APPROVED BY CHANCELLOR, APRIL 30, 2014
SIUE THREAT ASSESSMENT POLICY
A.
PURPOSE:
This policy is created to set forth the manner and method under which the SIUE Threat
Assessment Team shall operate to assess and address issues relating to potential and pending acts
or threats of violence at SIUE. The Threat Assessment Team exists as an additional resource, in
addition to other University administrative staff and resources, to review and assess actual cases
and/or incidents within the University community in which a potential or actual threat of
violence is present.
B.
THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM:
1.
Purpose: The purpose of the Threat Assessment Team is to review and assess actual
cases and/or incidents involving potential or actual threats of violence in order to determine
whether a threat of violence or actual violence is probable and/or imminent. The Threat
Assessment Team shall work in conjunction with the Campus Violence Prevention Committee
and other University departments to review, address, and respond to issues of violence within the
University community.
2.,
Responsibilities: The Threat Assessment Team is responsible for receiving and
reviewing information obtained from a reporting party, witness or observer in order to determine
whether a threat is present. Additional responsibilities include reviewing incident reports, police
reports and/or complaints of threats to self or others, or actual violence, reviewing patterns or
practices which indicate a potential for violence, and investigating and assisting other University
officials or representatives in dealing with serious threats and/or incidents of violence. The
Threat Assessment Team is not intended to address workplace issues, such as, performance
behavioral matters that are regularly handled by the Offices of Human Resources or student
misconduct that is regularly handled by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
The Team shall:
1. Assess, review and analyze incidents involving potential or imminent danger or violence
to determine if a threat of violence is present. This may include but not be limited to
creating detailed and fact-based assessments of students, employees, or other individuals
who may present a threat to themselves or to the University community;
2. Work with the affected unit to develop and implement an appropriate action plan to
alleviate repercussions of incidents of violence and to prevent future incidents;
3. Conduct an investigation and any necessary follow-up as appropriate;
4. Provide information and make recommendations to appropriate University functional
units for appropriate corrective action or assistance to prevent future incidents of
violence;
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APPROVED BY CHANCELLOR, APRIL 30, 2014
5. Support the Campus Violence Prevention Plan and the Campus Violence Prevention
Committee by creating a campus-wide threat assessment policy, conducting threat
assessments, and addressing aberrant, dangerous, or threatening behavior on campus;
6. Assist the University community to the extent possible with anticipating and responding
to future acts of violence;
7. Support University personnel by providing direct communication, education, and
guidelines about University expectations and to insure that anyone who makes threats is
given explicit feedback about their behavior and detailed expectations about future
behavior.
C.
AUTHORITY:
The Threat Assessment Team was developed pursuant to the Illinois Campus Security
Enhancement Act (110 ILCS 12/1 et.seq.) The Team will adhere to all University, local, State
and Federal statutes, including the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
Confidentiality Act (740 ILCS 110/1 et. seq.), FERPA, and the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 (ADA), among other State and Federal laws.
D.
MEMBERS OF THE THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM:
1. Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Designee
2. Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
3. Director of Counseling Services
4. Senior Associate General Counsel
5. Director of Human Resources
6. Dean of Students
7. Chief of University Police
8. Associate Director, University Housing
9. Director of Public Safety
10. Assistant Dean School of Dental Medicine (as needed)
11. Dean, School of Pharmacy (as needed)
12. Director, East St. Louis Higher Education Center (as needed)
All members of the Threat Assessment Team are expected to attend training(s) and maintain
current knowledge in the areas of threat assessment procedures, appropriate handling of
students/employees with mental illness or those who pose a threat to self or others, and other
related areas, as would be necessary for the performance of their team related campus
responsibilities.
E.
GENERAL PROCEDURES
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APPROVED BY CHANCELLOR, APRIL 30, 2014
Chair: The Dean of Students will chair both the regularly scheduled and ad hoc meetings of the
Threat Assessment Team. In the Chair’s absence, he or she shall designate a team member to act
on his or her behalf. The Dean of Students will maintain a roster of active cases. At each
regularly scheduled meeting, the Team will review and discuss cases, both past and present.
Action Required: When the Threat Assessment Team is notified of an incident, the appropriate
team members will confer as soon as reasonably possible to determine what response, if any, is
necessary. If the Threat Assessment Team determines that a threat is present, the Team shall
inform the proper University officials or representatives to initiate prompt, reasonable and
remedial action, as necessary. The Team will meet on a regular basis and as needed.
Assessment of Cases: The Threat Assessment Team will be responsible for overseeing all cases
that have initiated an assessment based on the designated threat categories with specific team
members assigned to handle specific cases and/or aspects of cases. The Threat Assessment
Team will coordinate with the appropriate University administrators and offices regarding plans
and recommendations based upon the assessment. The Threat Assessment Team will also track
the student/individual's response to any recommendations and to the behavioral expectations that
have been established.
There are five threat behaviors that will activate the Threat Assessment Team:
1. The individual makes a threat of violence towards a specified person(s), including
themselves or the community as a whole. The threat might be direct or indirect, implicit
or explicit, veiled or outright, but leaves a reasonable observer in fear of his or her safety.
The threat might take the form of verbal or written statements and/or might occur through
various electronic media.
2. The individual engages in “significant suicidal or homicidal ideation” that is alarming
and disturbing to a reasonable observer and is divorced from any significant artistic
intent.
3. An individual assumes a stance of being substantially “in charge” of processes or
outcomes, or decisions and movements of another person, that is inappropriate given his
or her standing or position.
4. An individual persists in pursuing options and outcomes that do not reasonably exit after
being instructed to cease pursuing them, continues to do so in an unreasonable manner.
