March 27, 2019
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Student and Exchange Visitor Program
SEVP Resources and Partnerships Promote Campus Public Safety
 
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is a program housed within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that provides approval and oversight to schools certified to enroll nonimmigrant students. It also provides guidance to both schools and students to ensure regulatory compliance. SEVP offers resources, outreach programs, and partnerships to help National Center for Campus Public Safety (NCCPS) stakeholders ensure that the unique needs of international students are considered while fostering safe campuses.
 
Emergency Preparedness Resources

One way SEVP supports institutions of higher education (IHEs) is by providing resources to help improve campus resilience at SEVP-certified schools. Every school certified by SEVP is required to have at least one designated school official (DSO). DSOs are experts on the international student process and, by participating in emergency planning procedures, can educate campus law enforcement personnel on this unique population to offer crucial insight for how emergencies on campus impact international students. DSOs help campus law enforcement by:
  • Ensuring state and local preparedness efforts consider the specific SEVP-reporting requirements schools and students must comply with during emergency events.
  • Serving as key liaisons to international students, as DSOs know the best way to contact international students and are prepared to handle language or other communication barriers.
  • Helping international students understand that local law enforcement agencies have the most reliable information to keep them safe during emergency events.
For additional tips and resources, check out the SEVP Ask the Experts Webinar: Campus Emergency Planning and the International Student Community on Study in the States.
 
Recognize Suspicious Activity
 
SEVP understands that recognizing suspicious activity, and when and whom to report it to, is an important component of campus safety. ICE's Project Campus Sentinel (PCS) helps school and law enforcement officials identify suspicious activity on campus, especially as it relates to international students. As an agent-led outreach program, PCS partners with IHEs to improve communication between SEVP-certified schools and HSI agents. Specifically, PCS training helps campus communities identify criminal activity and gives schools a mechanism to report Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) exploitation and fraud schemes that compromise national security. If you would like SEVP or PCS to present at an event in the future, please send an email to SEVPOutreach@ice.dhs.gov.
 
Regulatory Compliance
 
Our partners at Project Shield America (PSA) ensure that IHEs are compliant with U.S. export control laws. PSA partners with academic research offices to prevent sensitive technologies from falling into the wrong hands. With an understanding of the unique compliance and enforcement challenges the academic community faces, PSA provides outreach that helps IHEs recognize the indicators of export control violations and understand potential vulnerabilities in academia.
 
For more information on SEVP and how SEVP can provide resources and outreach support to help academic campuses remain safe and secure, visit Study in the States or sign up for GovDelivery to receive monthly program updates via email.

World Autism Month
Autism Awareness and Implications for Campus Public Safety Officers

April is World Autism Month, a time for people and organizations from around the world to come together to increase global understanding and acceptance of people with autism. In addition, April 2 is the 12 th annual World Autism Awareness Day when people, landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world wear or display light blue in recognition of people living with autism.
 
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association merged four distinct autism diagnoses into one umbrella diagnosis of ASD. They included autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified, and Asperger syndrome. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ASD website, ASD affects an estimated 1 in 59 children in the United States today.
 
Autism's core symptoms are social communication challenges and restricted, repetitive behaviors, according to Autism Speaks. Autism Speaks is one of the leading organizations dedicated to providing advocacy and support for people with autism and their families, increasing understanding and acceptance of people with ASD, and advancing research into causes and better interventions for ASD and related conditions. Specialized healthcare providers use a checklist of criteria to diagnose ASD. Autism Speaks provides visitors with a Resource Guide that is filterable and sorted by topic area. It includes resources for first responders and schools.
 
It's critical for first responders, including campus public safety and emergency management officials, to learn how to interact with people with ASD. The Autism Safety Project from Autism Speaks developed a series of tips and resources for specific professionals such as law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS, and teachers and administrators. Important messages from the series include:
  • People with autism can't be identified by appearance. They look the same as anyone else. They're identified by their behavior.
  • Speak in short clear phrases "Get in." "Sit Down." "Wait here." A person with autism may take longer to respond to directives, and that can be because they don't understand what's being asked of them, or even just because they're scared. They may not be able to process the language and understand a directive when fearful.
  • Some people with autism do not have a normal range of sensations and may not feel the cold, heat, or pain in a typical manner. In fact, they may fail to acknowledge pain in spite of significant pathology being present. They may show an unusual pain response that could include laughter, humming, singing and removing of clothing.
  • For students with autism, problem behaviors may be triggered for a variety of reasons. Such behaviors may include temper tantrums, running about the room, loud vocalizations, self-injurious activities, or other disruptive or distracting behaviors. The key is to be consistent with how you react to the behaviors over time and to use as many positive strategies to promote pro-social behaviors as possible.
 
Perhaps most importantly, it's recommended that law enforcement personnel, which includes campus public safety officials, should be trained proactively to recognize the behavioral symptoms and characteristics of a child or adult who has autism and learn basic response techniques. Resources for law enforcement training include Autism Risk & Safety Management , Autism Alliance for Local Emergency Responder Training , and Autism Safety Education & Training .


Professional Development Opportunities

Title: The Neurobiology and Traumatic Impact of Sexual Assault 
Organizations: Justice Clearinghouse
Date: April 25, 2019 at 1:00 PM ET
Location: Online
Fee: Free
 
Title: Women's Leadership Institute 
Organization: International Association of Chiefs of Police 
Dates: April 28-May 3, 2019 
Location: Flushing, NY 
Fee: Registration Fee 
 
Title: Campus Emergencies Prevention, Response, and Recovery (MGT-324)
Organization: Louisiana State University National Center for Biomedical Research & Training/Academy of Counter-Terrorist Education
Dates: May 14-15, 2019
Location: Salisbury, MD 
Fee: Free
 
For additional trainings and events, access our searchable online calendar

Virtual Professional Development
Through our Virtual Professional Development initiative, you can access free, online educational opportunities.
Campus Public Safety Online
Learn about our free webinar series, register for upcoming webinars, and view archived recordings on demand.
Emerging Issues Forum Reports
Download, print, and share findings from critical issues forums of campus public safety leaders, subject matter experts, and practitioners.

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This project was supported by Grant No. 2013-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.
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