11.20 - Violence Free College and Violence Prevention Plan

Last updated on April 25, 2023

POLICY: Spoon River College makes all reasonable efforts to ensure a safe environment for all employees and students.  For that reason, the College does not tolerate any type of violence committed by or against employees or students.  In addition, this policy incorporates the College’s efforts to prevent violence on campus through appropriate emergency/crisis response planning, threat assessment, and educational efforts.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to all Spoon River College employees and students during work, class, or during any activity involving the College.  In addition, visitors, vendors, contractors, and all other non-employees are expected to recognize and comply with this policy.

DEFINITIONS:

Violence: Violence includes, but is not limited to, physical abuse, intentional injury, or harm of another person.

Threats of Violence: Threats of violence are behaviors that create a hostile or threatening educational or working environment, including, but not limited to:

• unwanted and/or intimidating contact and/or communication of a threatening nature.
• an expressed or implied threat to an individual’s personal safety or property, academic efforts, employment, or participation in college activities.
• stalking or contacting another person in a manner that intimidates, harasses, or places another in fear for their personal safety or to their property.
• behavior that threatens or intimidates on the basis race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, handicap or other non-job related disability, marital status, ancestry, citizenship, arrest record, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service, veterans of armed forces, reserves, Illinois Army National Guard, and Illinois Air National Guard or on the basis of any characteristic protected by law.

DETAILS:

1. Prohibited Conduct: Employees and students are prohibited from making threats or engaging in violent activities.  This list of behaviors, while not inclusive, provides examples of conduct that is prohibited.
   • Causing physical injury to another person;
   • Making threatening remarks;
   • Aggressive or hostile behavior that creates a reasonable fear of injury to another person or subjects another individual to emotional distress;
   • Intentionally damaging College property or property of another employee or student;
   • Possession of a weapon while on College property or while on College business;
   • Committing acts motivated by, or related to, sexual harassment or domestic violence.
2. Risk Reduction Measures:
   1. Hiring: The Human Resource Office takes reasonable measures to conduct background investigations to review applicants for employment backgrounds and reduce the risk of hiring individuals with a history of violent behavior.
   2. Safety: The College conducts inspections of the premises to evaluate and determine any vulnerability to violence or hazards. Any reasonable necessary corrective action will be taken to reduce all risks.
   3. Individual Situations: While we do not expect employees or students to be skilled at identifying potentially dangerous persons, employees and students are expected to exercise good judgment and to inform the Human Resource Office if any employee or student exhibits behavior which could be a sign of a potentially dangerous situation. Such behavior, while not inclusive, provides examples of conduct:
      • Discussing weapons or bringing them to the College;
      • Displaying overt signs of extreme stress, resentment, hostility, or anger;
      • Making threatening remarks;
      • Sudden or significant deterioration of performance;
      • Displaying irrational or inappropriate behavior.
   4. Employees or Students at Risk: The Human Resource Office will identify and maintain a list of employees and students who have been determined to be at risk for becoming victims of violence because they are subject to harassment, violence, or threats from a non-employee. Human Resources (for employees) or the Dean of Student Services (for students) will design a plan with at-risk employees and students to prepare for any possible emergency situations.
   5. Dangerous/Emergency Situations: Employees and/or students who confront or encounter an armed or dangerous person should not attempt to challenge or disarm the individual.  Employees and/or students should remain calm, make constant eye contact and talk to the individual.  If a supervisor or faculty can be safely notified of the need for assistance without endangering the safety of the employee, student, or others, such notice should be given.  Otherwise, cooperate and follow the instructions given.
   6. Enforcement: Threats, threatening conduct, or any other acts of aggression or violence will not be tolerated.  Any employee or student determined to have committed such acts will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination or expulsion.  Visitors engaged in violent acts on College property will be reported to the proper authorities and fully prosecuted.
   7. Emergency Response Plan (Crisis Management Plan): The College will ensure that appropriate responses to incidents of violence and other emergencies are included in its Crisis Management Plan.
   8. Education: Human Resources and Student Services will collaborate to provide training, education, and communication to members of the college community.
   9. Behavioral Threat Assessment Team: The College will maintain a collaborative, multi-disciplinary Behavioral Threat Assessment Team that includes faculty, staff members, advisors, directors, and administrators. A team of four to five college staff will be assembled annually. The College will select additional faculty, administrators, or staff members on a case-by-case basis as needed.

      The team will identify, assess, and manage situations indicating violent or potentially violent behaviors by individuals or groups. The team will work together to share information regarding actual or potential threatening situation(s). Protected information shall only be shared as permitted under the Family Educational Right and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other applicable privacy laws.

PROCEDURES:

1. Reporting an Act of Violence: Any potentially dangerous situation must be reported immediately to a supervisor, faculty, or the Human Resource Office. Reports can be made anonymously and all reported incidents are investigated. Reports or incidents warranting confidentiality are handled appropriately and information is disclosed to others only on a need-to-know basis.  The College will reasonably intervene at any indication of a possibly hostile or violent situation.