Policies and Protocols
Policies and Protocols for Student Health and Safety
In order to ensure student health and safety as much as possible, all participants in off-campus opportunities at 91制片厂 are required to abide by the policies and protocols listed on the right.
Questions can be directed the Agape Center for Local and Global Engagement at agapecenter@messiah.edu or 717.796.1800 x7255
A variety of situation-specific protocols are also available to help navigate certain situations:
A variety of offices at 91制片厂 can provide information on appropriate and compassionate response to a victim of sexual assault, including:
· Human Resources and Compliance at 717.796.5300 or ACoffey@messiah.edu.
· Department of Safety at 717.691.6005
· Division of Student Success and Engagement (Doug Wood) at 717.796.5234 or DWood@messiah.edu.
· Or, if the student requires anonymous reporting, The Engle Health & Counseling Center (Aubrey Kleinfeld) at 717.766.2511 x6035 or Akleinfe@messiah.edu
Any of these offices can assist in responding to an assault, moving the process forward, and overseeing the documentation process.
Victims of sexual assault may be men or women. Ninety-nine percent of perpetrators are male regardless of the victim's gender. In this document the victim is referred to as "her," with the acknowledgement that this is for the sake of clarity and continuity.
In the event a sexual assault occurs during your supervision of an off-campus trip, you may be called upon by the victim to provide assistance and referral for medical, emotional, and legal care. Following are some steps that administrators and trip leaders should take pre-assault and post-assault:
Pre-departure
- Discuss the issues with students before departing. Make sure at pre-departure orientation the issue of sexual assault is addressed. Emergency contact information and other materials should be given to students and there should be written verification that they received them. This is primarily done through 91制片厂's online application system, Terra Dotta, coordinated and administered by the Intercultural Office.
- Keep a current file. All information regarding what to do and who to contact should be kept in an easily accessible file and updated so that it is always current.
- Discuss the importance of notification. Let students know that reporting any type of gender based harm, including sexual assault, is considered courageous and will be met with empathy. The University will advocate on behalf of the victim as is deemed appropriate.
- After Assault - The first concern is always the immediate physical and emotional well being of the student, but there are many post assault related issues. There is no typical reaction to being sexually assaulted. Victims present with varying affect and concerns. Some victims cry, some appear blunted, and some express rage. Be empathetic and accepting and take the following steps:
- Let the student make decisions. The victim may feel helpless and powerless. Allowing the victim to make decisions regarding her emotional and physical well-being helps to re-establish her feeling of self-determination. Ask her clear and focused questions and accept her choices, "Do you want to go to the police?" "Where would you like to stay tonight?" "Who do you want to stay with?" Honor her decisions even if they conflict with your beliefs.
- Be supportive. Remember your first priority is to be supportive. Do not attempt to persuade the student to follow a certain course of action or try to force her to do something she doesn't want to do. Maintain your role as advocate for the choices she makes. Provide an empathetic and compassionate listening ear. Be careful to avoid questions that may insinuate blame or guilt such as, "How could you go to a place like that?" or "Why would you go out with a man you barely know?" Remember, sexual assault is a crime of power and she is a victim of the crime. The victim may feel embarrassment, shame, anger, anxiety, fear, and helplessness. Accept her feelings by actively listening to her concerns and validating her decision to seek out help.
- Make sure the student feels safe. Help to restore a sense of security for the student. If she does not feel safe in her room or with her host family, arrange for her to stay in a hotel with a friend. Allow the student to tell you what she thinks would make her feel safe. Explore suggested options with the student.
- Activate your contact list. After you have spoken with the student using the above guidelines, make contact with other entities as appropriate and based on the student's wishes.
91制片厂 24-hour Dispatch Office. Dispatch has a call tree of on-campus administrators who will be notified, including:
- Director of the Agape Center for Local & Global Engagement
- Vice Provost
- Dean of Students
- VP of Operations
- VP of Human Resources and Compliance
- Director of Safety
- Director of the Counseling Center
- Other administrators as appropriate.
