CUNY Workplace Violence Policy
Reponsibilities
1. Presidents
The President of each constituent college of The City University of New York, the Chief Operating Officer at the Central Office, and the Deans of the Law School and the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education shall be responsible for the implementation of this policy on his or her respective campus. The responsibility includes dissemination of this policy to all members of the college community, ensuring appropriate investigation and follow-up of all alleged incidents of workplace violence, constituting a Workplace Violence Advisory Team (See #7. below), and ensuring that all administrators, managers, and supervisors are aware of their responsibilities under this policy through internal communications and training.
2. Campus Public Safety Office
The Campus Public Safety Office is responsible for responding to, intervening, and documenting all incidents of violence in the workplace. The Campus Public Safety Office will immediately log all incidents of workplace violence and will notify the respective supervisor of an incident with his/her employee, or notify the appropriate campus official of an incident with a student. All officers should be knowledgeable of when law enforcement action may be appropriate. Public Safety will maintain an internal tracking system of all threats and incidents of violence. Annual reports will be submitted to the President (at the same time as the report noted below) detailing the number and description of workplace violence incidents, the disposition of the incidents, and recommend policy, training issues, or security procedures that were or should be implemented to maintain a safe working and learning environment. These incidents will be reported in the Annual Report of the College Advisory Committee on Campus Security consistent with the reporting requirements of Article 129A Subsection 6450 of the NYS Education Law (Regulation by Colleges of Conduct on Campuses and Other College Property for Educational Purposes).
Officers will be trained in workplace violence awareness and prevention, non-violent crises intervention, conflict management, and dispute resolution.
Officers will work closely with Human Resources when the possibility of workplace violence is heightened, as well as on the appropriate response to workplace violence incidents consistent with CUNY policies, rules, procedures and applicable labor agreements, including appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination.
When informed, Public Safety will maintain a record of any Orders of Protection for faculty, staff, and students. Public Safety will provide escort service to members of the college community within its geographical confines, when sufficient personnel are available. Such services are to be extended at the discretion of the Campus Public Safety Director or designee. Only the President, or designee, in his/her absence, can authorize escort service outside of the geographical confines of the college.
3. Supervisors
Each dean, director, department chairperson, executive officer, administrator, or other person with supervisory responsibility (hereinafter “supervisor”) is responsible within his/her area of jurisdiction for the implementation of this policy. Supervisors must report to their respective Campus Public Safety Office any complaint of workplace violence made to him/her and any other incidents of workplace violence of which he/she becomes aware or reasonably believes to exist. Supervisors are expected to inform their immediate supervisor promptly about any complaints, acts, or threats of violence even if the situation has been addressed and resolved. After having reported such complaint or incident to the Campus Public Safety Director and immediate supervisor, the supervisor should keep it confidential and not disclose it further, except as necessary during the investigation process and/or subsequent proceedings.
Supervisors are required to contact the Campus Public Safety Office immediately in the event of imminent or actual violence involving weapons or potential physical injuries.
4. Faculty and Staff
Faculty and staff must report workplace violence, as defined above, to their supervisor. Faculty and staff who are advised by a student that a workplace violence incident has occurred or has been observed must report this to the Campus Public Safety Director immediately. Recurring or persistent workplace violence that an employee reasonably believes is not being addressed satisfactorily, or violence that is, or has been, engaged in by the employee’s supervisor should be brought to the attention of the Campus Public Safety Director.
Employees who have obtained Orders of Protection are expected to notify their supervisors and the Campus Public Safety Office of any orders that list CUNY locations as protected areas.
Victims of domestic violence who believe the violence may extend into the workplace, or employees who believe that domestic or other personal matters may result in their being subject to violence extending into the workplace, are encouraged to notify their supervisor, or the Campus Public Safety Office. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent possible.
Upon hiring, and annually thereafter, faculty and staff will receive copies of this policy. Additionally, the policy will be posted throughout the campus and be placed on the CUNY website and on the college’s website, as appropriate.
5. Office of Human Resources
The Office of Human Resources at each campus is responsible for assisting the Campus Public Safety Director and supervisors in responding to workplace violence; facilitating appropriate responses to reported incidents of workplace violence; notifying the Campus Public Safety Office of workplace violence incidents reported to that office; and consulting with, as necessary, counseling services to secure professional intervention.
The Office of Human Resources is responsible for providing new employees or employees transferred to the campus with a copy of the Workplace Violence Policy and Procedures and insuring that faculty and staff receive appropriate training. The Office of Human Resources will also be responsible for annually disseminating this policy to all faculty and staff at their campus, as well as posting the policy throughout the campus and on the college’s website, as appropriate.
6. Students
Students who witness violence, learn of threats, or are victims of violence by employees, students or others should report the incident immediately to the Campus Public Safety Office. If there is no imminent danger, students should report threatening incidents by employees, students or others as soon as possible to the Campus Public Safety Office or Office of Student Affairs. Students will be provided with workplace violence awareness information (including information regarding available counseling services) upon registration each year.
7. Workplace Violence Advisory Team
A college President shall establish a Workplace Violence Advisory Team at his/her college. This Team, working with the College Advisory Committee on Campus Security, will assist the President in responding to workplace violence; facilitating appropriate responses to reported incidents of workplace violence; assessing the potential problem of workplace violence at its site; assessing the college’s readiness for dealing with workplace violence; evaluating incidents to prevent future occurrences; and utilizing prevention, intervention, and interviewing techniques in responding to workplace violence. This Team will also develop workplace violence prevention tools (such as pamphlets, guidelines and handbooks) to further assist in recognizing and preventing workplace violence on campus. It is recommended that this Team include representatives from Campus Public Safety, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Counseling Services, Occupational Health and Safety, Legal, and others, including faculty, staff and students, as deemed appropriate by the President.
In lieu of establishing the Workplace Violence Advisory Team, a President may opt to expand the College Advisory Committee on Campus Security with representatives from the areas recommended above to address workplace violence issues at the campus and perform the functions outlined above.
The members of the Workplace Violence Advisory Team at the Graduate Center are:
| Michael Byers | Director of Building Operations | x7732 |
| John Flaherty | Director of Security & Public Safety | x7761 |
| Yosette Jones-Johnson | Assistant Vice President for Faculty and Staff Relations | x7700 |
| Mary Clare Lennon | Professor, Doctoral Program in Sociology | x8779 |
| David Manning | Director of Media Relations | x7177 |
| Edith Rivera | Affirmative Action Officer | x7410 |
| Matthew Schoengood | Vice President for Student Affairs | x7409 |
| Lynette Gibson | APO, Ph.D. Program in Theater | x8880 |
8. University Communications
All communications to the University community and outside entities regarding incidents of workplace violence will be made through the University Office of University Relations after consultation with the respective President or his/her designee.
