California University proudly embraces its Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, which notes the right to safety and security and the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of others. In our efforts to promote a safe and secure learning and work environment, a threat response, assessment and intervention team has been created to regularly discuss issues relating to violence, security and potential threats directed at the University’s students, faculty or staff. This team will provide a structured way to share information regarding potential acts of violence that will also allow for intervention.
FOR ALL EMERGENCIES, CALL UNIVERSITY POLICE AT 724-938-HELP (4357) OR 911.
Reasons for T.R.A.I.T. Referral
- Self-injurious behavior/suicidal ideation or attempt
- Behaviors include, but are not limited to suicidal thoughts or action
- Erratic behavior (including online activities) that disrupts the mission and/or normal proceedings of University students, faculty, staff, or community.
- Behaviors include, but are not limited to: weapons on and off campus, significant inappropriate disruption to community, potential for safety being compromised.
- Involuntary transportation to the hospital for alcohol and drug use/abuse.
Key Objectives
Identify – Often, the accumulation of information identifies a person who poses a threat and helps to identify the level of that threat; therefore, the team ensures appropriate information exchange.
Assess – If additional information is needed to assess the level of risk, the team functions as an investigative body charged with gathering relevant and confidential information for the purposes of providing for the safety, security and well-being of the person at risk and the campus community at large.
Manage – When a determination is made that the person in question is at risk or poses a risk to others, the team recommends and/or implements steps for intervention, which may be medical, psychological, judicial or legal. In many cases, the standing policies and procedures of the University and external agencies dictate the intervention strategies.
Reduce – Violence prevention is best accomplished by stopping the process before it gets started. Addressing minor violations of University policy lowers the risk of aggressive responses and increases the possibility of peaceful solutions.
Educate – The campus community must be educated so that it can identify and refer students, staff and faculty at risk for posing a danger to the University community. In addition, the team must seek educational and professional development opportunities to maintain a knowledge base of risk indicators and appropriate laws and policies regarding privacy and confidentiality, proper management of information, educated assessment of risk, and intervention services.
Why the Team is Necessary
Universities must establish a formal process of sharing information about potential acts of violence. Reviews of the Virginia Tech incident indicate that while some faculty and staff members at Virginia Tech had grave concerns about the student shooter, there was no vehicle for forwarding those concerns to school officials who may have been able to intervene to avoid the tragedy. Often, no single piece of information is enough to prevent a tragedy; however, the accumulation of information helps identify a person at risk, allowing for intervention and prevention. The threat response, assessment and intervention team serves as the conduit for information flow.
Creation of the team is a proactive way to coordinate and plan an appropriate approach to deal with the complexities often involved with threats and violence. Key objectives of the team are to identify, assess, manage and reduce potential threats to the University community and to educate faculty, staff and students about the dangers of interpersonal violence.
Inherent to the work of this team are concerns about the privacy of all involved. The team members are extremely sensitive to these concerns and will ensure that the highest standards of confidentiality are upheld.
No committee can completely protect the University community from every act of violence. The creation of this team, however, increases the likelihood that potential violence can be identified so that reasonable steps can be taken to avoid it.
Team Members
Associate Vice President, Student Development
Tim Susick — 724-938-1603
timothy.susick@calu.edu
Vice President, Student Development and Services
Lenora Angelone — 724-938-4439
lenora.angelone@calu.edu
Interim Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs
Geraldine Jones — 724-938-4407
geraldine.jones@calu.edu
Director, Public Safety
Jim Hansen — 724-938-4299
jim.hansen@calu.edu
Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Research
John Cencich — 724-938-4187
john.cencich@calu.edu
Dean, Student Services
Larry Sebek — 724-938-4513
larry.sebek@calu.edu
University Ombudsperson and Director, Social Equity
Lisa McBride — 724-938-4014
lisa.mcBride@calu.edu