6430P Missing Student Notification (Procedures)

Original: 8/25/2020 * Last Revision Effective: 8/25/2020
Policy Contact: Vice President, Administrative Services

Purpose

Bellevue College is committed to providing a safe environment for all students. These procedures set forth how the college will identify potentially missing students and provide appropriate notification to law enforcement and emergency contacts.

Procedures

If a member of the college community, including faculty, staff or students, has reason to believe that a student has been missing for 24 hours or more, a report must be made to the Bellevue College Public Safety Department and the local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the student resides. This applies regardless of the student’s age. This report can be made in person at BC Public Safety, by calling public safety (425.466.9365), or, in the case of a perceived life safety concern, by calling 911. If there are suspicious circumstances (e.g., notes left, social media posts, signs of a struggle), college authorities or law enforcement should be notified immediately. The college will cooperate, aid, and assist the primary investigative agency in all ways prescribed by law. All possible efforts will be made to locate the student to determine their state of health and well-being through the collaboration of public safety, student affairs, housing, the local law enforcement agency, and other organizations as needed.

A student may be considered missing if: 1) The student has been absent from class and campus and there are other indications that the student may be missing (e.g., an alert by another student, social media postings, evidence of troubled circumstances); 2) A college official, parent, suite mate, or cohort member reports that regular contact with the student has stopped with no explanation; 3) A known medical or health related concern exists and an unexplained absence occurs; 4) Residential staff believe that a student may be missing based upon absence from the residence or other information received by staff.

Welfare Check for Students Residing in On-campus Housing
If a staff member from BC Housing suspects, for any reason, that an on-campus resident is missing, they will notify public safety immediately. Housing staff will perform a routine health and wellness check of the student’s room (e.g., access system, room locks, room, roommate). Housing staff will then attempt to contact the student via all available contact information, including missing student and emergency contacts. If no contact has been made with the student and they have been verified to be missing for 24 hours or more, public safety will contact local law enforcement to file a formal missing person report.

College officials from housing, public safety or other departments will endeavor to determine the student’s whereabouts by contacting friends, family, associates, and/or employers of the student. Appropriate BC staff will make every effort to determine whether the student has been attending classes, labs, recitals, scheduled organizational or academic meetings or other college events, or has been appearing for scheduled work shifts.

After a student has been located, college officials will follow-up to determine whether they intend to return to classes and/or residency. When and where appropriate, a referral will be made to student affairs through the submission of a CARE Team reports.

Missing Student Contact
Students who reside in BC student housing and are under the age of 18 are required to identify a contact person for the college to notify in a missing student case. Students who reside in BC student housing and are 18 or older, or a legally emancipated minor, must identify a missing student contact person or opt-out of providing that information. Student residents should keep missing student contact information updated with housing. This information will not be disclosed outside of a missing student investigation or where otherwise warranted for legitimate concern over health and safety.

Notification to the listed missing student contact, or if none is listed, any known family member, will be made within 24 hours of the time public safety or the local law enforcement agency determines the student is missing.

Student Residing Off-campus
If a missing student lives off-campus, public safety will enlist the aid of local law enforcement in the jurisdiction where the student resides.

Revision History

Original Date 8/25/2020

Approved By

President’s Cabinet

 

 

 

Last Updated November 18, 2020