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Section
V: Financial and Physical Resources
SACS Comprehensive Standard
V-5. The institution provides a healthful and safe
environment.
JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
Yes, East Tennessee State University is able to provide
a portfolio of evidence supporting compliance.
STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE
East Tennessee State University strives to provide a
safe and healthful working and learning environment for its students,
faculty, staff and visitors. These efforts are maintained by a large
number of policies, services, and programs, which are supported by a variety
of administrative offices, academic departments, and university committees.
Information about services, programs, and policies are widely available
(e.g., ETSU Spectrum, ETSU Faculty Handbook, ETSU Staff Handbook, ETSU
Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual, ETSU Employee Safety Handbook).
The ETSU Safety Committee provides oversight
of the health and safety programs for ETSU. This committee comprises
of representatives from faculty, students, and staff and meets monthly
to review safety policies and items of special concern (ETSU Safety
Committee, Minutes). Necessary corrective actions are referred to
the appropriate university staff. The ETSU Health and Safety Office
is responsible for the development, oversight, and management of environmental
health and safety programs that protect the environment and provide for
safe and healthy conditions for work and study at the university. This
office provides inspections, educational programs, technical assistance,
consultations, and health and safety services for the entire university
community.
General Health
and Safety
Health and safety programs at ETSU are both preventative
and proactive, and are coordinated and managed by both academic units
(ETSU colleges of Applied Science & Technology, Medicine, Nursing,
Public & Allied Health) and administrative units (ETSU offices of
Health & Safety, Public Safety, Housing & Residence Life, Radiation
Safety, Human Resources, and Student Health Services). Personnel
from these offices promote health and safety issues through consultations,
publications (print and web-based), programs, and participation on established
committees and with student organizations.
A diversity of policies and programs that promote the
health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors are available
at ETSU. For example,
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Tobacco Free Workplace Policy, in effect since August 1997,
prohibits smoking and other tobacco usage in all buildings.
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Tennessee Employee Assistance Program provides no-cost consultation
and referral for employees and eligible dependents experiencing personal
problems (e.g., alcohol & drugs, legal or financial, mental health,
career planning).
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Well On the Way Program, available to all faculty and staff,
provides opportunity to improve health and well-being by encouraging
and supporting life-style choices that can help prevent diseases.
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Women's Resource Center supports women's mental and physical
health through the "Women's Health Series" seminars that address
a variety of issues and concerns related to women, such as osteoporosis,
stress, and ergonomics.
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Center for Physical Activities is under construction (completion
in December 2001), designed for a variety of activities, and dedicated
to recreational use by students, faculty, and staff.
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A wide variety of other programs, such as the ETSU CPR
and OSHA Training Programs, Critical Incident/Crisis Response Team,
Campus Alcohol & Other Drug Program, and Campus Advocates
Against Sexual Violence.
A number of specific health and safety programs implemented
by ETSU are those governed by the Tennessee Occupational Safety &
Health Act (OSHA; Tennessee Code Annotated). Responsibilities
for ensuring compliance are specified in the ETSU Employee Safety Handbook,
which serves as the comprehensive health and safety plan for the university.
Oversight for compliance is provided by the ETSU Health & Safety
Office and the standing ETSU Safety Committee. The most significant
of these programs are the following:
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Hazardous Chemical--Right To Know Program. This program
ensures that all personnel who come in contact with hazardous chemicals
are informed of any health risks associated with chemicals.
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Chemical Hygiene Plan. This program addresses occupational
exposure to hazardous chemicals in all university locations, and includes
both training and compliance visits.
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Blood-borne Pathogen Exposure Control. All personnel identified
as having a potential blood-borne exposure are provided the required
initial and refresher trainings and offered hepatitis-B vaccinations.
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Hazardous Waste Management program provides consultation
on identification and classification of hazardous waste; its proper
management, collection, transportation, and disposal; and methods
to minimize waste generated.
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Radiation Safety Program. The ETSU Biosafety Committee
approves the proposed uses of all isotopes, prior to purchase and
use. A full-time Radiation Safety Officer oversees and manages the
ETSU Radiation Safety Standard Operating Procedures
in accordance with federal and state regulations.
