1.39 Prevention of Violence In The Workplace Policy

I. Definitions

A. Workplace Violence

Workplace violence includes, but is not limited to, intimidation, threats, physical attack, property damage, or conduct which interferes with an employee's or student's safety in the workplace or in the College learning environment.

B. Intimidation

Intimidation includes, but is not limited to, stalking or engaging in actions intended to frighten, coerce, or induce duress or fear.

C. Threat

Threat is the expression of an intent to cause physical or mental harm. An expression constitutes a threat without regard to whether the party communicating the threat has the present ability to carry it out and without regard to whether the expression is contingent, conditional, or future.

D. Physical Attack

Physical attack is unwanted or hostile physical contact, such as hitting, fighting, pushing, shoving, or throwing objects.

E. Dating Violence

Dating violence is violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim and where the existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on a consideration of factors pursuant to 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.

F. Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim pursuant to 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.

G. Stalking

Stalking is engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress pursuant to 40002(a) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994.

H. Property Damage

Property damage is intentional damage to property owned by the State, College, employees, students, visitors, or vendors.

I. Sexual Misconduct

Sexual misconduct is any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including any conduct or act of a sexual nature perpetrated against an individual without consent. Sexual Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, the following: Dating Violence; Domestic Violence; Non-forcible Sex Acts; Sexual Assault; Sexual Exploitation; Sexual Harassment; and Stalking. The college encourages reporting of all Sexual Misconduct.

II. Rule

Central Piedmont Community College seeks to promote a working, teaching, and learning environment that is safe and healthy for all employees, students, and visitors while on College premises, while performing College business, or while participating in College sponsored activities. In doing so, the College is complying with and supporting the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, the Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act (Clery Act), Title IX of the Higher Education Act, and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA).

III. Policy

Central Piedmont Community College prohibits any form of violence in the workplace that threatens the safety of employees and students and seeks to provide a sound learning environment for students. The College uses management tools including mediation, discipline, and dismissal policies, as well as Policy 1.40 Employee Assistance Program, Policy 4.00 Conduct of Students, and the Central Piedmont Community College Care Team to promote a workplace and learning environment which is free of violence and provides reasonable protection for employees and students.

IV. Procedures

  1. In the event of an emergency incident, the employee or student is urged to call 704.330.6911 and move to an area of safety.
  2. As soon as possible, the employee or student is to report any incident of violence to College Security or Campus Security Authority (CSA). A Campus Security Authority is any College Security employee or contract security employee. In addition, campus Student Affairs (SA) directors, Office of the Dean for Student Life, Director of Counseling, and the Director for Institutional Equity are considered Campus Security Authorities. Campus Security Authorities are required to report any crime covered by the Clery Act to College Security.
  3. In any cases of violence in this policy, a preponderance of the evidence standard will apply.
  4. Student Affairs will assist with changing academic schedules following any reported incident. Students may contact the Student Affairs director at the local campus or the Dean for Enrollment Management at the Central Campus.
  5. Students found in violation of Prevention of Violence in the Workplace or Prevention of Violence in the Workplace and Learning Environment Policies will be subject to disciplinary sanctions detailed in Policy 4.00 Conduct of Students.
  6. Employees found in violation of Prevention of Violence in the Workplace or Prevention of Violence in the Workplace and Learning Environment Policies will be subject to actions consistent with employee disciplinary policies.

V. Prevention Program

Employees and students will be provided with information and training regarding the potential for violence in the workplace. The purpose of such training is to:

  1. Increase the ability to recognize early warning signs of a potentially violent person or situation.
  2. Provide information on how to record and report incidents.
  3. Encourage employees and students to report suspicious incidents to Campus Security.

Additional program information and Clery statistics are available online in the College's Annual Security Report (PDF).

Changes

Changes approved by the Board of Trustees on May 6, 2020

Changes approved by Cabinet on November 23, 2009; September 15, 2014

Approved by the Board of Trustees on May 6, 1998

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