Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of students. Once a housing application has been received by Residence Life, staff is not permitted to share resident housing information with anyone other than the student unless the student has submitted a release of information in eRezLife.

The mission of the Whatcom Community College Campus Safety and Security is to provide and maintain a safe and welcoming environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This is accomplished by maintaining a community-friendly approach that recognizes the value of a diverse community.

Campus Safety and Security collaborates with all members of the Campus Community to preserve life, protect property, investigate crime, and promote individual responsibility.

Campus Safety and Security works closely with Residence Life staff to ensure the safety and security of all residents and visitors to Cedar Hall. Trained Residence Life staff are on call 24 hours a day to respond to emergencies and crisis situations. WCC partners with the City of Bellingham’s Police and Fire Departments for emergency services.

Cedar Hall residents have a key role in maintaining a safe campus community by taking personal responsibility for their own actions and safety.

Students, faculty, and staff are highly encouraged to sign up to receive Whatcom Alert messages to your personal email account and personal cell phone number in case of an emergency. Login and update your information here.

Whatcom Safety and Security will notify the campus community in times of emergency via the Whatcom Alert system. This system includes the following communication outlets: test, email, computer desktop alerts, building annunciation thorough phone and speakers, public website (whatcom.edu) and social media. Please note: Do not reply to Whatcom Alert emails or text messages. Please wait for additional information to be sent. If you have an emergency call 9-1-1.

If you observe a crime in progress, immediately call 9-1-1. Do not approach the situation. Be prepared to provide a description of the situation, of the person(s) involved, and where the crime is occurring. Stay at a safe distance! If this is a crime occurring in our around Cedar Hall; and/or involving a fellow Cedar Hall resident, please contact a Residence Life staff person as soon as possible.

If you feel that you are victim; know of a crime that may have occurred; or have emergent concerns for your personal safety, call 9-1-1. Please contact Residence Life staff as a soon as possible.

If you believe you have been the target of a hate crime or bias incident that has occurred while on campus or by another member of the campus community, please inform a staff member immediately. If you have this experience off campus unrelated to the WCC campus community, you are encouraged to call 9-1-1 immediately.

Any person concerned that a resident might be missing is required to notify a Residence Life staff person. A resident may be considered missing when the student has been absent from Cedar Hall for 24 hours or longer without giving notice of absence or responses to communications to connect with Residence Life staff. The college will follow the institution’s missing student policy which may include contacting the parent of a student of any age, whether the parent is listed as an emergency contact.

When a parent or friend inquires about a student who has been unreachable, Residence Life staff may perform a courtesy visit to the suite. If the resident is located, they will be encouraged to contact the individual trying to reach them. Due to the federal privacy laws, we will not be able to confirm with the parents, friends, or other individuals that the resident has been located. College staff may enter a room if there is legitimate concern about the immediate health or safety of a student. Otherwise, we do not enter a unit to check up on students.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention, call 9-1-1. Inform a Residence Life staff member right away or ask someone to contact them for you. When calling 9-1-1 be prepared to give the emergency dispatcher as much information as possible, including your address and a description of the emergency. Staff are not permitted to transport residents to the hospital.

WCC is an inviting campus atmosphere and experiences visits from neighbors, tourists, and travelers.

Although WCC’s campus is in a safe community, crimes can occur. Most incidents are crimes of opportunity due to an unlocked vehicle or an unattended bag. To lessen these opportunities and to help prevent theft, lock our car door, remember to keep your suite doors closed, shut windows when leaving; and secure all valuables by storing them out of view and never leaving them unattended when in common spaces outside your suite. Remember to close your window blinds to maintain privacy.

Avoid walking alone at night. Be mindful of the area and others around you and remember to stay on well-lit paths when traveling at night.

Do not loan your keycard or keys to anyone and never prop open any exterior doors at Cedar Hall. When entering the building, do not allow anyone you do not know to follow you in or enter the building as you leave. If someone does, notify a Residence Life staff member immediately. Before you leave Cedar Hall, look outside, and report any concerning persons before exiting the building.

While inside or outside Cedar Hall, if you are approached by someone or observed behavior by someone that makes you feel unsafe, trust your instincts, and walk away. Inform a staff person immediately and/or call 9-1-1.

In all matters of concerning behavior or criminal activity, you are encouraged to submit a WCC Incident report. A staff person can help you with this process.

In the case of a fire or smoke:

• Remain calm. Call 9-1-1
• If it is safe to do so, exit the building immediately. Do not re-enter a burning building to retrieve possessions. If fire or smoke is visible, stay low to the ground and exit away from the fire.
• As you exit, attempt to warn others.
• If there is no smoke in your room, and your doorknob is hot to the touch, do not exit. Open your window, stuff towels under door, and wait for emergency responders to reach you.
• Gather in the field behind the building.
• Once in a safe location, contact Residence Life staff.

