Threat Assessment
Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to using its best efforts to provide faculty, staff and students with an environment that is safe, secure and free from threats, intimidation and violence. To promote an atmosphere that encourages learning and productive employment, VCU will not tolerate improper conduct or behavior at the university, including but not limited to:
- Injuring another person physically
- Engaging in threatening behavior that creates a reasonable fear of injury to another person
- Engaging in threatening behavior that subjects another individual to undue emotional distress
- Possessing, brandishing or using a weapon that is not required by the individual’s position while on state premises or engaged in state business
- Intentionally damaging property
- Threatening to injure an individual or to damage property
- Committing injurious acts motivated by, or related to, domestic violence or sexual harassment
- Retaliating against any individual who, in good faith, reports a violation of this policy
Threats are unacceptable regardless of whether the person communicating the threat has the ability to carry it out, whether the threat is made on a present, conditional or future basis, or whether the threat is made in person, through another person, in writing, over the phone, in the mail or electronically.
Threat Assessment Team
VCU’s Threat Assessment Team evaluates potentially dangerous situations on campus and responds as appropriate. The team consists of representatives from VCU Police, Human Resources, University Counseling Services, Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Services, Office of the General Counsel and other units as determined.
Contact the Threat Assessment Team emailing tat@vcu.edu or by calling (804) 828-8940. Callers must provide contact information for a team member to respond. In all instances, report emergencies or dangerous situations immediately to VCU Police at (804) 828-1234.
Violence Prevention Committee
The focus of the Violence Prevention Committee is to provide education on, and prevention of, violence on campus to include guidance on threatening or aberrant behavior representing a physical threat to the community, information about reporting threatening behavior, review of policies and procedures related to obligations of employees (including faculty) to report behavior that may represent a physical threat, and annual review of threat assessment team policies and procedures.
The committee is composed of representatives from student affairs, law enforcement, human resources, counseling services, residence life, and other constituencies as needed.
For additional information, contact tat@vcu.edu.