College Security Camera Policy
Purpose
Hendrix College is committed to enhancing the quality of life of the campus
community by integrating the best practices of safety and security with
technology. We have added security cameras to a portion of our campus to assist
in making our campus as safe as possible. The deployment of cameras is
supported by Student Senate and approved by the Student Life Committee. The
Student Life Committee is responsible for the oversight and approval of camera
locations.
These cameras are not actively monitored, but they are intended to deter
crime and assist in investigation of crimes and recovery. This policy addresses
the College’s safety and security needs while respecting and preserving
individual privacy.
To ensure the protection of individual privacy rights in accordance with
the College’s values and state and federal laws, this policy is adopted to
formalize procedures for the installation of surveillance equipment and the
handling, viewing, retention, dissemination, and destruction of surveillance
records. The purpose of this policy is to regulate the use of camera systems
used to observe and record public areas for the purposes of safety and
security.
Policy
All video footage will be secured and will be managed by the Office of Public
Safety with technical support provided by the Technology Services department.
Any requests to view camera footage will be submitted to the Office of Public
Safety.
The Office of Public Safety shall monitor developments in the law and in
security industry practices and technology to ensure that camera surveillance
is consistent with best practices and complies with all federal and state laws.
The Hendrix College Student Life Committee
will review proposals and recommendations for camera installations and review
specific camera locations to determine that the perimeter of view of fixed
location cameras conforms to this policy.
The Dean of Students Office will review any complaints regarding the
utilization of surveillance camera systems and determine whether this policy is
being followed.
The Dean of Students Office will review all external requests to release
records obtained through security camera surveillance. The College will seek
consultation and advice from the General Counsel as needed related to these
requests prior to the release of any records outside of the College. Video
surveillance records will generally not be released to the public, students,
general employee, and parent or law enforcement agency. The content of the
video is a student and College record subject to administrative regulations
regarding confidential student records. While College personnel will typically
review the footage, the College reserves the right to allow individuals to view
video footage if that is a necessary action as part of an investigation of a
crime, code of conduct violation, significant campus safety concern, or campus
policy violation.
General Principles
Cameras are not actively monitored. They are viewed only upon report of
a crime or violation. Information obtained from the cameras shall be used
exclusively for campus policy enforcement, including, where appropriate,
student judicial functions or to assist local law enforcement and campus/local
crime. Information must be handled with an appropriate level of security to
protect against unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.
All appropriate measures must be taken to protect an individual’s right
to privacy and hold College information securely through its creation, storage,
transmission, use, and deletion.
All camera installations are subject to federal and state laws.
Placement of Cameras
Cameras will be located so that personal privacy is protected. No audio shall
be recorded. Camera positions and views of residential housing shall be
limited to external areas. The view of a residential housing facility must not
violate the standard of a reasonable expectation of privacy.
All video camera installations should be visible. The exact location,
number and function of all cameras will generally be considered confidential for
security purposes and not be released to the general public, guests or
employees. The College reserves the right to place cameras in areas that are
not open to the campus or general public (e.g., closed buildings or secured
areas).
Anyone who tampers with video equipment will be subject to disciplinary
action through the Dean of Students Office.
Access
and Monitoring
All recording or monitoring of activities of individuals or groups by College
security cameras will be conducted in a manner consistent with College
policies, state and federal laws, and will not be based on the subjects’
personal characteristics, including age, color, disability, gender, national
origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics.
Furthermore, all recording or monitoring will be conducted in a professional,
ethical, and legal manner. All personnel with access to College security
cameras should be trained in the effective, legal, and ethical use of
monitoring equipment.
When an incident is reported, the personnel
responsible for the area in question may request the Public Safety to review
the images from the camera. As circumstances require, the Dean of Students may
authorize others to review images. A log will be kept of all instances of
access to, and use of, recorded material. This log will be discarded at the end
of each academic year.
Appropriate Use and Confidentiality
Personnel
are prohibited from using or disseminating information acquired from College security
cameras, except for official purposes. All information gathered and/or
observations made in the use of security cameras is considered confidential and
can only be used for official College and law enforcement purposes upon the
approval of the Dean of Students or designee. Personnel are expected to know
and follow this policy.
Use of Cameras for Criminal Investigations
The
use of video equipment may be used in criminal investigations on behalf of the
College. Individuals or agencies from
outside of the College must request access to view materials in accordance with
our policies governing student records. Video records will be destroyed within
seven (7) days at the conclusion of any investigation and subsequent hearing
process.
Exceptions
This
policy does not apply to cameras used for academic purposes. Cameras that are
used for research, communications, or class projects would be governed by other
policies involving human subjects and are, therefore, excluded from this
policy.
Safety and Security Camera Acceptable Use Policy
This
policy does not address the use of student/employee personal cameras, webcams,
videotaping events, or live streaming for general use by the College. This
policy also does not apply to the use of video equipment for the recording of
public performances or events, interviews, or other use for broadcast or
educational purposes. Examples of such excluded activities would include videotaping
of athletic events for post-game review, videotaping of concerts, plays, and
lectures, live stream activity, or videotaped interviews of persons. Automated
teller machines (ATMs), which may utilize cameras, are also exempt from this
policy.
Procedures
Departments
requesting security cameras will be required to follow the procedures outlined
in this policy.
Training
Camera
control operators shall be trained in the technical, legal, and ethical
parameters of appropriate camera use. Camera control operators shall receive a
copy of this policy and provide written acknowledgment that they have read and
understood its contents.
Operation
Video
surveillance will be conducted in a manner consistent with all existing College
policies. Camera control operators shall monitor based on suspicious
behavior, not individual characteristics. Camera control operators shall not
view private rooms or areas through windows. All operators and supervisors
involved in video surveillance will perform their duties in accordance with
this policy. Abuse of standard operating policies or inappropriate camera
control operations will result in disciplinary action.
Storage and Retention of Recordings
No
attempt shall be made to alter any part of any surveillance recording. Surveillance
centers and monitors will
be configured to prevent camera operators from tampering with or duplicating
recorded information.
All surveillance records shall be stored in a secure location for a
period of 21 days and will then promptly be erased or written over unless
retained as part of a criminal investigation or court proceedings (criminal or
civil), or other bona fide use as approved by the Dean of Students. Individual
departments shall not store video surveillance recordings.
A log shall be maintained of all instances of access to or use of
surveillance records. The log shall include the date and identification of the
person or persons to whom access was granted.