5. An individual appears to be suffering from a delusion, the context of which either
requires him or her to be violent or increases the likelihood that he or she will use
violence to protect him/her from the perceived violence of others or becomes a danger to
himself/herself.
F.
CASE MANAGEMENT:
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APPROVED BY CHANCELLOR, APRIL 30, 2014
Timeliness – Any meetings with a student/individual will occur as soon as reasonably possible—
preferably that same day or the day after, depending upon the nature of the situation. Ideally, the
first round of meetings will occur within five business days of the receipt of the report and no
later than one calendar week. Depending upon the circumstances of a particular situation,
availability of the parties and/or their representatives, or other relevant factors, the scheduling of
such meetings can take longer.
Written expectations – One of the goals of the Team is to provide students/individuals who
pose a threat with clear and explicit expectations regarding future behavior. The Threat
Assessment Team, working through regularly scheduled meetings, ad hoc meetings and/or the
team listserv, will determine who will draft a letter of expectations and/or follow-up with the
individual, as needed. As appropriate, in the context of one of the meetings with the
student/individual or shortly thereafter, the student/individual will be provided with a letter
outlining the reported behavior, the University's concern, the University's expectations regarding
future behavior, and the consequences of future occurrences of similar behavior. In as much as
possible written correspondence will be provided at the time of the meeting, however, it may
become necessary to deliver correspondence prior to or after a scheduled meeting. To the extent
that the student/individual adheres to the specified limits, the University's response remains
consistent. In the event that a student/individual violates the limits, it will result in further
reports, additional sanctions and/or increasingly restrictive limits up to and including criminal
arrest, separation or other appropriate disciplinary action, pursuant to University policies and
procedures.
Recordkeeping – Each member of the Threat Assessment Team will have access to a database
software program on a secure server. The Threat Assessment Team will maintain the secure
database of students/individuals under active consideration, as well as the initial report and
actions taken to date. Each Threat Assessment Team member will be responsible for
maintaining records in accordance with their established practices, University policy, and in
compliance with State and Federal privacy and records laws.
G. CASE THREAT LEVEL CLASSIFICATIONS
Cases will be classified in accordance with the following levels.
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APPROVED BY CHANCELLOR, APRIL 30, 2014
Priority 0- No Risk- Person/Situation does not appear to pose a threat of violence or self-harm
at this time, nor is there evidence of significant disruption to the community. The team can close
the case without a management or monitoring plan, following appropriate documentation.
Priority 1- Low Risk- Person/situation does not appear to pose a threat of violence or self –harm
at this time, nor is there evidence of significant disruption to the community. The case may
warrant some intervention, referral and monitoring to minimize rise for escalation to threat. The
Team should develop a monitoring plan.
Priority 2- Intermediate Risk- Person/situation does not appear to pose a threat of violence or
self-harm at this time, but does exhibit behaviors /circumstances that may escalate and to be
disruptive to the community. The case may warrant some intervention. The Team should develop
a monitoring plan.
Priority 3- Moderate Risk- Person/situation does not appear to pose a threat of violence or selfharm at this time, but does exhibit behaviors/circumstances that are likely to be disruptive to the
community. This case warrant some intervention, referral and monitoring to minimize risk for
significant disruption to the community. The Team should develop a referral and/ or monitoring
plan.
Priority 4- High Risk- Person /situation appears to pose a threat of self-harm or physical
violence, usually to an identifiable target, but currently lacks immediacy and/or a specific planor a specified plan of violence does exist but currently lacks a specific target. This requires the
Team to develop and implement a management plan.
Priority 5- Extreme Risk- Person/situation appears to pose a clear and immediate threat of
serious violence toward self or others and requires containment. The Team should immediately
notify law enforcement to pursue containment options and take actions to protect identified
targets. Once such emergency actions have taken place the Team shall then develop and
implement a management plan in anticipation of the person’s release or return to campus.
H.
REPORTING PROCEDURES:
1.
Imminent Danger or Threat: If the circumstance(s) indicate(s) imminent danger to
persons or damage to property the individual will implement the following actions, in order:
a.
Notify the University Police immediately (911 or 650-3324);
b.
If you are an employee notify your immediate supervisor or the Office of Human
Resources at 618-650-2190; if you are a student worker or graduate assistant
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APPROVED BY CHANCELLOR, APRIL 30, 2014
notify your immediate supervisor or the Dean of Students at 618-650-2020; if you
are a student notify the Dean of Students at 618-650-2020.
2.
Non-Imminent Danger or Threat: An individual witnessing or experiencing threats,
threatening behavior, or acts of violence against faculty, staff, students, visitors, or other
individuals covered by this policy will take the following action if the circumstance(s) does not
indicate an imminent danger to persons or damage to property.
a. If you are not an employee or a student, please report the incident to the University
Police at 650-3324 or 911.
b. If you are an employee notify your immediate supervisor or the Office of Human
Resources at 618-650-2190; if you are a student worker or a graduate assistant notify
your supervisor or the Dean of Students at 618-650-2020; if you are a student please
report the incident the Dean of Students or another University administrator.
c. Individuals may file a Care report at http://www.siue.edu/counseling/ to submit a
“Care Report”.
APPLICABILITY:
The Threat Assessment Policy applies to all SIUE facilities, property, faculty, staff, students,
visitors, and others at the University. In as much as University policies and procedures may not
apply to non-University affiliated persons outside of University property, the threat protocols can
be used to assess the threat of non-University persons with appropriate criminal and/or “no
trespass” sanctions applied. It is the responsibility of all faculty, staff, and students to familiarize
themselves and to comply with this Policy and its procedures and any related policies and
procedures. Related policies and procedures include but are not limited to the Campus Violence
Prevention Plan, the Student Conduct Code or the applicable employee personnel policies at
http://www.siue.edu/humanresources/hr_policies.shtml.
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