The university is committed to providing a workplace for its employees and students which is safe, secure and respectful -- an environment that is free from violence. Behaviors and actions which inappropriately represent violence are potentially damaging to university employees, students and property. Violent behavior is a violation of university policy and will not be tolerated in the university community. It will be addressed promptly by the university administration.

Definition of Workplace Violence

1. Intimidation: Includes but is not limited to stalking or engaging in actions intended to frighten, coerce, or induce duress.
   
2. Threat: 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.
   
3. Physical Attack: Unwanted or hostile physical contact such as hitting, fighting, pushing, shoving or throwing objects.
   
4. Property Damage: Intentional damage to property which includes property owned by the State, employees, students, visitors or vendors.
   
5. Domestic Violence: Abusive or violent behavior, including threats and intimidation, between people who have an ongoing or prior intimate relationship. This could include people who are married, live together or date or who have been married, lived together or dated.

It is a violation of this policy to engage in workplace violence as defined herein or use or possess an unauthorized weapon during a time covered by this policy. By law, weapons are prohibited on campus except for authorized law enforcement personnel and military personnel carrying out their official duties, and for ceremonial or educational uses specifically authorized by the chancellor, if in compliance with North Carolina law.

It is the responsibility of all employees and students in the university to conduct themselves in such a way as to contribute to an environment that is free of violence. All employees are encouraged to be alert to the possibility of violence on the part of employees, former employees, students and visitors. Employees shall place safety as their highest concern, and shall report all acts of violence and threats of violence. [Reporting procedures are covered in section IV.]

University administrators and supervisors have a special responsibility to create and maintain a violence free environment. Should an administrator or supervisor have knowledge of conduct that creates violence or receives a complaint of violence under his or her administrative functions, immediate steps must be taken to deal with the matter appropriately. Taking positive steps to educate and sensitize employees and students with respect to this issue is also a responsibility of university administration.

Responsible Institutional Officer

The Director of Human Resources shall serve as coordinator and have overall responsibility for implementation of policies and procedures dealing with workplace violence. The maintenance of records and preparation of requested reports on workplace violence shall be the responsibility of the coordinator.

Workplace Violence Education and Awareness

The coordinator shall have the responsibility to coordinate the design and presentation of training and education of supervisors regarding the signs of potential workplace violence. Advice and assistance will be solicited from other university resources on the contents of the training and education program, to assess the effectiveness of the program, and to determine revisions as necessary to the policy.

1. The University Police Department should be contacted if someone is or may be in imminent danger or if the incident in question resulted in anyone being physically harmed. The police department may also be contacted by any university employee, student, or other individual at any time in the process.
   
2. When a university employee or student experiences or has knowledge of workplace violence that does not involve imminent danger, the first action is to inform immediately the appropriate supervisor or faculty member respectively. The supervisor or faculty member will investigate the situation, with caution and safety as first concerns, or seek assistance from the coordinator (for faculty and staff) or Dean of Students Office (for students) respectively. If a supervisor or faculty member is not present, or the reporter of the violence is not comfortable reporting the incident to a supervisor or faculty member, contact the Coordinator, or, in cases involving students, the Dean of Students Office.
   
3. The University Police, the Coordinator or Dean of Students shall notify the Workplace Violence Assessment Team as soon as practicable upon learning of critical incidents and/or life threatening situations.
   
4. If it is determined that persons involved in workplace violence need assistance beyond intervention at the scene, they may be referred to the University Counseling Center . Staff and faculty members may also be referred to Human Resources Office who will manage referrals to outside health care providers.

The Assessment Team will contact the Marketing and Communications unit when the situation precipitates mass communications or media contact. Inquires from the media about any incident of workplace violence should be directed to the Office of University Relations.

While the university acknowledges that there may be little if any warning of pending violence, there is a team of individuals assigned the task of assessing the threat of workplace violence when concerns are reported. The Workplace Violence Assessment Team consists of representatives from:

For Employees – Human Resources, University Police, General Counsel, the Student Counseling Center, the CARE office (Collaboration for Assault Response and Education), and an immediate supervisor.