Eastern Mennonite University provides violence prevention and awareness programs to all incoming students and new employees Ongoing prevention and awareness programs are offered to the campus community in response to current events.

The Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT) is a multidisciplinary team of campus and community partners that meet regularly to assess, plan, monitor, and evaluate campus sexual and relationship violence response and prevention efforts. The goal of the CCRT is to better equip EMU to have an effective, trauma-informed response to incidents of sexual and relationship violence; to increase services and resources for victims/survivors of sexual and relationship violence; and to establish new campus norms that are intolerant of sexual and relationship violence.

Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) trains all students, faculty, and staff to recognize and respond appropriately to potential workplace violence. These concepts include, but are not limited to:

See Something Say Something - https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something 

Power of Hello - https://www.cisa.gov/employee-vigilance-and-de-escalation 

Bystander Intervention - https://emu.edu/safer-together/green-dot

VA Senate Bill 539 (SB 539) requires the board of visitors or other governing body of every public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth to establish a threat assessment team. The bill also requires identifying a campus-wide committee charged with education and prevention of violence on campus. Eastern Mennonite University, as a private higher education institution, is not required to adhere to this law, however the university takes seriously its responsibility to address violence and threats on campus. The university addresses workplace violence and threat assessment through its Incident Command Team and CARE (Concern, Assessment, Response, Evaluation) Team.

Incident Command Team (ICT)

The university's Incident Management Team is made up of the following individuals

Vice President for Finance

Executive Advisor to the President

Director of Facilities Management

Campus Safety and Security Coordinator (Team Leader)

Director of Health Services

Director of Technology Services

Director of Communications

Director of Human Resources

Vice President of Student Affairs 

Dean of Students

Director Campus Life

Administrative Assistant and receptionist Provost's Office (recorder)

Academic Dean designee (as necessary)

Director of Athletics (as necessary)

Director of Counseling Services (as necessary)

Associate Director of Development (as necessary)

Associate Provost, EMU at Lancaster (as necessary)

Director of Dining Services (as necessary)

Director of Intercultural Programs (as necessary)

The ICT regularly reviews policies and safety plans, discusses crisis scenarios and drills, and reviews communication plans. The ICT regularly participates in table top exercises and drills including:

•   training seminars
•   observing and participating in drills hosted by local fire, police and rescue personnel
•   hosting law enforcement for on-campus training
•   joining nationwide webinars hosted by FEMA
•   hosting on-campus training

The ICT also oversees required campus drills and training, including building evacuation, lock- down situations such as active shooter training, the Great Southeast Shake Out each fall (earthquake drill), and the tornado preparedness drill each spring sponsored by the National Weather Service.

CARE Team

The university's CARE (Concern, Assessment, Response, Evaluation) Team provides proactive and coordinated support for students in distress and addresses concerns about student behavior, academic progress, and personal issues, including mental health concerns.

The CARE Team consists of university personnel with expertise in residence life, campus safety/threat assessment, student affairs, medical and mental health, disability services and legal affairs. Core CARE Team members include: 

Dean of Students (serves as Chair of Care Team)

Vice President of Student Affairs

Director for Campus Life

Lead Counselor

Associate Provost for Student Success

Athletics Department Representative

Each Core CARE team member's responsibilities are outlined in the Core CARE Team Responsibilities document. Additional EMU Faculty/Staff who may be included in CARE Team as necessary depending on type of concern include:

Office of Academic Access

Director of Health Services

Office of Multicultural Student Services

Director of International Student Services

Director of Campus Ministries

Residence Life Staff

Faculty (through teaching or advising roles)

Campus Legal Counsel (as necessary)

Any faculty, staff, or student who is aware of a situation that could possibly result in harm to anyone at the university should submit a report to the CARE team. Information is found on the CARE team website https://emu.edu/studentlife/care-team/. This site includes a report form which anyone can use to make a report. The CARE team site also provides directions for what to do in the case of an emergency or situation needing to be addressed after business hours. If a student is in an emergency situation and needs immediate assistance then individuals should call the Campus Life On-call at 540-476-4578, or call Campus Safety and Security at 540-432-4911, or call 911 with their location. The CARE team uses Maxient software for reporting and record-keeping.

The CARE Team gathers information from personal contact with students, faculty, staff and family members, as well as from reports submitted by members of the community. A collaborative process to assess threats and concerns is used. The Core CARE Team meets weekly to evaluate, assess, and monitor reports and referrals to the CARE Team. Core members attend every meeting and have full access to the team's electronic records database. The CARE Team chair, or designee, will keep senior university officials advised of situations, directly reporting information to the Provost for further dissemination as needed. The CARE Team conducts work by three means: 

(1)   Preliminary Response

When a report is received, a preliminary response meeting may be convened by the CARE Team chair and any CARE Team member having administrative responsibility for the person of concern. Other appropriate CARE Team members may be consulted and included during this initial assessment. As needed, these team members will gather additional information regarding the submitted report and, if appropriate, convene the CARE Team for an emergency meeting. Otherwise, these findings will be reported at the regular team meeting.

