Behavioral Intervention Team
Any college-related conduct or behavior that prevents any student from attaining his or her educational goals is a potential violation of the Student Code of Conduct and a concern to members of the college community. This conduct may be referred to the Behavior Intervention Team for investigation and possible assistance, referral, or disciplinary action.
The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) responds to non-immediate concerns and takes a proactive approach to discuss potential issues, intervene early, and provide support and behavioral response to students displaying varying levels of disruptive, disturbed, and/or distressed behaviors before they rise to the level of a crisis.
BIT has been charged with upholding policies and maintaining a healthy and safe environment for the college community. BIT is not meant to take the place of standard classroom management techniques utilized by faculty. Implementation of this team does not alter any existing discipline policies. Rather, BIT centralizes the reporting of concerning student behavior, publicizes current policy, and encourages early intervention.
Goals of BIT
- Review information from faculty, staff, students, and/or community members; conduct investigation to determine appropriate response.
- Intervene early. Provide support and response to students displaying varying levels of disruptive, disturbed, or distressed behaviors.
- Centralize collection and assessment of concerning student behaviors. ‘Connect the dots' of disparate problematic actions involving one student that may be known to various faculty, staff, and administrators.
- Coordinate follow-up. Ensure that services, support, and resources are deployed effectively.
- Utilize a formalized protocol of instructions for communication, coordination, and intervention.
- Balance FERPA, HIPAA, and counselor privilege with the colleges need-to-know and emergency communication needs.
- Coordinate actions: psychological assessment, adjudication of conduct issues, disability services, hospitalization, and/or medical leave/withdrawal, as needed.
Process
- Receive information about students of concern and discuss concerning behaviors
- Maintain confidentiality and handle all matters discreetly
- Provide consultation, support, response to faculty and staff
- Intervene and connect students with resources; take other necessary measures to address concerns
- Coordinate follow-up.
- Ensure that services and resources are deployed effectively.
What to Report to the BIT
- In general, any behavior that disrupts the mission or learning environment of the college or causes concern for a student’s well-being:
- Concerns about a student’s well-being
- Distressed or disturbed behavior
- Unusual occurrences
- Anything that makes you feel uncomfortable; something doesn’t seem right
How to Report to the BIT
Contact the administrator in charge of campus student discipline, Michael Goltermann at golterjm@wlac.edu.
Potential Outcomes. The BIT may:
- Assist faculty or staff in developing a plan of action
- Refer student to existing on-campus support resources
- Refer student to appropriate community resources
- Recommend no action, pending further observation/monitoring
- Make recommendations consistent with college policies and procedures
The ethics of BIT are to provide confidential, respectful, proactive support, while offering resources and balancing the educational needs of students within the overall mission of West LA College.