During the quake:

• Remain calm. Do not panic or run.
• Stay where you are – indoors, outdoors, or in a car.
• If indoors, immediately drop, cover, and hold on. Drop low to the ground, get under a heavy table or desk or against an inside corner wall away from windows, mirrors, or heavy objects. Cover your head. Watch for objects that could fall on you such as light fixtures, books, furniture, or bricks.
• Wait until the shaking stops before moving.
• Once shaking stops, immediately exit the building. Do NOT use elevators. Get a safe distance away from the building. If you are unable to use the stairs, wait near the elevator and ask someone to inform Residence Life staff. If you are in a wheel chair, position yourself against the wall and lock your brakes. If an aftershock occurs, cover your head. There is an Evacu-Chair located on the fourth floor. This device may be used to safely carry one person at a time down the stairs.
• If outdoors, avoid tall buildings, trees, power lines and other objects that could fall. Move to an open area if possible. Drop to the ground and cover your head. Wait for the shaking to stop.

  After the quake:

• Check yourself first. You may be injured without realizing it.
• Think before you move. Use common sense and do not take any risks out of panic.
• Be prepared for aftershocks. Wait until all motion has stopped before cautiously exiting.

After the quake, walk to the Cedar Hall field. Attempt to group together with your suitemates and your floor. You will receive further directions and information from staff at the location.

A lockdown is a security measure taken during an emergency to prevent people from leaving or enter a building. In the event of a lockdown at Cedar Hall:

Cedar Hall residents, staff and visitors should:

• If in your suite, stay where you are, lock your door.
• If you are in the open common area, get to a room and secure yourself by locking or by barricading the door.
• If you are outside the building, leave the area and seek a safe location away from campus.
• Remain calm and quiet.
• Stay away from windows and doors.
• Do not open doors for any reason.
• Close window blinds.
• Turn off lights, computer monitors, and music.
• Turn cell phones to silent and refrain from using except for emergency notification.
• Assist persons with disabilities or injuries who may be in need.

  Remain in place, even if a fire alarm has been activated, unless:

• An “all clear” message has been delivered through the College’s Emergency Notification System or by emergency personnel
• You are in immediate danger
• A fire is an immediate threat
• You are instructed to leave by a uniformed emergency personnel (police, fire, campus safety and security, etc.)

In the event of a power outage, residents should remain calm and use the flashlight on their phone. If you are in an unlit area, proceed cautiously to an area with emergency lighting and remain in the area until you hear from a Residence Life staff member.

Residents in an elevator should remain calm and use the emergency call button or telephone to alert Residence Life staff. In the event of a building wide power outage, the front desk will serve as the central communication center for residents until power is restored.

For your safety, do not exit the building during high winds. Live electrical wires, debris and falling trees may create a danger.

All residents are required to participate in all fire evacuation drills and other emergency drills conducted in Cedar Hall.

Critical Signs and Symptoms of an Overdose

• Mental confusion, stupor, coma, or person is unresponsive
• Vomiting, especially while unconscious
• Seizures
• Slow breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute)
• Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
• Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness

  What Should You Do If You Suspect Someone Has Overdosed?

• Do not wait for all symptoms to be present.
• Be aware that a person who has passed out may die.
• Do not try to guess whether medical care is needed.
• If there is any suspicion of an overdose, call 9-1-1 immediately and inform a Residence Life staff member.

  What can happen to someone during an overdose if they do not receive assistance?

• Victim can choke on his or her own vomit. To prevent this, roll the victim to their side and wait for help to arrive.
• Breathing slows, becomes irregular, or stops.
• Heart beats irregularly or stops.
• Hypothermia (low body temperature).
• Hypoglycemia (too little blood sugar) leads to seizures.
• Severe dehydration from vomiting can cause seizures, permanent brain damage, or death.

Even if the victim lives, an overdose can lead to irreversible brain damage. Rapid binge drinking (which often happens during drinking games, on a bet, or a dare) is especially dangerous because the victim can ingest a fatal dose before becoming unconscious.

1 in 10 college students experience a rape or sexual assault while pursuing their degree. While this statistic is shocking, we can all help to lower it by responding appropriately to consent or lack of consent and taking care of each other in times of crisis.

What is consent?

When someone gives consent, they are giving permission for something to happen or agreeing to do something. This means they need to know exactly what they are agreeing to so be clear in your request.

• Always ask for consent before you begin any kind of sexual activity, including kissing and cuddling, even if the person has consented in the past.
• Your partner might not give you a clear “no” if they are not interested by that does not mean they are saying “yes.” “Um…I guess,” is an indication they do not really want to do what you are asking them to.
• Pay attention to your partner’s body language. If they pull away, tense up or look comfortable you should check in. For example, “You don’t seem to be into this. Do you want to stop?”
• Sometimes your partner will say “no” to engaging in sexual activity. Reassure them that you are glad they can be honest with you and respond appropriately, “That’s OK. Maybe another time.”
• Consent matters. Talking about what your partner wants to do ensures that sex is consensual and makes it more enjoyable. Your partner will feel more comfortable being close to you.

  So, you know how to practice consent, but how do you go about caring for someone if they have experienced sexual assault?

