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Violence Prevention Committee at Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ

Violence Prevention Committee Purpose Statement

The Violence Prevention Committee (VPC) is dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive campus environment by proactively addressing behaviors that may pose a physical threat to the community. The Violence Prevention Committee is governed by .

Violence Prevention Committee Annual Notification

Institutional Mission

Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ provides equitable access to affordable and exceptional higher education and workforce programs, transforming the lives of our students and advancing opportunity in our community.

Learn more about Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ’s mission, vision, and core values by visiting Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ At a Glance.

Committee Charge

According to . Violence prevention committee; threat assessment team, each Violence Prevention Committee has the following responsibilities:

(i) provide guidance to students, faculty, and staff regarding recognition of threatening or aberrant behavior that may represent a physical threat to the community;

(ii) identify members of the campus community to whom threatening behavior should be reported;

(iii) establish policies and procedures that outline circumstances under which all faculty and staff are required to report behavior that may represent a physical threat to the community, provided that such report is consistent with state and federal law; and

(iv) establish policies and procedures for: (a) the assessment of individuals whose behavior may present a threat, (b) appropriate means of intervention with such individuals, and (c) sufficient means of action, including interim suspension, referrals to community services boards or health care providers for evaluation or treatment, medical separation to resolve potential physical threats, and notification of family members or guardians, or both, unless such notification would prove harmful to the individual in question, consistent with state and federal law.

2025–2026 Actions

Based on concerns raised by Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ faculty and staff through the Huron Report and the systemwide findings of the recent VCCS Classroom Safety audit, Dr. Anne M. Kress is charging the VPC with completing the following actions related to Virginia Code in the 2025-2026 academic year:

  1. Creating a collegewide information campaign that addresses and fulfills the intent of items (i) and (ii).
  2. Following the mandate established by the code in item (iii) by establishing a Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ policy and procedure that clearly identifies the "circumstances under which all faculty and staff are required to report behavior that may represent a physical threat to the community," defines the processes for reporting such behavior, and articulates the consequences of not reporting such behavior as required. This work should follow the Policy on Policy Development (101/101P).
  3. Working with the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Threat Assessment Team to update Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Policy 119 Threat Assessment so that it meets the expectations outlined in the code (iv) and provides clear and published procedures that address the topics outlined in the code (a, b, c). This work should follow the Policy on Policy Development (101/101P).
  4. Ensuring that the appropriate information is included in both the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Faculty and Staff Handbooks and developing a formal process for updating these handbooks annually.

Periodic updates will be provided and a final report on the committee's actions and outcomes will be delivered by June 15, 2026.

VPC and TAT Responsibilities and Structure

The Violence Prevention Committee (VPC) serves as the primary body responsible for campus education on violence prevention; and serves as the overarching group that the Threat Assessment Team (TAT) directly reports to.

Committee and Team Responsibilities

  1. Each college shall establish a violence prevention committee with responsibility for education and violence prevention on campus. The membership of this body shall include representatives from the following areas: student affairs, human resources, law enforcement, a mental health professional or counseling services representative, and others who have knowledge, professional expertise, or responsibilities that could assist the committee with completing its work and shall consult with legal counsel as needed. However, in all cases, the membership of the committee must comply with the requirements of .
  2. Each violence prevention committee shall publish for its college community a clear statement of its mission and membership, as well as the committee’s leadership role in the area of violence prevention.
  3. Each violence prevention committee shall publish periodic guidance to faculty, staff, and students regarding the following:
    1. How to recognize and report aberrant or potentially harmful behavior that may represent a threat to the community;
    2. To whom on the college’s threat assessment team potentially threatening behavior should be reported and under which circumstances faculty and staff are required to report such behavior;
    3. Policies and procedures for the following:
      1. the assessment of individuals whose behavior may present a threat;
      2. appropriate means of intervention with such individuals; and
      3. actions to resolve potential threats, including but not limited to interim suspension, referrals to community services boards or health care providers, and medical separation to resolve potential physical threats, and notification of family members or guardians, or both, unless such notification would prove harmful to the individual in question, consistent with state and federal law. Each college shall establish policies and procedures for interim suspension and medical separation that include procedures to ensure due process.

Each college also shall establish a threat assessment team. Membership of this body shall include representatives from the following areas: student affairs, human resources, law enforcement, and a mental health representative.

The violence prevention committee may also be designated the campus threat assessment team if the counseling services representative is also a mental health professional. The threat assessment team may supplement its membership with others as necessary to assist it with fulfilling its purpose. However, in all cases, the membership of the team must comply with the requirements of Virginia law.

The threat assessment team shall invite VCCS legal counsel to provide legal advice. The team may invite other representatives from campus to participate in individual cases, but no such representative shall be considered a member of the team.

The threat assessment team shall implement the assessment, intervention, and action policies of the violence prevention committee.

Structure

Violence Prevention Committee (VPC)
Threat Assessment Team (TAT)

Relationship Between Groups:

  • The Threat Assessment Team reports to the Violence Prevention Committee.
  • The Committee sets overarching policies and guidance, while the Team operationalizes these policies through direct assessment and intervention.

Violence Prevention Committee Membership (2025-26)

Member Position Term Ends
John Ferrari Vice President of Finance and Administration  Administrative Council Liaison and Permanent Member
Charlotte Calobrisi Associate Vice President of Human Resources Administrative Council Liaison and Permanent Member
Dr. Joel Frater Vice President of Student Affairs (Chair) Permanent Member
Lieutenant Matthew Borders Police Department Spring 2026
Matthew Coats Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities Permanent Member
Mike Davis Academic Dean Spring 2026
Lisa Baker Teaching Faculty Representative Spring 2026
Threat Assessment Team Membership

Resources

Creating a Safer Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Together with the Violence Prevention Committee