity to change their living arrangements if alternatives are reasonably available.
 
Sexual assault includes, but is not limited to, forcing, threatening to force, coercing, or deceiving another to engage in sexual activity. Sexual activity includes, but is not limited to, sexual penetration, touching of the genital area, groin, inner thigh, buttocks, or breast. The definition of sexual assault includes any of the following:

1. Force or coercion is used to accomplish the sexual contact without the person's consent
2. The victim is mentally incapacitated by being rendered temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his/her conduct due to the influence of alcohol, other drugs or other substances consumed by or administered to that person with or without his/her consent.
3. The victim is physically helpless by being unconscious, asleep or for any other reason is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to act.
4. The actor knew or should have known that the victim was mentally incapacitated or physically helpless.
   Student Code of Conduct Revisions / 07 January 2009

Consent, on the contrary, is a voluntary granting of permission. Engaging in such activity with another, knowing that the activity is offensive to that person or that the person is unable to assess the nature of the activity or to control his/her conduct is prohibited. People who commit sexual assault are subject to prosecution by civil authorities and College disciplinary action.
NOTE: The use of alcohol or other drugs will not be considered a defense.

Sexual Misconduct **
Sexual misconduct is defined as the intentional touching of a person's intimate parts or the clothing covering the immediate area of a person's intimate parts without his/her consent.
NOTE: The use of alcohol or other drugs will not be considered a defense.
** The above definitions are modeled after Michigan State Law regarding Criminal Sexual Conduct (Michigan Penal Code, section 750.520a‐e)

If a student is a victim of sexual assault or sexual misconduct at Aquinas College, a report of the incident can be filed with an Area Coordinator, the Director of Campus Life, Campus Safety or the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. Allegations of sexual misconduct by other members of the Aquinas Community should be reported to the Director of Human Resources. Employees are referred to their handbook for more information on harassment and sexual harassment reporting requirements.

>Sexual Assault Judicial Process

In compliance with the "Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1990," numerous efforts are made to advise members of the Aquinas Community on a timely basis about crime occurring on campus or in neighboring areas. These efforts include the following:

• Annual Report: A comprehensive annual report of crime-related information is compiled and published.
• Special Bulletins: When circumstances warrant, bulletins will be posted in all buildings on campus, as well as on the Campus Safety homepage, with special crime-alert information.
• Student Newspaper: On occasion, articles will be published with a summary of recent incidents.
• Monitoring of Crimes Reported to Local Police: Continuous monitoring of incidents reported to the local police that have occurred in the local area to better inform the Aquinas community of potential threats.

 

It is always a good idea to review procedures for these types of situations. Please share this information with other people in your area.
 
Definitions

• Severe Weather: Includes thunder, lightening, hail, wind, and heavy rains
• Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground.
• Watch: Indicates that conditions are favorable for a particular type of weather to occur.
• Warning: Indicates that a particular type of weather is or will soon be occurring.

Procedures
The Department of Campus Safety monitors the National Weather Service Radio. In the event of severe weather or a tornado, this radio automatically sounds an alarm alerting on duty personnel of the situation.

• Severe Weather Watch: Under these conditions the Department of Campus Safety will contact selected offices to inform them of current and forecasted conditions.
• Tornado Watch: Under these conditions the Department of Campus Safety will contact selected offices on campus to inform them of current and forecasted conditions.
• Severe Weather Warning: Under these conditions the Department of Campus Safety will contact all offices on campus to inform them of current and forecasted conditions. In the event that classes or college business would be suspended or terminated, the Department of Campus Safety will again contact selected offices on campus.
• Tornado Warning: Under these conditions, all classes and college business are immediately terminated. The Department of Campus Safety will contact selected offices on campus to inform them of the conditions and give further instructions. If a tornado has been sighted in the immediate vicinity of the college, persons will be encouraged and directed to take refuge in the lowest levels of buildings, taking care to stay away from windows. After the tornado has passed or the all clear is issued, the Department of Campus Safety will again contact all offices on campus.

A Tornado or Thunderstorm Watch is issued by NOAA's National Severe Storms Forecast Center, Kansas City, Mo., to identify an area where conditions are favorable for tornado or severe thunderstorm formation. A watch alerts you to keep on with your daily routine, but be ready to respond to a warning.
 
A Tornado or Thunderstorm Warning is issued by your Local National Weather Service Facility, and means a tornado or severe thunderstorm has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Persons close to the storm should take shelter immediately, and remain there until the danger is past. Others should be prepared to take cover if threatening conditions are sighted.
 
What to do in case of a tornado warning/watch? 
When a tornado threatens, stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
 
On campus people should move to the following area:

• Academic Building: Move to the basement or tunnel.
• Albertus Hall: Move to the basement. Keep away from windows
• Art and Music Center: Leave building and go to the basement hallway of the Academic Building
• Browne Center: Move to the basement
• Bukowski Chapel: Move to the hallway area by bathrooms or hallway near office.
• Campus Safety: Move to basement of Academic Building
• Carriage House: Move to basement of Regina Hall
• Dominican Hall: Move to the basement
• Donnelly Center: Move to the basement hallways
• Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center: Move to the tunnel area outside the locker rooms
• Fulton House: Move to the basement
• Gatehouse: Move to the basement
• Grounds Building: Move to the basement of Browne Center
• Holmdene: Move to the basement
• Hruby Hall: Move to the basement hallway by the Registrar's Office.
• Brink Hall: Move to the basement of Jarecki/Lacks/Hauenstein
• Jarecki Center: Move to the basement
• Knape Hall: Move to the basement
• Lacks Center: Move to the basement
• Maintenance Building: Move to the basement of the Academic Building
• Meijer Hall: Move to the basement
• Performing Arts Center: Move to the Audience Chamber or the Black Room.
• Ravine Apartments (A, B, C and D): Move to the basement near Apartment 1.
• Regina Hall: Move to the basement - not to the lounge area
• St Joseph Hall: Move to the basement tunnel or first floor hallway
• Theater Arts Annex: Move to the basement of Jarecki/Lacks/Hauenstein
• Wege Center: Move to the tunnel that connects Wege and the Academic Building
• Willowbrook: Move to the basement
• Woodcock Hall: Move to the basement
• Woodward House: Move to the basement

Aquinas College complies with federal, state, and local laws including those which regulate the possession, use, and sale of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances. Additionally, the College complies with all regulations of the "Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988" and the "Drug Free Schools and Communities Act Amendment of 1989."
 
The following activities are prohibited on College premises or at College-sponsored activities:

• Distribution, possession or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance.
• Providing alcoholic beverages to individuals under 21 years of age, or possession of alcoholic beverages by individuals under 21 years of age.
• Illegal possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage, public intoxication, driving while intoxicated or under the influence of illegal or controlled substances, and drinking alcoholic beverages in an unlicensed public place.

The Student Code of Conduct and Residence Hall Regulations detail offenses and sanctions for students including probation, suspension, or dismissal from the College for such acts.
 
The Aquinas College Counseling, Health & Wellness Services Center provides assessment and assistance to students during mental health emergencies. Educational programs addressing alcohol and drug-related issues are co-sponsored by the Residence Life Department, Department of Campus Safety, Health & Wellness Services, Campus Ministry Department, College Counseling, Health & Wellness Services Center, and various student organizations.