  Critical Signs and Symptoms of Sexual Assault

• Shock, guilt, confusion, anger, fear, helplessness, and depression are common responses to sexual assault. These are your cues to check in on your friend and ask them if they are okay and offer to listen.
• A student may have difficulty concentrating on schoolwork. She/he may withdraw from class discussion and interaction with peers or may stop coming to class entirely.
• Some students may experience flashbacks, especially when unpredictable triggering events happen in the world around them.
• Weight loss, poor hygiene, sleeplessness, jumpiness, paranoia, and not wanting to be touched can all be signs of sexual assault.

  What should you do if you suspect someone has been sexually assaulted?

• Offer support. Offer to call someone they trust or reach out to a confidential resource. Do not ask too many, or detailed questions, just listen to them. You do not need to know the details, your focus is on supporting the person. Do not blame the victim (e.g. he/she/they was asking to be raped if he/she/they wore those clothes, went to the perpetrator’s room, was drinking, walked home alone).
• Offer to help the victim in getting medical help. Even if they feel fine, injuries can appear long after the incident. Remember, it is not your place to force the person to get medical help, just make sure they know that you support them in seeking help if they want to.
• Tell someone. Encourage the person to report the incident to a WCC staff member. This helps the college respond appropriately and ensures a safe living and learning environment for everyone. There is no time limit for reporting an incident to the College. Reporting can be confidential and does not have to result in a police report.
• Preserve evidence. Police and nurse examiners are in the best position to secure evidence of a crime. If the victim wants to seek medical support, they can assist in collecting physical evidence, ideally within the first 24 hours. The victim can preserve evidence by refraining from: taking a shower, brushing teeth, eating, or drinking. If they change clothes, keep those clothes in a paper bag.
• See something? Say something? Pay attention to cues, comments, instincts, and experiences.
• Listen. Do not attempt to “take control,” since they victim already feels a loss of control.
• Control your own feelings. The victim is allowed to feel however they feel in the moment, and the best thing you can do is stay calm.

  What can happen to someone who has experienced an assault that goes unaddressed?

• Injuries, such as internal bleeding
• Pregnancy
• Sexually transmitted viruses
• Self-harm/suicidal thoughts or actions
• Repeated assault or other violence
• Depression, anxiety, PTSD

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex. Sex discrimination includes all forms of sexual misconduct (such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, and stalking). Title IX also prohibits discrimination based on a person’s LGBTQIA+ identity, pregnancy or parenting status, or marital status. Washington State prohibits discrimination against those that identify as Transgender or non-binary.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination consisting of unwelcome, gender-based verbal, written, electronic, and/or physical conduct. Sexual harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s gender.

Examples that may qualify as sexual harassment include:

• Persistent comments or questions of a sexual nature
• An instructor who promises a student a better grade in exchange for sexual favors
• Unwelcome touching, patting, hugging, kissing, or brushing against an individual’s body
• Unwelcome letters, emails, texts, telephone calls, or other communications referring to sexual activities

  What is Sexual Violence?

  Sexual violence is a type of sexual discrimination and harassment. All the below are types of sexual violence:

• Nonconsensual sexual intercourse – any intercourse with an object, by a person upon another person, which is not consensual
• Nononsensual sexual contact – any intentional sexual touching, however slight, by a person, upon another person, which is not consensual
• Domestic violence – asserted violence by the victim’s current or former spouse, domestic partner, or family member
• Dating violence – violence by a person who has been in a romantic or intimate relationship with the victim
• Stalking – intentional and repeated harassment or following of another person, which places the person in a reasonable fear that the perpetrator intends to injure, intimidate, or harass the person

How to report sexual misconduct at WCC

Our Title IX Coordinator has ultimate oversight for the College’s compliance with Title IX. This person’s job is to receive and assess all reports from the entire college, and make sure people are connected to the resources they need. They can also answer any questions you may have about sexual misconduct, sexual assault, or gender-based violence. Title IX Coordinator, by phone: (360) 383-3400 or email: titleIX@whatcom.edu

Support

Students may receive professional, confidential no-cost crisis counseling services at the local Counseling Center, located in Laidlaw 116. The phone number is (360) 383-3080 and email is counseling@whatcom.edu

Campus Safety & Security provides free after hours escort services. Call (360) 715-2418 if you feel unsafe walking to your car or around campus by yourself.

In some cases, Residence Life can assist residents in moving to another room permanently or as a temporary measure. Contact a Residence Life staff member to inquire about this process.

Suicidal Thoughts or Actions

Critical Signs and symptoms of suicidality

• Talking about wanting to die or kill oneself
• Talking about feelings hopeless or having no purpose
• Talking about feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Increasing use of alcohol or drugs
• Acting anxious, agitated, or reckless
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge

  What should you do if you suspect someone is suicidal?

• Do not leave the person alone. Call for help from a Residence Life staff member. Staff can assist in getting the person the resources they need.
• Listen. Do not debate or minimize their feelings.
• Remain calm. A person in crisis is not likely to be dangerous, although they may trigger your fear response.

  What can happen to someone in extreme distress that goes unaddressed?

• Self-harm/harm to others
• Escalation of symptoms or dangerous behaviors
• Inability to focus on studies and be successful in school