Workplace Violence - Safety and Security Policy - 70180

Germanna Community College is committed to providing its faculty, staff, students, and visitors with a safe environment that is respectful of individuals and property, that is conducive to the learning process, that embraces productive employment, and that is secure and free of workplace violence— both real or perceived, i.e. harassment, threats, intimidation, mental and/or physical abuse, and violence, including domestic violence.

Germanna Community College will not tolerate threats, threatening behavior, acts of violence, or any related conducted which disrupts another’s work performance or the College’s ability to execute its mission. All alleged violations of this policy will be taken seriously and immediately reviewed to determine whether further investigation is warranted. Violations of this policy will lead to disciplinary action that may include dismissal, arrest, and prosecution. Students found in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct and Procedures as outlined in the Student Handbook. If the source of such inappropriate behavior is a member of the public, the response may also include barring the person(s) from Germanna’s properties, termination of business relationships with that individual, and/or prosecution of the person.

3.1 Reporting Threats or Acts of Workplace Violence

3.1.1 Faculty, staff, students, and any person(s) on College property are strongly encouraged to report incidents of threats or acts of physical violence to the appropriate authority. Faculty and staff should report incidents to their supervisor or to the Safety/Security Manager, as appropriate. Students, including student employees, should report incidents to their supervisors, the Dean of Student Services, or the Safety/Security Manager, as appropriate. Visitors should report incidents to the Safety/Security Manager or the Facilities Manager. The GCC Incident Report Form should be used to file the report. Copies of all written incident reports involving actual or alleged workplace violence will be provided to the Safety/Security Manager and the Human Resources Officer.

3.2 Responsibilities

Safety/Security Manager

• Investigate and document reported incidents;
• Restore order in a conflict situation;
• Arrange for emergency medical assistance;
• Assess and manage incidents involving imminent danger or violence;
• Coordinate incidents involving students with the Dean of Student Services;
• Provide training to faculty, staff and students on the Workplace Violence policy.

Human Resource

• Disseminate the policy to faculty and staff;
• Provide guidance and assistance to the departments to resolve conflict and assess incidents and complaints;
• Process and review corrective/disciplinary actions.

Dean of Student Services

• Assess and manage reported incidents involving students;
• Coordinate incidents involving students with the Safety/Security Manager;
• Provide guidance and assistance to faculty and staff on issues regarding students;
• Take appropriate corrective/disciplinary action.

Administrator/Manger/Supervisor

• Investigate and document reported incidents;
• Take appropriate corrective/disciplinary action.

3.3 Training

Germanna Community College shall provide opportunities for faculty, staff and students to be trained in the risk factors associated with workplace violence and proper handling of emergency situation in order to minimize the risks of violent incidents occurring in the workplace.

3.4 Dissemination of Policy

The policy will be included in the Germanna Community College Policy Manual and available on the College website. All new employees will be given a copy of this policy as part of their orientation.

Work Place – Any location, either permanent or temporary, where an employee performs any work-related duty. This includes, but is not limited to, the buildings and the surrounding perimeters, including the parking lots, field locations, alternate work locations, and travel to and from work assignments.

Workplace Violence – Any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse occurring in the workplace by employees, students or third parties that is sufficiently offensive or intimidating and alters or creates a hostile, abusive or intimidating environment for faculty, staff, students, and/or visitors. It includes, but is not limited to, beating, stabbing, suicide, shooting, rape, attempted suicide, psychological trauma such as threats, obscene phone calls, an intimidating presence, and harassment of any nature such as stalking, shouting or swearing.

Third Parties – Individuals who are not State employees or actively enrolled students of Germanna Community College.

EXAMPLES OF PROHIBITED CONDUCT

Specific examples of conduct that may be considered threats or acts of violence prohibited under this policy include, but are not limited to, the following:

• All threats or acts of violence occurring on College property, regardless of the relationship between the College and the individual involved in the incident.
• All threats or acts of violence by GCC personnel attending off-campus events sponsored by the institution or serving as official representatives of the college at non-college events.
• Physical assault and direct or implied threats to harm an individual or his/her family, friends, associates.
• Intentional destruction, threat of destruction or sabotage of an individual’s property or property owned, operated or controlled by the College.
• Harassment via threatening telephone calls, letters or other forms of written or electronic communications.
• Acts of conspiracy to intimidate or attempt to coerce an individual(s) to do wrongful acts, as defined by applicable law, administrative rule, policy or work rule, that would affect the
  business interests of the College.
• Intimidation resulting from unjust exercise of power or authority.
• Acts or unruly conduct that disrupts the natural work or educational environment of the College and/or results in fear for personal safety.
• Willful, malicious and repetitive following of another person, also known as “stalking”.
• Unauthorized possession or inappropriate use of firearms, weapons or any other dangerous devices on College property.
• Slurs or derogatory remarks regarding another person’s ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion or religious affiliation, disability or sexual orientation.
• Intimidation by bullying, using fighting words and/or profanity or exhibiting obscene gestures which create in the mind of an individual a reasonable belief of immediate or future harm.
• Physically touching another individual in an intimidating, malicious, or sexually harassing manner, including but not limited to such acts as hitting, slapping, poking, kicking, pinching, grabbing and pushing.

5.1 John Tyler Community College, Policies and Procedures
5.2 Piedmont Community College, Safety and Security, Chapter 2
5.3 Tidewater Community College, Safety Plan, Chapter 4

Director of Facilities

Approved by President’s Council on February 12, 2007