9.3 Workplace Violence

The College is concerned about the increased violence in society, which has also filtered into many workplaces throughout the United States, and has taken steps to help prevent incidents of violence from occurring at the College.  In this connection, it is the policy of the College to expressly prohibit any acts or threats of violence by any College employee or former employee against any other employee in or about the College’s facilities or elsewhere at any time.  The College also will not condone any acts or threats of violence against the College’s employees, students, or visitors on the College’s premises at any time or while they are engaged in business with or on behalf of the College, on or off the College’s premises.

In keeping with the spirit and intent of this policy, and to ensure the College’s objectives in this regard are attained, the College is committed to the following:

  1. To provide a safe and healthful work environment, in accordance with the College’s Safety and Health policy.
  2. To take prompt remedial action up to and including immediate termination, against any employee who engages in any threatening behavior or acts of violence or who uses any obscene, abusive, or threatening language or gestures.
  3. To take appropriate action when dealing with students former employees, or visitors to the College’s facilities who engage in such behavior.  Such action may include notifying the police or other law enforcement personnel and prosecuting violators of this policy to the maximum extent of the law.
  4. To prohibit employees, former employees, students, and visitors from bringing unauthorized firearms or other weapons onto the College’s premises.
  5. To establish viable security measures to ensure that the College’s facilities are safe and secure to the maximum extent possible and to properly handle access to College facilities by the public, off-duty employees, and former employees.

In furtherance of this policy, employees have a “duty to warn” their supervisors, security personnel, or human resource representatives of any suspicious workplace activity or situations or incidents that they observe or that they are aware of that involve other employees, former employees, students, or visitors and that appear problematic.  This includes, for example, threats or acts of violence, aggressive behavior, offensive acts, threatening or offensive comments or remarks, and the like.  Employee reports made pursuant to this policy will be held in confidence to the maximum possible extent.  The College will not condone any form of retaliation against any employee for making a bona fide report under this policy.

Approved May 9, 2009