Purpose:
Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) is committed to the welfare of its community, students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Accordingly, several procedures have been employed to maintain the safety and security of DSCC facilities and property.
Scope:
Safety and security policies are applicable at all DSCC owned facilities and on all DSCC owned property.
Policy:
DSCC is open to students, parents, employees, contractors, guests, and invitees during normal business hours (8:00 to 4:30 Monday through Friday, excluding holidays). Classroom buildings are open in the evenings when classes are in session until 9:30 pm or until the classes are dismissed.
Some facilities have individual hours, which may vary at different times of the year. Examples are the E. H. Lannom, Jr. Gymnasium, the Learning Resource Center or the campus bookstore. In these cases, the facilities will be secured according to schedules developed by the department responsible for the facility. Emergencies may necessitate changes or alterations to any posted schedules.
During non-business hours, access to all College facilities is by key, if issued, or by admittance via Campus Security. In the case of periods of extended closing, DSCC will admit only those with prior written approval to all facilities.
In some cases, part or all of the campus or centers, its buildings or facilities, are open to the general public for a designated time and purpose or when non-affiliated groups, organizations, or individuals have been granted approval by the Vice President for the College.
All persons (students, faculty, staff, visitors, and invitees) on campus or at the centers shall be subject to all DSCC and Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) rules and regulations and to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Additionally, all persons who operate motor vehicles on the campus or at the centers agree by such operation to be subject to DSCC and TBR rules, regulations, policies, and procedures on traffic and parking.
All persons on campus or at the centers shall provide adequate identification upon request to appropriate DSCC officials and security personnel (see DSCC policy 10:01:01:00 Campus Security for a listing of all Campus Security Authorities). Employees and students of the college who refuse to provide such identification may be subject to disciplinary action; other persons who refuse to provide such identification shall be requested to leave the campus or center and may be subject to lawful removal and prosecution.
Except for service animals, pets are not allowed inside DSCC buildings. Pets are allowed on campus property, but only under the following conditions:
• Pets must be leashed and under control at all times;
• Pets are not allowed on the athletic fields or in gardens at any time, even if leashed;
• The owner or person having possession or control of the pet must have a means to clean up after the pet; specifically, the means of removal of any fecal matter left by the pet;
• The owner is responsible for immediate cleanup of incidental damage caused by the pet (including digging damage). Cleanup should be thorough enough so as to generate no additional work for DSCC staff or inconvenience for members of the DSCC community or visitors.
Service Animals, See DSCC Policy 10:01:02:01 and TBR Policy 1:03:02:55 for additional information.
Excerpt from TBR Policy:
Service Animal Inquiries.
A. Faculty/Staff are NOT permitted to challenge the presence of a service animal on campus by inquiring about the owner/user’s disability, requiring medical documentation, a special identification card or training documentation for the animal, or ask that the animal demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.
B. 1. The person(s) authorized to inquire may ask two questions:
a. Is the service animal required because of a disability, and
b. What disability-related service has the animal been trained to provide?
Violations of any of the above conditions may result in expulsion of the pet or owner from campus property.
Safety and security have been considered in the landscape and lighting of the campus and centers. The Security Officer reports maintenance needs sighted during patrol to the Physical Plant Director at the Dyersburg campus. The Center Directors for Gibson County and Tipton County report maintenance needs for their centers to the Physical Plant Director. Areas that are revealed as problematic have security evaluations conducted of them. Administrators from the Dean’s Office, Physical Plant, and other concerned areas review these results. These evaluations examine security issues such as landscaping, locks, alarms, lighting, and communications.
Compliance:
Faculty, staff and students are required to submit to DSCC security and local law enforcement officials in all matters and are encouraged to employ good security habits.
Definitions:
Business Hours 8:00 to 4:30 Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
Service Animal Any animal that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability – Department of Justice, September 15, 2010.
Revision History:
Policy written February 2007. Policy revised September 2012; approved by Administrative Council on 9/27/12. Policy revised April 2019; approved by Administrative Council on 4/26/2019.