Timely Warnings & Crime Alerts Middlebury VT Campus

Middlebury College, VT Campus

The Department of Public Safety, or other site-specific designee at a non-campus building, will issue timely warnings regarding reported crimes that are reported to Middlebury by CSAs, local law enforcement, or others and that are considered by Middlebury to represent a serious and ongoing threat to students and/or employees. Any member of the Middlebury community who knows of a crime or reported crime should report that information as soon as possible to the Middlebury College Department of Public Safety and on-site director or designee at a non-campus location so that, if warranted, a timely warning can be issued. Public Safety or designees will not distribute warnings that could compromise criminal investigations. Note, institutions are not required to provide a timely warning with respect to crimes reported to a pastoral or professional counselor.

Criminal incidents that might prompt a timely warning include the Clery crimes: aggravated assault, arson, burglary, manslaughter by negligence, motor vehicle theft, murder/non-negligent manslaughter, robbery, rape, fondling, incest, statutory rape, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and hate crimes, as defined in the Crime Statistics section. Other criminal incidents may prompt a community notice depending on the circumstances. If there is an immediate threat to the health or safety of the campus community, Middlebury will follow its emergency notification procedures. Middlebury is not required to issue a timely warning based on the same circumstances. However, Middlebury must provide adequate follow up information to the community as needed.

Whether to issue a timely warning will be determined on a case-by-case basis in light of all the facts surrounding the reported crime. The determination will be made by the Public Safety Director or her designee. The Public Safety Director or designee may, at their discretion, consult with others as deemed appropriate (e.g., the Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students, Vice President of Human Resources and Chief People Officer, Vice President of Administration and Chief Risk Officer, the Civil Rights and Title IX Coordinator, Vice President for Communications and Chief Marketing Officer, Executive Vice President and Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Language Schools). The following criteria will determine whether timely warnings will be issued:

• The nature of the crime
• The continuing danger to the campus community
• The possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts

The warning will include information that would promote safety and aid in the prevention of similar crimes. Middlebury will withhold as confidential the names and other identifying information of victims. The warning will be issued to the entire campus community via email. Depending on the circumstances of the crime or threat, the Public Safety Department may post the notices in the residence hall(s) or academic building(s) and may issue the timely warning by text message. Middlebury may also issue warnings to the campus community when other situations pose safety concerns (see the Emergency Response section, below), or otherwise as deemed appropriate. In its annual letter to local law enforcement agencies, Middlebury requests that local law enforcement inform the institution on an immediate basis of crimes that may require timely warnings.