(2)   Regular Team Meeting

Regular team meetings occur on a weekly basis and are designed to review on-going cases, make appropriate recommendations with new cases, and provide regular opportunities for training. Case review will include:

•   Briefing and review of preliminary responses by the CARE Team chair or designee;
•   Review of documentation, interviews, and other relevant information;
•   General discussion;
•   Recommendations by the team.

(3)   Critical Incident Response/Emergency Meeting

In the event of a situation that requires the immediate attention of the CARE Team, the CARE Team chair, or designee, will call a critical incident response or emergency meeting. When Navigate cases are created for Health and Wellness concerns, the Director of Retention will submit an EMU Safety and Care report regarding the student so the above process can be aligned for students submitted through Navigate cases or EMU Safety and Care Report forms.

The CARE Team receives reports of students who are exhibiting concerning or disruptive behaviors. The team, in an effort to maintain student success capacity and protect the university community, investigates and responds to reported behavior through the procedures described above. As a result of follow through with the procedures, the CARE Team may recommend some or all of the following actions as part of an intervention/success plan:

1.   Referral to EMU and/or community counseling or other medical resources for evaluation,
2.   Referral of students to EMU Coachlink for specific goals and accountability related to academic or personal patterns of behavior,
3.   Referral to appropriate university personnel for educational mentoring related to reported behavior,
4.   Forward appropriate information to faculty related to student's current educational needs,
5.   Recommend that the proper authority notify, within FERPA guidelines, the parents, guardians, and/or emergency contact,
6.   Assist students in making changes to academic load and any financial aid adjustments for long- term success.

The CARE Team engages in on-going and active training. For this program to be effective, the university community must be aware of the CARE Team, the need and purpose of intervention, the procedure for filing a report, and how to contact members of the team with concerns or comments. The CARE Team provides campus-wide information to be incorporated into faculty and staff annual trainings, new employee and student orientation sessions, and regularly scheduled safety programs presented by the Student Life and other campus departments.

Behavioral Threat Assessment Team

The EMU Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT) is a multidisciplinary team and component of the campus emergency management system. The primary responsibility of the BTAT is to address and respond to situations involving threats or acts of violence in the workplace, classroom, and on campus property.

Policy

Code of Virginia §23.1-805. Violence Prevention Committee; Threat Assessment states each public institution of higher education shall establish policies and procedures for the prevention of violence on campus, including assessment of and intervention with individuals whose behavior poses a threat to the campus community's safety. §23.1-805 also requires identifying a campus-wide committee charged with education and prevention of violence on campus. Although Eastern Mennonite University is not required by this law to do so, the institution voluntarily chooses to follow the intent of §23.1-805 by establishing a joint Violence Prevention/Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT).

Introduction

The 2007 tragedy at Virginia Tech reminds all in higher education of the vulnerability of our college campuses. Acts of violence and threats, whether from students or strangers, staff or faculty, can destroy the fabric of the community and the well-being of the campus. EMU is aware of the vulnerability of its open campus, which is, in many ways, seamless with the Harrisonburg community. Although the campus has in place crisis management systems to help us recognize and respond to potentially threatening individuals or situations, we continue to assess the need to improve our processes and procedures to ensure campus safety and security to the best of our ability and to respond to the mental health needs of our community members (students, faculty, and staff) to prevent danger to them and others. Therefore, the campus has established policies to deal with violence against or by all campus community members – in the workplace, classroom, and on-campus property. These guidelines apply to all students, faculty, staff, contractors, visitors, and guests to the campus.

Per best practices for safety, an EMU Incident Command team workgroup develops plans, policies, and procedures for threat assessment and violence prevention needs as defined in Code of Virginia §23.1-805.

Description and Objectives of Behavioral Threat Assessment Team (BTAT)

The EMU Behavioral Threat Assessment Team is a multidisciplinary team within the campus emergency management system. The primary responsibility of the BTAT is to address and respond to situations involving threats or acts of violence on campus. Team membership is based on situational needs. It will be drawn from administrators charged with specific functions related to campus safety and representatives of key campus constituencies. The BTAT will be led by the Dean of Students or Director of Human Resources, and will meet several times a year to review emergency plans and assess needs to meet the following objectives:

1.   Develop protocols, communication, and documentation systems for interventions in behavioral threats by individuals or groups
2.   Identify and review response options in consultation with on and off-campus resources
3.   Ensure effective implementation of appropriate BTAT and intervention protocols
4.   Assess the post-event needs of the campus community
5.   Undertake training for BTAT members and campus personnel, as needed 
6.   Educate faculty, staff, and students on ways to identify risk for violence