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Hearing Conservation Program, managed by audiology faculty
and students (ETSU Department of Communicative Disorders), provides
analyses of noise exposures, hearing protection or noise-control measures,
assessment of hearing sensitivity, and health education to personnel
enrolled in the program.
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Division of Laboratory Animals (DLAR). This division
is charged with providing laboratory animal care services and assuring
the humane treatment of animals used for teaching and research at
ETSU (DLAR Mission). Health and safety issues regarding
the use of animals in teaching and research programs are monitored
and regulated by the University Animal Care Standing Committee.
This committee is charged with ensuring compliance with all federal
and agency regulations for animal care and welfare. The East Tennessee
State University Occupational Health & Safety Program for Personnel
Exposed to Vertebrate Animals, draft June 2001, provides health
and safety information related to the use and care of laboratory animals,
offers occupationally indicated immunizations, and provides a mechanism
for reporting and treating animal related illnesses and injuries.
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Comprehensive Safety Program for Teaching Laboratories.
The ETSU Safety Committee has identified teaching laboratories
as an area that needs evaluation, monitoring, and integration at the
university level. Currently, individual academic departments are
responsible for determining and implementing appropriate safety procedures
in their teaching laboratories. Improvement plans include the addition
of personnel (fall 2001, graduate or senior undergraduate student
from the ETSU Department of Environmental Health) to assist in identification
and inventory of the specific needs of degree programs and in development
of recommendations to enhance and integrate existing departmental
safety procedures.
Public Safety
The mission of the ETSU Department of Public Safety
is to provide for the overall safety and security of the university community
and its properties, and to maintain an environment that enables academic
excellence. The department is responsible for security, law enforcement,
and fire protection for the university, and maintains a strong working
relationship with all local law enforcement agencies. It is the only
university public safety department in Tennessee that has certified personnel
serving as law enforcement officers and fire fighters. All ETSU public
safety personnel receive the training mandated (40 hours annually) to
maintain certification in all aspects of law enforcement and fire fighting.
To support emergency preparedness for both natural and manmade disasters,
the department works closely with the Washington County Emergency Services
and the City of Johnson City and participates in emergency drill exercises
with these agencies. The director of public safety serves on the ETSU
standing committees on Health and Safety and on Parking, Traffic
and Security, which are charged with monitoring all health and safety
issues on campus.
In addition, department offers a variety of services
to the university, including:
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coordination and assistance with fire safety training for students,
staff, and faculty;
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assisting the ETSU Health & Safety Office in preparation and
distribution of the Emergency Desk Reference to every ETSU
employee. This guide provides "finger tip" instructions on responses
to fire, bomb threats, severe weather, and other emergencies;
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management of Building Coordinators and Assistant Coordinators,
assigned to every ETSU building, who are responsible for daily oversight,
monitoring of fire and safety risks, and assisting public safety officers
in evacuation and accountability of building occupants in the event
of an emergency;
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"Bright Light Pathways" were constructed throughout the campus
in 1995 and provide a highly illuminated means for pedestrians to
travel safely among all major campus buildings; and
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emergency phones, provided across campus (including elevators),
are connected directly to the ETSU Department of Public Safety.
Phone locations are highlighted on the Campus Parking and Traffic
Map, which is distributed to all students, staff, and faculty
at the beginning of each fall semester.
The ETSU Department of Public Safety files reports
of all accidents and injuries, investigates any criminal offenses that
occur on campus, maintains records and statistics of these incidents,
and provides crime statistics for the university's annual report on
campus safety (ETSU Security Information Report). This department
also ensures that the campus community is made aware of criminal activity
through press releases and via crime alerts (ETSU Public Safety).
The department works in close cooperation with the offices of student
affairs, human resources, and housing & residence life in all reporting
and investigation activities. Crime statistics are reported to the Tennessee
Bureau of Investigation by the department on a monthly basis, and procedures
are in full compliance with the Department of Education "Right to Know"
requirements.
