Campus Safety

Trespass Policy

The safety and welfare of the Oberlin College community are of paramount importance.

Accordingly, the Trespass Policy seeks to address risks to the safety of individuals and property, including violations of Oberlin College policy and local, state, and federal laws. The Community Advisory Board, consisting of both college and community members, reviews the policy on an ongoing basis. The policy was revised as of September 2013.


Legal Basis

Criminal Trespass (Source: Ohio Revised Code section 2911.21)

Procedure

Any person who poses a safety risk, including but not limited to having committed or committing a violation of Oberlin College policy or of local, state, or federal law, may be immediately issued a written warning, a one-year trespass order, or an ongoing trespass order prohibiting them from accessing all Oberlin College property as ordered by the director of Campus Safety or designee.

The decision whether to issue a warning or order will depend on all relevant circumstances surrounding the incident, including but not limited to the following factors: involvement of individuals under the age of 18; any prior offenses or warnings; and or ongoing safety risks. A list of Oberlin College properties included in a trespass notice appears at the end of this document.

An ongoing trespass order shall be subject to automatic review by the appeal committee, as constituted below, and that committee shall deliver the results of its review in writing to the respondent within 30 days. Campus Safety will maintain a written record of warnings, which shall be considered in responding to any future offenses.

Campus Safety will provide reasonable notice of written trespass orders by one or more of the following means: in person, by certified mail, and or by any other reasonable means. The written order will include an explanation of the basis for the order.

Both the one-year and ongoing trespass orders are subject to modification upon application by the respondent to the appeal committee described below, or by Oberlin College based on ongoing threats to the safety of individuals and property.

In addition, warnings and trespass orders issued to individuals who are under the age of 18 may be rescinded as follows. Parents or guardians of recipients of warnings or trespass orders who are under the age of 18 may request a meeting with the appeal committee described below.

That committee shall determine whether to rescind the warning (and all associated records) or the trespass order based on a consideration of ongoing safety risks to individuals or property, and shall deliver its decision in writing to the parents or guardians within 30 days.

The respondent may request the modification or rescission of the trespass order by providing the following in writing: a description of any modification requested; the rationale for modifying or rescinding the order; and current contact information.

The appeal committee consists of the dean of students, special assistant for community and government relations, a member of the General Faculty, and an Oberlin College student, or their designees.

Contact information for the appeal committee is as follows:

Office of the Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
70 N. Professor St., Room 100
Oberlin, OH 44074
(440) 775-8401
Secretary.Office@oberlin.edu

The rationale for modifying or rescinding the order should include steps taken by the respondent to address the safety risk to individuals or property and to ensure adherence to Oberlin College policy and local, federal, and state laws.

The appeal committee shall make a final determination after reviewing the appeal and all relevant circumstances and shall deliver its decision in writing to the respondent within 30 days. Refer to the list of properties owned by the college.

Refer to the list of properties owned by the college.