The university strictly prohibits employees from behaving in a violent or threatening way. The university reserves the right to address behavior that suggests a tendency towards violence even before any violent behavior occurs.

Prohibited Conduct
Prohibited conduct by employees, consultants, or visitors on university premises or engaging in university-related activity includes but is not limited to:

• Threats of any kind;
• Intimidating, menacing, hostile, physically aggressive, or violent behavior, including stalking and surveillance;
• Behavior that suggests a tendency towards violence, including belligerent speech, excessive arguing or swearing, or a demonstrated pattern of refusal to follow university policies and procedures;
• Defacing or damaging university property;
• Bringing weapons or firearms of any kind on university premises, in university parking lots, or while conducting university business (except law enforcement personnel); and
• Any conduct that adversely affects the university's legitimate interests and that could potentially result in violation of any laws relating to threats or violent acts.

Examples of Prohibited Conduct include but are not limited to:

• Saying, “Do you want to see your next birthday?” (indirect threat);
• Writing, “Employees who kill their supervisors have the right idea.” (indirect threat);
• Saying, “I’m going to punch your lights out!” (direct threat);
• Making a hitting motion, throat-cutting motion or obscene gesture (nonverbal threat);
• Saying, “I want to strangle him/her.” (indirect threat);
• Displaying weapons including but not limited to such items as a knife or gun (or facsimile), hammer, or flashlight (extreme threat);
• Stalking in person or through technology or otherwise forcing undue attention on someone, whether romantic or hostile (extreme threat);
• Taking actions likely to cause bodily harm or property damage (acts of violence).

Reporting, Investigation, Corrective Action
If you are aware of any conduct that violates this policy or of a potentially violent situation, report it immediately to the university police department, a member of management and/or human resources. The university will take all reports of workplace violence seriously and will investigate promptly. Discipline may be imposed on offending employees, including termination of employment. The university will not tolerate retaliation or intimidation against employees or others for reporting in good faith a threat of work-place violence or participating in the investigation of a complaint.