PURPOSE

This policy was established to notify Faculty and Professional Staff Members and Students that violence within the University community will not be tolerated.

APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to all Faculty, Professional Staff Members, including Professional Staff Members affiliated with a collective bargaining unit. In addition, this policy also applies to all other persons (e.g. volunteers, non-employee associates, contract workers, etc.) engaged to further the interests of the University.

IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation of this policy is the responsibility of the Department of Human Resources.

ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT

The Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer is the Drexel University Official responsible for the administration of this policy.

POLICY

All Faculty and Professional Staff Members and Students are entitled to perform their work, regardless of location, whether on the University's premises or elsewhere, free from violence. Workplace violence will not be tolerated. Any Faculty and Professional Staff Member or Student who commits an act of workplace violence at work against a person or property will face action outlined in the Performance Improvement Policy up to and including termination of employment. Where appropriate, the matter will be referred to legal authorities for prosecution.

DEFINITIONS

Faculty Member is defined as an individual employed by Drexel University in a tenured, tenure-track, non-tenured track or adjunct position who teaches at any college, school, center or institute in the University.  A Faculty Member also is deemed to be exempt under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and/or applicable state law.

Professional Staff Member is defined as an individual employed in any non-faculty category by Drexel University, including an individual who is deemed to be either exempt or non-exempt under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and/or applicable state law.

Student is defined as any person currently enrolled, whether part-time or full-time, in undergraduate or graduate courses or programs. Undergraduate Student denotes any Student who is primarily enrolled in undergraduate courses or program and has not obtained a bachelor’s degree in such course of study or program. Graduate student denotes any Student who is primarily enrolled in graduate courses or program who is working toward a graduate degree or certification after having earned a bachelor’s degree.

Workplace Violenceis any act against the employer and/or Faculty and Professional Staff Member or Student that takes place on the University campus and involves: physical acts against persons or University property, or verbal threats, or vicious statements that are meant to harm or cause a hostile environment, or written threats, vicious cartoons or notes, and other written conduct of intense distortion that is meant to threaten or create a hostile environment, or visual acts that are threatening or intended to convey the threat of injury or hostility. It prohibits, the possession or use of air rifles, pistols, firearms, weapons, ammunition, gunpowder, fireworks, explosive, gasoline, other dangerous articles and/or substances, or any instrument that is capable of inflicting serious bodily injury, on any and all university buildings and property including vehicles parked in our garages and on our lots.

Certain individuals approved by the University may be given authority to carry, keep and handle pistols, firearms and/or ammunition.

PROCEDURES

1. To eliminate workplace violence it is every Faculty and Professional Staff Member and Student's duty to: Understand what violence is; Understand themselves, including their attitudes, motivations, and decision-making styles so that they will not resort to violence; Follow prescribed security measures; Report to the Senior Associate Vice President of Public Safety, any supervisor or the Human Resources Department, any person who threatens or commits workplace violence.
2. Any threat of workplace violence shall be investigated.

NON-RETALIATION

Any Faculty and Professional Staff Member and Student who takes any reprisal, regardless of the magnitude of the reprisal, against a person who reports any threat of workplace violence shall be subject to immediate action as outlined in the Performance Improvement Policy, up to and including termination of employment.

AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT NOT AFFECTED

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary stated in this policy, nothing herein is intended to alter the at-will status of any non-tenured Faculty or Professional Staff Member.  Drexel University at all times retains the right to terminate any non-tenured Faculty or Professional Staff Member at any time for any lawful reason, or for no reason at all.