Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT)
Contact BITPlease download the Student of Concern Report Form (PDF), fill it out and bring it to the Judicial Affairs Office, C-216.You can reach the Behavioral Intervention Team via e-mail, bit@ramapo.edu. Student of Concern Report (PDF) |
Mission Statement
The mission of the Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is to coordinate the support services of Ramapo College in order to assist students who have reportedly displayed troublesome or disturbing behaviors on campus.
Purpose
BIT serves as a central network focused on caring prevention and early intervention for students experiencing serious distress or engaging in harmful/disruptive behaviors. This process provides the community with a tool and conduit with which to alert relevant campus authorities of their worry and concern for a student. BIT aims to intervene and assist these students in meeting their academic, personal, and professional goals at the College. The reported behaviors might relate to the safety and rights of others; therefore, the BIT may mobilize resources in order to minimize the disruption to the College and help prevent violence on campus. The Team will develop strategies for and provide consultation to the community when concerns arise about a students’ well-being or when there is behavior that is potentially harmful to self and/or others or is disruptive/threatening. BIT will regularly assess these situations in the community and recommend actions in accordance with existing college policies.
Responsibilities
- Receive and gather information about difficult situations involving students and “connect the dots.”
- Develop specific strategies to manage potentially harmful or disruptive behavior with regard to safety and rights of others and in order to minimize the disruption to the college community.
- Balance the needs of the student, faculty, or staff with those in the greater community.
- Make recommendations to college officials on appropriate action(s) consistent with college policies and procedures.
- Follow up with the referral person concerning next steps taken with the student (see header Potential Dispositions/Outcomes). Referral parties must understand that not all action steps will be discussed given the confidential nature of the information and what is permissible under the eyes of the law.
- Develop and disseminate informational materials focused on identification and prevention of disruptive behavior.
- BIT is not a crisis response team but acts in a proactive manner to assist students once identified and acts to prevent violence on campus.
Team Members
- Melissa Van Der Wall – Director, Judicial Affairs (chairperson)
- Linda Diaz – Director, Residence Life
- Dr. David C. Nast – Director, Office of Specialized Services
- Dr. Judith Green – Director, Center for Health and Counseling Services
- Vincent Markowski - Director, Department of Public Safety
- Dr. Samuel Rosenberg - Dean, Social Science and Human Services
As Needed Members
Other college officials may be asked to serve on the team in specific situations as needed. The Team will consult with the Deputy Attorney General as needed. The Team will meet every week during the regular academic year.
BIT Referral Process
Sometimes students do not ask for help when they need it. Members of the community may refer students of concern to BIT through numerous channels. The Student of Concern Report is accessible on the BIT website (see above). The Student of Concern Report should be downloaded, completed, and brought to the Office of Judicial Affairs, C-216. Members of the community may also contact BIT through calling or emailing the chairperson, bit@ramapo.edu, or 201.684.7869.
If you believe the student or community is in immediate danger, please contact the Department of Public Safety at 201-684-6666.
Chair Functions
BIT will be chaired by Melissa Van Der Wall, Director, Office of Judicial Affairs. The Chair’s functions will include, but are not limited, to the following:
- Will receive Student of Concern reports/referrals
- Set the agenda for meetings and training
- Facilitate meeting discussions and manage meeting time
- Make recommendations to the Director of Public Safety concerning Clery Act reportable crimes and instances that may result in a timely warning to the campus.
- Invite Ad-hoc members
- Follow-up with referral agent
- Record Retention
Members Responsibilities
- Attend meetings about potentially harmful situations in the community
- Determine disposition of BIT referrals
- Attend training
- Respond and implement dispositions/action steps from the Team meetings
- Assist in educating the community about the purpose and function of BIT
- The Team will discuss cases for an appropriate length of time and reach an acceptable resolution as determined by the Chair.
- The Team will consider specific issues including the assessment of potential violence, evidence of mental illness as the possible cause of the harmful behavior, containment of disruption, examination of environmental causes, and appropriate referral resources.
- No action recommended at this time, pending further observation
- Assist faculty or staff in developing a plan of action
- Referral to existing on-campus support resources (e.g., Center for Health and Counseling Services, Department of Public Safety, Office of Judicial Affairs, Office of Specialized Services)
- Referral to appropriate community resources
- Recommendation of parental notification
- Recommendation of a voluntary Medical Leave of Absence (MLOA)
- Recommendation of an Involuntary Leave of Absence
- Recommendation of an Interim Suspension
- Chair may discuss situations with faculty members
Depending on the circumstances, students who fail to comply with the dispositions of the BIT may be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs for disciplinary action.
Depending on the circumstances, The Associate Vice President for Student Affairs (or designee) may be notified when there is or there is believed to be a potential for a true campus emergency.
Dispositions that can be appealed are an Interim Suspension or an Involuntary Leave of Absence. If a student who is suspended on an interim basis through an Interim Suspension or an Involuntary Leave of Absence wishes to return to classes and/or residence, he or she may make an appointment to appear personally before the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee within five (5) business days from the effective date of the issuance. Please see the Student Handbook for more detailed information about the Interim Suspension and Involuntary Leave of Absence policies.
Right to Privacy
Ramapo College recognizes the importance of maintaining certain records for each student which contribute to and confirm the student’s educational progress. The College protects the rights of students regarding these records and has established policies and guidelines which describe the records maintained and provisions for releasing information. These rules conform to State and Federal laws (the U.S. Department of Education guidelines for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, known as the Buckley Amendment or FERPA.)
If the student referred to BIT is already receiving care at the Center for Health and Counseling Services or an outside mental health provider, information about that student’s relationship may not be obtained by the Team from those agencies without written authorization from the student in question, in accordance with Federal and State law.
Exceptions
Members of BIT may provide each other or faculty/staff involved in a particular case, or outside parties in connection with the situation (such as parents/guardian), with information in situations that concern protecting the health and safety of that student or others in the community. The College has the duty to warn members of the community when potentially harmful or dangerous situations have been reported and after a review by campus officials warrant such notification. In these situations, BIT may breach confidentiality in order to warn identified victims.
Official minutes and meeting records containing identifying data will be maintained in a confidential file in the Chair’s office.
This Statement of Purpose is based on documents created at William Paterson University and Cornell University, The University Counseling and Advising Network (UCAN) Alert Team Statement
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