Policies

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

Utica College is committed to the maintenance of an environment that is supportive of its primary educational mission and safe for all of the College community. The college will not tolerate violence of any type.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to all members of the Utica College community including visitors to the campus and employees of vendors and contractors.

POLICY:

The College shall investigate violent felony offenses occurring at or on the grounds of the College.

DEFINITION:

Violent felony offense is defined under Article 70 of the penal law. Missing student is defined as any student of the college who resides in a facility owned or operated by the college and who is reported missing from his or her residence.

PROCEDURE:

Any employee, faculty or staff found to have been involved in a violent felony act shall be subject to disciplinary action set forth in the grievance procedure, or in the contract between Utica College and the American Association of University and College Professors (AAUP), including but not limited to, immediate suspension or dismissal. Resolution of charges may differ depending upon whether the individuals involved are students or employees of the college. Complaints against College employees will be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources for resolution within the appropriate College grievance procedure systems.

RESPONSIBILITY:

It is the responsibility of the employee or student to notify the Director of Campus Safety or the Director of Human Resources. Once notified, it is the responsibility of the College to work with the complainant to take appropriate action.

INVESTIGATION:

The Office of Campus Safety, in conjunction with the Office of Human Resources, shall investigate all complaints and allegations of violations of applicable laws, ordinances and regulations relating to violent offenses by any student, employee, invitee, or visitor to the campus or Utica College property and provide support for said external prosecution of the alleged offenders in the appropriate external judicial forums as permitted by and subject to the mandates of applicable federal, state, and local laws, including, but not limited to, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ("FERPA").

ENFORCEMENT:

Enforcement of Utica College policies is the responsibility of the office or offices listed in the “Resources/Questions” section of each policy. The responsible office will contact the appropriate authority regarding faculty or staff members, students, vendors, or visitors who violate policies.

Utica College acknowledges that College policies may not anticipate every possible issue that may arise. The College therefore reserves the right to make reasonable and relevant decisions regarding the enforcement of this policy. All such decisions must be approved by an officer of the College (i.e. president, vice president for academic affairs, or vice president for financial affairs).

RESOURCES/QUESTIONS:

The College has in place an Employee Assistance program for counseling and referral services for its employees if additional assistance is needed. For any questions or additional information, please refer to the following resources:

• NYS Penal Law Article 70
• Office of Human Resources
• Employee Handbook
• Faculty Handbook
• AAUP contract

Please note that other Utica College policies may apply or be related to this policy. To search for related policies, use the Keyword Search function of the online policy manual.