Closest US Embassy or Consulate. Consular officers are available around the clock to help the students obtain medical care, explain the local criminal justice process, and connect students to local and U.S.-based resources. Embassy or consulate staff can help the student understand whether police agencies may handle an investigation differently-slower (or not at all), less delicately, or otherwise-than police in the United States. Regardless, documentation of as much information as possible, as quickly as possible is very important. Note that consular officers cannot investigate crimes or provide legal advice.
Local police. Many foreign law enforcement agencies will not begin to investigate unless a report has been filed. If possible, students should ask for a copy of the police report.
Suggest the student call their parents or guardians.
Remind the student of resources available upon returning to campus.
Provide accompaniment. Someone of her choosing should accompany the student on assault related follow-up: to the hospital, to the police station, to her apartment, etc.
Maintain a level of confidentiality. Let her know you are obligated to contact the University and report the incident. Advise the student who you're calling and why. Allow her to choose whether or not to contact additional support and resources.
Document everything. Take copious notes. Create a chronology of events. What you want to capture is the following:
- A description of the assault: who, where, when, how. Include date and time.
- Location of medical facility and date/time taken there. Record what was said between the medical staff, the student, and whoever else is present.
- The time of each of your contacts and what transpired.
- Document the conversations you have with the student. Identify who is present, what's discussed, and what decisions the student makes.
- Date and time the US Embassy/Consulate and local police are notified. Document what transpires between the student and the police.
- Keep documenting until the designated University contact tells you to stop.
Support other students on trip. Call the student group together to communicate a difficult situation has taken place that is protected by confidentiality. Students should be encouraged to not speculate on the incident, nor communicate back to family, friends, or the public in general (via Facebook, email or otherwise) about the facts or perceptions of the incident. Designate a secondary on-site leader or in-country partner to provide care and support to the student group while the primary on-site leader continues to support the impacted student(s).
Work with University administrators to determine next steps. Keep an open line of communication with the University to determine how to appropriate determine next steps as the situation continues to develop and evolve.
This document is a condensed version of the U.S. Peace Corps "Rape Response Handbook" which can be found at the Center for Global Education website:
Verify ID. Verify identity of student.
Gather information. Gather as much information as possible about the circumstances surrounding the student's death. Be sure to gather and keep any receipts for expenditures relating to incident for insurance reimbursement.
Begin written log. Begin a written log of communications and actions as the crisis progresses. Include as many details as possible about location, timing of events, and witnesses. Itemize all steps taken before, during and after the death.
Notify 91制片厂 Dispatch Office. Notify the 24 Hour Dispatch Office at 91制片厂 (717.766.2515), which will contact the appropriate University individuals. It is critically important to leave phone and fax number where you can be most easily reached over the next 24 - 48 hours.
Notify U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Notify the U.S. Embassy or Consulate of student's death. Request name of the U.S. Consular Officer assigned to the case. If deceased student is not a U.S. Citizen, work with University to notify appropriate Embassy.
Request witness statements. Request that all students and affected participants prepare signed and dated witness statements while details are still fresh in their minds.
Obtain death certificate. Obtain a foreign death certificate (will be issued in the local language) and provide essential information for preparation of the consular "Report of Death of an American Citizen Abroad." (Reports of Death can take as long as six weeks to be completed.) Your Consular Officer will assist with this process. The latter is generally the preferred document for any legal proceedings in the United States.
Communicate with 91制片厂 on-campus liaison. Consult 91制片厂 liaison to assure family has been notified.
Arrange for repatriation. Consult with the Agape Center for Local & Global Engagement (who will be in contact with the family) and U.S. Consular Services in arranging for embalming and repatriation of remains. To facilitate U.S. Customs clearance and satisfy U.S. Public Health requirements, the remains should be embalmed and accompanied by a consular mortuary certificate, a foreign death certificate (if available), an affidavit of the foreign funeral director, and a transit permit.
- Mortuary Certificate and Affidavit. The U.S. Consular Officer will ensure that the required consular mortuary certificate and affidavit is executed by the local (overseas) funeral director. This affidavit attests to the fact that the casket contains only the remains of the deceased and the necessary clothing and packing materials.