Student Health
Services
At ETSU, Student Health Services (SHS) provide
more than 18,500 client contacts a year, with almost 14,000 visits to
the clinic and more than 4,500 outreach contacts in residence halls, classrooms,
health fairs, and other campus activities. Client satisfaction surveys
completed yearly early in the spring semester demonstrate a high level
of client satisfaction with SHS---94% of respondents (292 returned surveys,
March 2000) would recommend this clinic to other students (Student
Health Services Surveys).
Student health services are part of the ETSU College
of Nursing faculty practice network (ETSU College of Nursing, Nursing
Centers), and thus, also serve as a clinical practice site for health
professions students at ETSU. A variety of services are provided, including:
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Student Health Clinic walk-in and appointments for currently enrolled
students with acute, episodic illnesses and injuries.
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Allergy and immunizations clinics, and assistance meeting university
and state-mandated immunization requirements.
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Women's and men's health programs and family planning services.
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Referral to local health care providers.
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Health education programs and materials available to all students.
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Web-based source for health information, "links," answers to
health questions, and anticipatory guidance for students (ETSU
Student Health Services).
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Staff participation in Freshman Orientation programs, outreach
fairs, training programs, response teams, and advisory positions on
a variety of campus health-related programs.
Campus Resident
Programs
This mission of the ETSU Office of Housing &
Residence Life is to provide housing, programs, and services that
establish a setting conducive to learning and that are affordable, enjoyable,
safe, and well maintained. This office coordinates with all other campus
offices and departments to ensure the health and safety of over 2000 student
residents. In addition, the staff of Housing & Residence Life conducts
or coordinates educational programs in all residence halls every semester,
and which deal with a broad diversity of issues (e.g., physical, occupational,
spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, health, diversity, and gender).
Assessment of student resident satisfaction of campus safety, health,
and environment is evaluated through ETSU's participation in the Association
Of College And University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I) "Resident
Student Satisfaction Study" on a bi-yearly basis.
Health and safety policies for student residents on
campus are published in the Residence Hall Student Handbook, the
Buccaneer Village Handbook, the Residence Hall Staff Handbook,
and the Terms of Agreement for Buccaneer Ridge Apartments. The
offices of Public Safety and Housing & Residence Life have an established
and formalized relationship designed to ensure coordination and completeness
of safety procedures (Statement of Procedural Policy, Public Safety
and Housing & Residence Life). A variety of media (e.g., internal
residence television channel, flyers, posters, direct mailings, and web
sites) are utilized to update residents regarding personal safety, including
procedures for tornado warnings, bomb threat, and emergency evacuation.
Safety of campus housing
also is ensured by a number of standard procedures:
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Fire safety is supported by fire drills, presence of fire alarm
systems in all buildings, individual smoke alarms in all individual
rooms, a sprinkler system in Buccaneer Ridge Apartments, and key boxes
for the fire department access in all buildings.
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Access safety is supported by a campus card system (Diebold®;
all residence halls and gate access to Buccaneer Ridge Apartments),
special lock systems to rooms (TESA® in one residence hall) or to
floors (TESA® or combination locks in all other halls), and by a
panic alarm system located in each bedroom and living room of Buccaneer
Ridge Apartments. In addition, telephones are located at the main
entrance of each residence hall and are available for emergency use.
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Maintenance of systems and facilities is supported by semi-annual
inspections of all buildings performed by Public Safety, monthly inspections
by the director of residence halls, and weekly room checks by residence
hall staff.
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Training of residence life staff conducted at the beginning of
each semester and involving professional housing staff, and representatives
from the Counseling Center, Public Safety, Student Health Clinic,
Office of Student Affairs, Physical Plant, and Health & Safety
Office. In particular, CPR and OSHA training programs are provided
for all resident hall directors and assistants.
The ETSU offices of Housing & Residence Life and
Public Safety have increased emphasis on the health and safety of on-campus
residents by crime prevention, education, and intervention strategies.
