College Policies

To increase campus security and student safety, community colleges across the country are boosting their security efforts. With new technologies for added support, in addition to widespread tools for campus officials and student communication, community colleges are striving to provide all campus visitors with a safe and supportive environment.

Community College Campus Safety Efforts

While each community college campus has its own unique safety and security protocols, most schools provide students with fundamental officers, resources, and security measures.

Located near Detroit, Michigan, Henry Ford Community College provides students with a specific office designated for campus safety. As the school describes, “Campus Safety is responsible for maintaining and releasing incident and accident reports, key control, issuance of employee and student ID cards, maintenance of the access control system, crime statistics, crime prevention and security awareness programs such as Campus Watch and Safe Walk, as well as overall control of all security and safety operations.” While Henry Ford certainly provides students with basic theft and safety efforts, their added security awareness programs help foster increased and widespread support.

For example, Henry Ford Community College’s Safe Walk program was designed by both the Student Government and the Office of Campus Safety, is described as an “An integral part of a safe campus is the involvement of students in their campus community. Safe Walk student volunteers provide an escort to any student or staff member who requests it. Safe Walk volunteers are trained

As a whole, the community college system is a major training ground for the nation's workforce and serves as a career-development incubator for today's jobs and future industries. The Green California Community College Summit, taking place October 8 – 9, 2008 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California, will address the issues of building green campuses, creating a green curriculum based on technology that is being developed at lightning speed to meet the needs of tomorrow’s green economy.

We are participating in the Summit to share our experience and learn from other community college districts and experts in the fields of green building, curriculum, and technology. As we march into a more sustainable and technology-based culture, the community college system needs to continue to develop innovative teaching methods, academic programs, courses, and content that address the needs of 21st-century students - especially as it relates to green technology. Alternative energy solutions and renewable technology are in high demand and the need for green innovation is having a tremendous impact on how community colleges formulate policies, initiatives, and programs to stay ahead of the curve.

This TEDTalk discusses sustainable schools.

A significant number of all U.S. undergraduates pass-through community colleges seeking training and education in a variety of fields. With emerging green technology and the industries that support it rising steadily, training workers who understand these new standards and are skilled in applying

Certain events have unexpected results. The tragic events of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina have unexpectedly affected community colleges throughout the United States. Such moments in American history showed the power of, and the necessity for, strong communities, and that is why community colleges around the nation have developed some of the most significant first responder training programs ever seen.

Although it is an easy idea to overlook, the community aspect of community college, it is just as important as the college part. Ever since their inception, community colleges were expected to support and grow with the community they serve. Even today, the teachers, the students, the administration – and of course the programs – are all part of the community where the community college is found. They are friends, neighbors, even family.

Thus, it is no surprise that when the community needs help, the community college is one of the first to offer aid. And when our national community needed help, the community colleges created first-rate first responder programs, all with the goal of strengthening our Homeland Security.

This video explains the purpose and function of the Department of Homeland Security.

Expanding the Programs

After September 11^th and Hurricane Katrina, the nation’s community colleges initiated significant changes in their first responder programs. Some of the newer aspects of their Homeland Security goals included:

• Participating in national initiatives, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s