The Vol State Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is an interdisciplinary alliance team that identifies and serves students and employees exhibiting concerning behaviors that may interfere with educational and/or administrative processes. The BIT team aims to intervene before behaviors/situations escalate to a critical level.
The roles of the BIT Team include:
- Assessing information from faculty, administrators, students, and local authorities;
- Conducting threat assessments to determine if a realistic threat is present and act accordingly;
- Responding quickly to behavior indicating a potential risk to self or others;
- Identifying resources for students/employees and making referrals to appropriate campus and off-campus agencies; and
- Educating and empowering the campus community to recognize, report, and effectively address dangerous, threatening, and concerning behaviors.
The BIT team is designed to help provide a safe and supportive learning environment and enable Vol State to be compliant with and adopt a threat assessment team (T.C.A. § 49-6-2701). The team's primary charge is to recommend actions regarding behavioral conduct to the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Student Support.
Meet the BIT Team:
- Vice President for Student Affairs
- Vice President of Human Resources
- Assistant Vice President for Student Support
- Assistant Vice President for Student Success
- Chief of Campus Police
- Manager of Student Engagement
- Dean of Health Sciences
- Emergency Management Administrator
- Administrator of Employee Relations & Development
- Cookeville Coordinator of Student Affairs
Additional faculty and staff members as needed, with guidance from TBR Legal.
Behavioral Misconduct
Behavioral misconduct includes conduct that threatens safety, disrupts the learning environment, damages property, interferes with College operations, violates College rules, or otherwise conflicts with the standards expected of Vol State students.
Examples may include:
- Threatening, disruptive, disorderly, or harassing behavior
- Hazing, theft, property damage, or misuse of identification
- Weapons, drugs, alcohol-related misconduct, or unauthorized access
- Failure to cooperate with College officials or comply with sanctions
What happens after the report?
The assistant Vice President for Student Support or designee reviews the report, gathers relevant information, and determines whether an educational conversation, supportive action, or disciplinary sanction is appropriate.
Depending on the nature of the report, BIT meets to discuss and provide guidance.
Student Rights: Vol State provides due process protection, including written notice of allegations and the opportunity to participate in appeal process.
