Purpose:
To increase the safety and wellbeing of the students, employees and contractors of The Evergreen State College by providing campus related convicted Sex Offender and Kidnap Offender information. This notification shall be provided in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.
The extent and content of the disclosure of relevant and necessary information shall be related to:
- The risk posed by the offender to the community;
- The locations where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found; and
- The needs of affected community members for information to enhance their individual and collective safety.
The College does not tolerate using this public information to threaten, intimidate or harass registered offenders. The information provided through this policy is intended for community safety purposes only. Misuse of this information can result in criminal prosecution.
Authority:
Registered kidnapping and sex offenders are required to notify the county sheriff where they are registered within three (3) business days before arriving at The Evergreen State College to attend class, start employment, or after terminating enrollment or employment at the College. RCW 9A.44.130(1)(b).
In addition to this obligation and in accordance with this policy, before registering for their first quarter of attendance students who are registered kidnapping and sex offenders are required to disclose their criminal history to the college so that appropriate measures can be taken to protect the campus community. RCW 28B.160.010-.900. Pursuant to RCW 4.24.550, The Evergreen State College is authorized to release information to the public when the college determines that disclosure of the information about the kidnapping or sex offender is relevant and necessary to protect the public.
Definitions:
“Registered offender” means “registered kidnapping or sex offender.”
“Risk Level I” indicates that a registered offender is considered at low risk to re-offend as determined by the Department of Corrections, the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, or the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board.
“Risk Level II” indicates that a registered offender is considered at moderate risk to re-offend as determined by The Department of Corrections, the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, or the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board.
“Risk Level III” indicates that a registered offender is considered at high risk to re-offend as determined by the Department of Corrections, the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, or the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board.
Registered Offender Responsibility:
State law requires certain people convicted of kidnapping and sex offenses to register with the county sheriff in the county where they reside or the sheriff in the county where they attend school or work (RCW 9A.44.130).
Any admitted Evergreen student who is required to register with a county sheriff must also notify the Director of Police Services of their intent to enroll at Evergreen prior to registering for their first quarter of attendance and again if they are registering after a break in attendance. (RCW 28B.160.030)
Any college employee who is required to register with a county sheriff must notify the Associate Vice President of Human Resources prior to beginning employment or, if already employed, within three days of the conviction.
Any contractor employed by the college who is required to register with a county sheriff must notify the contract manager prior to beginning work on campus.
Disclosure to the College Community:
The Registered Offender Review Committee (Committee) will determine the extent of community notification. The committee will be convened by the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success or the Vice President’s designee and includes the Director of Police Services, the Associate Vice President of Human Resources, the Education Reentry Navigator, and may include others identified by the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success. Information that the committee has determined is relevant and necessary to “protect the public and counteract the danger created by a particular offender” will be disseminated (RCW 4.24.550(1)). The committee’s determination will be based upon:
- The level of risk posed by the offender to the community.
- The locations where the offender resides, expects to reside or is regularly found.
- The needs of the community members for information to enhance their individual and collective safety (RCW 4.24.550).
The Director of Police Services (or designee) will maintain a list of registered offenders known to be attending or employed at the college. The list of Level II and Level III offenders will be posted on the college’s website and linked from the Police Services webpage.
Notification Procedure:
Upon learning of the enrollment/presence of a convicted sex offender at The Evergreen State College, the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success or designee will obtain additional information, as necessary, from law enforcement and about the offender’s enrollment and/or employment history on campus. The Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success or designee will convene the Registered Offender Review Committee to determine the extent of community notification.
- For Risk Level I, the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success or designee will notify the Director of the Campus Child Care Center, or designee, and may notify other employees and offices that the committee determines should be aware for security purposes.
- For Risk Level II and III, in addition to the notifications for Level I, the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success or designee will notify every instructor and other personnel who supervise the student or the committee has determined should be aware for security purposes. Faculty members teaching affected classes may request support by contacting the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success.
- For Risk Level III, in addition to the notifications above the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Student Success or designee may prepare a notice with the offender’s photograph to be posted on campus bulletin boards and distributed electronically to all staff and faculty if the committee determines that such notice is necessary and relevant for community safety.
Once it has been determined that notification is warranted, notifications will be repeated quarterly as long as the registered offender remains enrolled.
In addition to the notifications described above, the Registered Offender Review Committee may determine that additional notifications are necessary and relevant to the needs of community for information to enhance their individual and collective safety.
In all cases, the Education Reentry Navigator will contact the registered offender to notify the registered offender of the college’s plans for notification. Other than the notification procedure, convicted registered offenders will receive the same rights and privacy protections provided to all students or staff.