- Transit permit. In addition, the U.S. Consular Officer will ensure that a transit permit accompanies the remains. The transit permit is issued by local health authorities at the port of embarkation.
- Transportation. Receive and assist parents and/or designated university official (with airport pick-up and accommodations) arriving to accompany body back to the U.S.
- Bill of Lading. If the remains are not accompanied by a passenger, a bill of lading must be issued by the airline company to cover the transport.
- Student belongings. Arrange to have student belongings shipped home to family.
Arrange in-country care for remaining students:
- Group meeting. Call student group together to communicate accurate information about the student's death along with resources which will be made available to students for processing their grief.
- In-country pastoral/counseling care. Designate second on-site leader or an in-country resource to provide pastoral care to the student group as the primary on-site leader is occupied with logistical arrangements surrounding the death.
Discuss options. Consult with the Agape Center for Local & Global Engagement (who will consult appropriate on-campus administrators) to determine whether the experience should continue or be cancelled.
- If canceled, work with the Agape Center for Local & Global Engagement to arrange flights home for students.
- If applicable, consider extending course work deadlines and deferring assessments/exams as appropriate.
Media coverage. Do not speak with the U.S. or host country press corps. All statements to the press will be made by and referred to 91制片厂's Director of Public Relations. It is critically important that public statements be factually correct, are not contradictory, and do not speculate as to blame or liability.
Final written summary. Upon returning home, the faculty leader should finalize the written summary of all critical events and submit copies to the Agape Center for Local & Global Engagement, University Counsel, the Provost's Office and the Vice President for Finance.
For cross-cultural courses where students participate in home-stays:
- General guidelines:
- Assure students have a means of communicating with leader during home stay
- Do not send students to a home-stay where a family member is exhibiting signs of illness
- Err on the side of health, not cultural sensitivity or academics
- If student exhibits signs of illness prior to or during home-stay
- Exempt student from home-stay experience
- Initiate Protocol for Illness
- If home-stay family member exhibits signs of illness:
- Student immediately contacts leader
- Leader arranges to bring student back to main location
- If leader is able to find an alternate home-stay for student, they will be relocated. If not, student will be exempt from home-stay experience.
Although not frequent, natural disasters and, more recently, terrorist activity, can occur when traveling internationally. It is prudent for all cross-cultural and service trip leaders to plan in advance for a possible crisis situation so that students and educators on your trip will know how to respond in the event of a natural disaster or terrorism. This would include:
Pre-departure - Make sure students know in advance
- Discuss with students in advance what they should do if terrorism or natural disaster would occur (who to contact, where to meet).
- Establish a central meeting place (a location to shelter in place or to regroup).
- Provide students with instructions on how to contact the leader (text, email, phone call).
If an incident occurs - Make sure students are safe and accounted for
- Stay calm- students will take their cue through you.
- Make contact with all students to:
- Ask them to provide their location and their safety status.
- Give them instructions on where to meet up with the group.
- Evaluate physical and psychological condition of students.
- Obtain medical treatment if needed.
- Find a location to "shelter in place" or move students to a safe location as appropriate.
- Contact the Agape Center (during business hours) or 91制片厂 Dispatch Office (after hours) as soon as possible to confirm current safety status.
- Agape Center: 717.766.2511 X 7255 - agapecenter@messiah.edu
- Dispatch Office:717.691.6005 - dispatch@messiah.edu
- Notify the closest US Embassy.
- Determine if you have adequate food, housing, water and access to medical treatment and for how long.
- Consider multiple methods of communication with students and campus since in a crisis situation telephone, cell phone, or electricity may be compromised.
- Keep accurate notes for when you file your incident report.
- Note any imminent risk to students, advice from US Embassy, curfew or travel restrictions imposed by host city.
Once situation is stabilized - Follow up to ensure continued support
- Work with the Agape Center and Engle Health Center to determine what, if any, emotional support is needed.
- Work with the Agape Center to determine what correspondence needs to go to families and other offices on campus.
- File an incident report
- If contacted by the media, please refer all requests for interviews to Danielle Ran and Carla Gross in the Marketing and Public Relations Office and notify the Agape Center.