Behavior Intervention Team : 6:10:00:34

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  • Responsible Officers: Dean of Students; Executive Director of Human Resources
  • Responsible Executive: Executive Vice President for Student Success; Executive Vice President for Business and Finance

I. PURPOSE

  1. To maintain a safe educational and working environment for students, faculty, and staff, the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), has authorized Motlow State Community College (Motlow State) to create and maintain a campus Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT), pursuant to TBR Policy 7.02.00.00, in order to assess, intervene, and monitor potentially disruptive student, faculty, and staff behavior.
  2. The purpose of the BIT is to:
    1. Provide caring, preventative early intervention with students, faculty, and staff whose behavior is disruptive or concerning and additionally to consult with faculty, staff, and students reporting behaviors of concern.  The BIT is not punitive and is not a disciplinary board.
    2. Serve as a central point of contact for threat assessments involving students, faculty, and staff.  Although the BIT will respond to any campus emergency, most circumstances that are due to natural disaster or extreme threat will require immediate response from the Public Safety team, the President, and other applicable campus officials.  The threat assessment process can occur within the scope of BIT, using the NaBITA Threat Assessment Tool. 
    3. Maintain a database of, and track, persons and behavioral issues that are reported to and/or identified by the BIT committee.
    4. The BIT shall be charged with developing comprehensive fact-based assessments of students, faculty, and staff who may, without intervention, present a threat to Motlow State, its faculty and staff, students, visitors, or communities surrounding Motlow State’s campuses and shall be empowered to take appropriate action, consistent with TBR and Motlow State Policy as well as applicable laws.
    5. Recommend policies and procedures that encourage intervention, to maintain a safe learning environment.
    6. Establish communication protocol for all campuses, respecting the need for sensitivity and confidentiality for students, faculty, and staff.

II. APPLICABILITY & SCOPE

The applicability and scope of this policy, as well as the authority delegated to the BIT extends to all campuses of Motlow State, currently enrolled students, faculty, staff, as well as those interacting and/or present on Motlow State campuses.  When allegations relate to students, the Dean of Students shall oversee the assessment and resolution of concerns; when allegations concern faculty and/or staff, the Executive Director of Human Resources shall oversee the assessment and resolution of concerns. The BIT will also collaborate with other entities on campus to provide any recommended preventative actions for persons reviewed and assessed by the BIT.

III. IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING RISKS 

  1. All individuals are encouraged to be alert to the possibility of campus disruptions, particularly acts of violence.
  2. Faculty, staff, and students shall place safety as their highest concern and shall report all acts and threats of violence.
    1. Faculty, staff, and students may report concerns to the BIT using the  institution’s designated reporting tool.  If concerns are reported via phone, email, or in-person, they will be transcribed into the institution’s designated reporting tool.  Submissions will be assessed and forwarded to the appropriate Responsible Officer (as outlined in Section III of this policy), who will review and present the concern to the members of the BIT.
    2. All reports to the BIT will be handled in a confidential manner, to the extent required and/or permitted by law, with information released only on a need-to-know basis within the Motlow State community and in accordance with Federal and state laws and regulations.
    3. Every reasonable effort will be made to protect the safety and anonymity of anyone who comes forward with concerns about a threat or act of violence, subject to the limitations stated above in paragraph (III)(B)(1).
    4. Reporters shall be advised that this policy, as well as TBR Policy 7.02.00.00, strictly prohibits retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports acts or threats of violence pursuant to this or any other applicable law or policy as well as where to report allegations of retaliatory action they might experience so that the behavior can be corrected and prevented moving forward.
    5. The BIT will determine next steps and course of action, after assessment pursuant to the institution’s designated threat assessment tool and the Motlow State Emergency Response Guide.  

IV. COMPOSITION & MEMBERSHIP 

  1. The BIT will be a standing committee at Motlow State.  All term-limited members shall be appointed by their Executive Vice Presidents as outline below. 
  2.  At the discretion of the President, the BIT may include representatives from: 
    1. Office of Executive Vice President of Student Success or designee and the Assistant Vice President of Student Success & Services (Co – Chair); 
    2. Department of Human Resources (Co-Chair, One selected by the Executive Vice President for Business and Finance); 
    3. Division of Student Success (including the Dean of Students, the Resource and Advocacy, one Counseling Professional, one Disability Access Services staff member, and one Student Success Advisor selected by the Executive Vice President for Student Success)  
    4. Division of Academic Affairs (including; one Academic Dean and one faculty member selected by Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs or Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs) 
    5. Office of Organizational Compliance and Enrichment (one selected by the Executive Director of Organizational Compliance and Enrichment);  
    6. Public Safety Officer (One selected by the Executive Vice President for Business and Finance. 
  3. All appointments to the BIT shall continue until the individual either requests removal or are removed by their Executive Vice President. This policy is established to ensure consistent membership and to promote the efficient handling of BIT-related matters. 
  4. The BIT shall convene regularly, meeting twice per month and additionally as needed or in emergencies to review and discuss behavioral reports of concern. In the absence of reports requiring review, scheduled meetings will proceed and be utilized for training purposes, including the review of case studies or participation in professional development activities. This is intended to ensure ongoing preparedness, promote continuous learning, and support the effective management of behavioral concerns. 
  5. The BIT members shall, at least on an annual basis, receive relevant training regarding the role of the BIT on campus, reporting procedures, confidentiality requirements, policies and laws regarding student discipline, due process, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the institution’s designated Threat Assessment Tool. 
  6. The BIT is not a substitute for disciplinary actions, nor does it replace calling 911 for an emergency. 

CORRESPONDING POLICY

HISTORY

November 29, 2011; approved by the Leadership Council on November 4, 2016 (Renamed as the Institutional Oversight Committee)  

Revised: December 13, 2022; May 25, 2026 

Institutional Oversight Committee Approved: September 7, 2023; June 24, 2026 

President’s Cabinet Approved: September 15, 2023; July 14, 2026 

Effective Date: November 4, 2016; September 15, 2023; July 14, 2026 

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