Verification of improvements can be documented. The ETSU Office of
Housing & Residence Life participated in a survey and study project
sponsored by the Association of College and University Housing Officers–International
(ACUHO-I) and Educational Benchmarking, Inc., which was based on ACUHO-I
professional standards. The satisfaction study was completed initially
(spring 1999) on responses from the total population of on-campus residents,
and a later study (spring 2001) was conducted for students in residence
halls and Buccaneer Ridge/Village Apartments. The great majority of students
indicated satisfaction with feeling safe in their rooms (91%) or residence
halls (87%), walking on campus at night (75%), and with the safety of
their possessions (85%). All of these results were increases (4% to 12%)
from earlier responses. Residents of campus apartments (2001 study) were
even more satisfied---96% felt safe in their apartment complex, 98% felt
their possessions were secure, 93% felt they could rely on neighbors during
emergencies, and 72% were satisfied with security systems. The general
study indicated that ETSU compares very favorably with other institutions
represented (ETSU Office of Housing & Residence Life, Resident
Satisfaction Studies).
DOCUMENTATION
SOURCE
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LOCATION
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ETSU Spectrum (Student Handbook)
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http://www.etsu.edu/students/spectrum.htm
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ETSU Faculty Handbook
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http://www.etsu.edu/senate/facultyhandbook/
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ETSU Staff Handbook
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http://www.etsu.edu/stsenate/staffhandbook/default.htm
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ETSU Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual
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http://www.etsu.edu/humanres/ppp.htm
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ETSU Employee Safety Handbook
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ETSU Safety Committee
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ETSU Safety Committee, Minutes
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Office of Health & Safety, Room 101, Bond
Maintenance Bldg (Physical Plant).
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ETSU Health and Safety Office
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ETSU Department of Public Safety
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ETSU Office of Housing & Residence Life
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ETSU Radiation Safety Office
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ETSU Office of Human Resources
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ETSU Student Health Services
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ETSU Tobacco Free Workplace Policy
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Tennessee Employee Assistance Program
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ETSU Well on the Way Wellness Program
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ETSU Women's Resource Center
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http://www.etsu.edu/wrcetsu/
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ETSU Center for Physical Activities
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ETSU CPR and OSHA Training Programs for Resident
Hall Directors and Advisors
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ETSU Emergency Desk Reference
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SACS Documentation Files
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ETSU Critical Incident/Crisis Response Team
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http://www.etsu.edu/studenthealth/
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ETSU Campus Alcohol & Other Drug Program
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ETSU Campus Advocates Against Sexual Violence
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Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 50, Chapter
2, Provision 2000, Employer and Employee, Occupational Safety and
Health, Hazardous Chemical Right to Know Law
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ETSU Biosafety Committee
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ETSU Hazardous Chemical-Right To Know Program
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ETSU Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals
in Laboratories
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ETSU Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control
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ETSU Hazardous Waste Management
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ETSU Radiation Safety Standard Operating Procedures
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ETSU Hearing Conservation Program
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ETSU Division of Laboratory Animal Resources,
Mission
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ETSU Animal Care Standing Committee
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ETSU Occupational Health & Safety Program
for Personnel Exposed to Vertebrate Animals
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Division of Laboratory Animals Resources, 4-01
Veterans Affairs Building 119
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ETSU Emergency Preparedness
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ETSU Building Coordinator and Assistant Building
Coordinators
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ETSU Campus Parking and Traffic Map
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ETSU Campus Security Report
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Student Health Services Surveys
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Student Health Services, 55 Lamb Hall.
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ETSU College of Nursing, Nursing Centers
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ETSU Student Orientation Program
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Association of College & University Housing
Officers-I
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ETSU Residence Hall Student Handbook
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ETSU Buccaneer Village Handbook
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ETSU Residence Hall Staff Handbook
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ETSU Terms of Agreement for Buccaneer Ridge
Apartments
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Statement of Procedural Policy, Public Safety
and Housing & Residence Life
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ETSU Office of Housing & Residence Life,
ACUHO-I/EBI Resident Satisfaction Studies
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Office of Housing & Residence Life, 108 Dossett
Hall
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