D5: Violence Prevention

Responsibility for Maintenance: Campus Safety and Security

I. Policy Statement  

Onondaga Community College is concerned about and committed to the safety and security of its students, employees, visitors, and all other members of the College community. Threats, threatening behavior, or acts of violence against employees, students, visitors, guests, or other individuals by anyone on College property, including the residence halls, will not be tolerated. 

Upon receiving reports of threats of violence, threatening behavior or violent acts occurring on College property, in College residence halls, or by individuals who are College employees or students or are connected with the College in any way, the College will investigate and take appropriate corrective action as the circumstances warrant. The College reserves the right to take any and all appropriate corrective action, including removing the perpetrator of violent or potentially violent acts from the premises as quickly as safety permits, pending the outcome of a final investigation. The College’s response to incidents of violence may include reassignment of job duties, discipline up to and including discharge, dismissal from the College, and criminal or civil prosecution of those involved.

II. Reason for Policy  

The College is committed to a learning, living, working and community environment that are free of violence and threats of violence. In addition, the College is subject to a variety of laws and regulations that require a safe and healthy learning, living, and working environment. For example, the New York State Legislature has found and declared that workplace violence is a serious public health problem that demands the attention of the State of New York and resulted in amendment to New York State labor law codified as §27-b applicable to all public employers, requiring that public employers assess and attempt to eliminate workplace violence.

III. Applicability of the Policy  

This policy applies to all College employees, students, visitors, and guests of the College.

IV. Contacts  

Subject Office Name Title or Position Telephone Number Email/URL
Questions regarding policy Campus Safety and Security   (315) 498-2478 CampusSafetyDepartment@sunyocc.edu 

 

V. Procedures 

All College personnel, students, and community members should notify Campus Safety and Security of any threats they have witnessed, received, or have been told that another person has witnessed or received. College personnel, students, and community members should report behavior they regard as potentially threatening or violent if that behavior bears any connection to the College (i.e. conduct that is job-related, conduct that occurs on a College-controlled site, threats of violence against or by students, etc.).   

The College will neither retaliate against those who report potential incidents of violence nor discriminate against victims of such violence.  

An employee, student or member of the College community who applies for or obtains a protective or restraining order that lists College locations should provide a copy of the petition and declarations used to seek the order and should provide a copy of any temporary or permanent protective or restraining order that is granted to Campus Safety and Security. The College has confidentiality procedures that recognize and respect the privacy of reporting employees.

Campus Safety and Security, in cooperation with the Department of Human Resources, will provide annual violence prevention training and information sessions for employees.


 

Approved by OCC Board of Trustees April 3, 2006