Behavioral Intervention Team

By partnering with members of the community, the team strives to promote individual student  well-being and success while prioritizing community safety.

The Behavioral Intervention Team (B.I.T.) is a team that meets regularly to serve five major functions for the campus:

• Act in a proactive manner to assist students.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle all matters discreetly.
• Provide consultation and support to faculty and staff.
• Connect students with needed resources.
• Recommend interventions or sanctions.

• Increase identification of students whose behaviors are cause for concern.
• Centralize the process of collecting and assessing “red flags” raised by student behavior and documented by different sources within the college before there is a crisis.
• Discuss situations brought to the team’s attention by any member of the college community seeking guidance on disruptive and/or problematic behaviors that might lead to aggression or self-harm.
• Develop a coordinated plan to help students in crisis, mitigate risk, facilitate early intervention, and protect and maintain campus safety.
• Coordinate follow-up with the student to ensure that recommended services, support, and resources are deployed effectively.
• Protect the campus community in cases of imminent threats to self or others.

In general, any behavior that disrupts the learning environment of the campus community or causes concern for a student’s well-being should be reported.  Students who qualify for a B.I.T. referral are usually displaying one or more of the following behaviors:

• Personal safety concerns: Self-injurious behaviors/suicidal ideation/talk or attempt, depression, excessive crying, fatigue, change in appetite, disturbed or excessive sleeping, change in hygiene, negative thinking along themes of hopelessness or helplessness.
• Personal distress: Behaviors may include:  excessive absences, marked change in previous level of performance, significant relational/social isolation/withdrawal, confusion, disorientation, overwhelming anxiety, pacing, and impaired thinking.
• Erratic, disruptive, or disturbing behavior (including online activities) that is a disruption to other students, faculty, staff, or the community. Behaviors may include:  threats of a weapon on campus, campus safety being compromised, acting out, emotional outburst, loss of rationality, venting, screaming, swearing, high energy output, intimidation (verbal or nonverbal threatening).
• Suspicion of drug and alcohol use while on campus or student self-reports a dramatic increase in alcohol or drug use.

NOTE:  THE B.I.T. PROCESS DOES NOT REPLACE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT PROCESS, AND/OR CAMPUS POLICE RESPONSES TO INCIDENTS.

It is the responsibility of individuals within the campus community to immediately report any concerning behaviors. Each report will be reviewed for appropriate action.  There are two ways an individual can be referred to the B.I.T.:

• Complete the secure, online Share-A-Concern report.
• Make a report directly to one of the B.I.T. members.

The Share-A-Concern report is used to notify the BIT when a student is exhibiting concerning behavior that could escalate into harm to themselves or someone else in the campus community. It is also appropriate to file a Share-A-Concern report simply to alert the BIT about a concern you may have for the general well-being of a student who may benefit from a social service or mental health referral.

When a Share-A-Concern report is submitted, the Chair of the BIT will email the sender a notification that the report was received. If needed, the Chair will contact the sender to request additional supporting information. The Chair will then meet with the student of concern to discuss the incident and provide the student an opportunity to respond to the information provided in the report.

The Chair of BIT will then bring the Share-A-Concern report to the BIT to review the information provided and devise an intervention plan. The Chair will communicate to the sender that the BIT is addressing the concern. The Chair will also meet with the student to discuss the implementation of the interventions. At the conclusion of the intervention, the sender and student(s) will both receive a response. Please note that details of the intervention will not be shared with the sender unless necessary.

Sender and student receive response

• Using a collaborative approach, the B.I.T. identifies concerning behaviors early and plans interventions that balance student support with campus safety.
• Provides consultation to staff and faculty.

Anyone within the campus community may report a concern about a student via the Share-A-Concern report. Faculty or professional staff members may also file a Share-A-Concern report, or simply consult with a member of the BIT.

We encourage members of the campus community to file a Share-A-Concern report in any instance in which they have a concern about the safety or wellbeing of any student. If you observe behavior that raises concern that a student may pose a danger to self, others, or the college community, or if you encounter a concern about the general welfare of a student, it is always appropriate to file a Share-A-Concern report.

Whenever possible, you should express your concern(s) directly with the student.  However, should you have any concern about your safety or the safety of others, your best course of action for the safety of all involved is to access intervention from a member of B.I.T.

You can always contact a member of the B.I.T. for consultation on a concern.  These individuals can provide tips, ideas, and resources on how to approach a situation. 

You are registering a concern based on an observed behavior (e.g., verbal exchange, action, etc.), not making a determination.  By alerting the appropriate campus representatives, a professional determination can be made.  Let the B.I.T. weigh the information and determine if gathering more information is warranted.

Although the action/outcome will depend upon the situation, B.I.T. will intervene in support of the person of concern, as well as in support of college policies and procedures.

The B.I.T. will address every report that is brought to the committee. Interventions by B.I.T. members typically involve handling of confidential information, so those filing reports will not necessarily know the resolution of a situation.  If you continue to have concerns about the situation, please contact a member of the Behavioral Intervention Team or the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.

Yes, you can; however, the B.I.T. strongly encourages members of the campus community to identify themselves when reporting concerns in the event further information is needed to intervene.  In any case, the identities of those who report to the B.I.T. are kept confidential in the event there is a safety concern.

The BIT will attempt to handle all matters discreetly. A student who is the subject of a Share-A-Concern report will be given specific information about the behaviors/actions/concerns so they can respond to the reported concern. Therefore, it is possible that a student may know who made the report through the circumstances described to them.

The reports are managed by the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs and reviewed by the B.I.T. members when appropriate.  Student Disciplinary Records which include records related to the Student Code of Conduct and records related to the Academic Integrity Policy are considered part of a student’s educational record.  Such records are maintained in accordance with the 1974 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

All Student Disciplinary Records are maintained for seven years after last date of attendance of the student.  If a student is assigned the sanction of expulsion, the Student Disciplinary Record will remain on file indefinitely.  If the student has not met the conditions for re-enrollment after a separation from the College, the Student Disciplinary Record may be kept on file until the sanction is removed, but only if the period of time meets the criteria above.

• When the threatening behavior is immediate and direct, call Campus Police at extension 3911.
• When the behavior is best handled through usual classroom management techniques.
• When it is clearly a case of student misconduct best handled through the usual student conduct process.

We welcome all questions and suggestions.  To do so, please contact a member of the B.I.T. or the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.

• Poor class attendance
• Desired major not offered
• Academic difficulties
• Considering withdrawing from classes
• Disruptive classroom behaviors
• Disturbing written materials/class discussion
• Low motivation
• Alcohol or drugs
• Self-harm behaviors
• Depression
• Disordered eating behaviors
• Anxiety
• Mood swings
• Obsessively suspicious/paranoid
• Significant changes in appearance or behaviors
• Suicidal thoughts/attempt
• Homicidal thoughts/thoughts of hurting others
• Bizarre/disjointed thoughts
• Desire to be with friends/lonely
• Relationship problems
• Engagement/marriage
• Negative attitude
• Unhappy with spiritual life
• Unhappy with social life
• Family stress
• Inappropriate display of anger/negative emotions
• Harassment
• Abuse
• Communicating threats
• Display or use of weapon
• Missing student (after multiple attempts to contact)
• Physical attack
• Health problems