Cracking down on off-campus crime

When Emily Saunders’ car was ruined by shaving cream while parked off-campus, she made two calls.

“I reported the vandalism to campus police and city police,” the VCU student said. “The campus police told me to call the city police so I did. They took down all the info on my car and what was wrong with it.”

As the student population at VCU increases each year, so do its concerns with the surrounding community.

To address those concerns, the Division of Student Affairs is implementing more rigid oversight of off-campus behavior. According to updated policies in the VCU Rules and Procedures, a VCU student who commits a crime off campus may face temporary academic separation for up to two years or indefinite dismissal from the school in addition to possible imprisonment by the jurisdiction of the arrest.

At the beginning of the fall semester, Reuban Rodriguez, VCU’s associate vice provost and dean of student affairs, announced amendments to the rules and procedures, confirmed in the spring meeting among members of the Board of Visitors.

The amendments address “possible university judicial action related to off-campus behavior of students,” according to Rodriguez’s August e-mail.

One section of the amendment, which deals with student rights and prohibited conduct, cites that if a student commits a crime off campus that student may face additional penalties imposed by the University Hearing Board.

This judicial extension coincides with the expansion of the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, the office that administers resolutions of conflict concerning VCU students.

Mary Blair, the interim director for judicial affairs, works with Rodriguez and Geoffrey Young, the Medical Center campus’ associate dean of student affairs. Blair serves as the point person who processes the reports and complaints that are presented to the Department of Student Affairs and potentially to the Provost’s Office toward disciplinary action.

Blair clarified that a criminal act of a VCU student in an on-campus or off-campus incident “would be reported to the VCU police. If it was outside the residence hall, chances are it would still be reported to the VCU police.”

Arrest reports of students are sent from the VCU police directly to her office.

“I work very closely with the police department, so that anything that goes through the police, I handle it,” Blair said.

Chief Willie B. Fuller of the VCU police said the department receives arrest reports of VCU students from other localities and alerts the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

Blair said it doesn’t take long for her office to be notified of a student offense.

“If something happened the last night, I get the report by 8:30 the next morning,” she said. “I send a letter to the student that I ‘have been informed by the VCU police that you have been involved in a police incident. Please contact my office to set up an appointment.’ At that point, I talk to the student, usually within a two- to three-week period of time.”

The penalties that may be imposed by VCU do not replace judicial action by the jurisdiction where the offense took place.

The university and its police department fall under Richmond’s jurisdiction; therefore, a criminal offense within its boundaries would still be processed through the Richmond courts system.

Blair explained that when an incident occurs off-campus she first asks a student for the court date to notify the student of what will happen to them in the case of a guilty verdict. If the student is found guilty then the provost’s office is notified and the provost decides what action to take.

“I am kind of a tracker,” she said. “I put a note in my calendar of the court date. I tell the student that they need to let me know the outcome of the court. Have the charges been dismissed? If they are found guilty, then I will send the information to Rodriguez who then determines (whether) to send it up to the provost.”

The VCU University Hearing Board then may review the student. If a criminal arrest is made then that perpetrator may face charges by Richmond and VCU, as well as civil charges by the victim.

According to the new policy, such criminal violations as property damage (including graffiti), underage drinking and disorderly conduct off-campus can result in penalties ranging from censure to separation or dismissal from the university.

Blair pointed out that relatively minor conflicts between students can be resolved informally through the Office of Student Affairs.

“Any student under the university rules and procedures can file a complaint – formal or informal – against another student or against another faculty or against a staff worker.”

While misdemeanor offenses may result in mediation and censure, Rodriguez emphasized that violent incidents are most likely reviewed formally by the provost, because of the intimidating nature of one party against another.