Approved by: President’s Executive Cabinet
History: Issued: August 7, 2017
Responsible Officials: Assistant Vice President for Human Resources
Review Period: [5 years]
Last Review: August 2017
I. Policy Statement
Claremont McKenna College (“CMC”) is committed to providing a living and learning environment as free from violence or threats of violence as it possibly can, and to taking reasonable and appropriate steps to provide for the safety of the College’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Toward this end, this Policy prohibits all forms of violence or threats of violence and also generally prohibits the possession, use, or storage of any weapons or other dangerous items on the CMC campus, or in any other location that has a reasonable nexus to CMC’s activities.
Violations of this Policy constitute serious misconduct and will be promptly addressed. Violations can lead to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion for students, termination of employment for faculty or staff, and the temporary or permanent prohibition of visitors or other third parties from access to the CMC campus or other off-campus activities. In addition, when appropriate, CMC may pursue civil remedies and/or criminal prosecution.
This Policy applies to: 1) behavior occurring on College property; 2) behaviors occurring on off-campus property but during College-sponsored activities; 3) off-campus and/or off-duty conduct if such conduct causes a student or employee to be reasonably concerned for their safety while on College property or during off-campus, College-sponsored events; and 4) to any electronic communication directed to a CMC community member directly or through a third party, regardless of whether the communication originated on or off campus, during or after work hours, or involved CMC equipment/log in credentials or personal equipment/log in credentials. If the electronic communication occurred off-campus and/or off-duty, the Policy applies if such conduct causes a student or employee to be reasonably concerned for their safety while on College property or during off-campus, College-sponsored activities.
If you have suggestions for ways to improve safety on campus, please share those ideas with the Director of Human Resources (if you are a faculty or staff member) or the Dean of Students (if you are a student).
II. Entities Covered by this Policy
All units of the College.
III. Contacts
Please direct any questions about this Policy to the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources at (909) 607-1236.
IV. Prohibited Conduct
A. Violence and Threats of Violence
CMC prohibits violence, threats of violence, and any other behavior that raises a reasonable concern for the safety or wellbeing of students, employees, contractors or visitors while on College property, during College-sponsored activities, or that jeopardizes the safety of any College campus, facility, or activity.
“Violence” means any intentional or reckless physical action that harms or threatens people or property, including an attempted act of violence.
“Threat of violence” means any behavior that could be interpreted by a reasonable person as intending to cause physical harm or to place someone in fear of physical harm, including threats communicated electronically or through third parties.
Because violence and threats of violence can take many forms, it is impossible to provide an exhaustive list of the conduct that could violate this Policy. Some examples of prohibited conduct are:
- Physically harming another (shoving, pushing, hitting, etc…)
- Intimidating another (harassing, coercing, brandishing weapons, etc…)
- Engaging in stalking or aggressive pursuit
- Encouraging a fight
- Damaging or destroying College property or equipment (or threatening to)
- Threatening or talking of engaging in any of the above activities
CMC also prohibits the possession or use of weapons or dangerous items, as described immediately below.
B. Weapons or Dangerous Items
The College prohibits any student, employee, contractor or visitor from possessing, storing or using weapons, ammunition or explosives, as defined by the California Penal Code, the Claremont Municipal Code or federal law, on campus or at off-campus, College-sponsored activities. This includes storing or transporting weapons or dangerous items in private cars or storage containers located on College property.
It is also a violation of this Policy to use an item with a lawful purpose (i.e. scissors, kitchen knives, baseball bat) in a manner which could or does result in an act of violence or a threat of violence against another person.
Possessing dangerous chemicals (unless authorized for an academic purpose and used and stored consistent with that purpose) is prohibited. This includes combustibles in containers such as gasoline cans.
If a student or employee brings an item to campus which is not covered by this Policy but which, in the Dean of Student/Human Resource Director’s discretion, poses a danger to the community, the student/employee will be asked to remove the item from campus. Failure to do so is a violation of this Policy and can result in a disciplinary sanction.
This policy does not apply to the ROTC or P.E. departments, which may use otherwise-prohibited items as part of their courses. A student using a weapon or replica weapon will not be in violation of this policy so long as the student is doing so as instructed by and under the supervision of their instructor. Use of a prohibited item not in compliance with an instructor’s directives violates this policy. Moreover, no prohibited item may be stored inside a Residence Hall or Apartment regardless of whether the item is used for ROTC or P.E.
This provision does not apply to Campus Safety or law enforcement personnel.
C. Replica Weapons
The College prohibits any student, employee, contractor or visitor from possessing, storing or using replica weapons on campus or at off-campus, College-sponsored activities unless prior permission from the Dean of Students (for students), Director of Human Resources (for staff or contractors), or Dean of Faculty (for faculty) was obtained. This includes storing or transporting replica weapons in private cars or storage containers located on College property.
V. Reporting Violent, Threatening, or Concerning Behaviors
A. Violence or Threats of Violence Which Pose, or Could Pose, an Imminent Threat of Harm to a CMC Community Member or the Campus
If you experience or are aware of violent behavior or a threat of violence that causes you to fear for your own safety, the safety of a CMC community member or the safety of the campus, you should immediately call 911 or Campus Safety at 909-607-2000 or 909-607-7233.
Often a 911 operator needs an exact physical address to dispatch officers, which Campus Safety is able to immediately provide. If you are not aware of your exact physical address on campus, Campus Safety is the preferable first point of contact, as they are able to dispatch Campus Safety Officers as well as contact law enforcement simultaneously.
B. Violence or Threats of Violence That Do Not Pose an Imminent Threat of Harm to a CMC Community Member or the Campus
If you experience or are aware of behavior that does not pose an immediate threat of harm to yourself of someone else but involves violence or a threat of violence, you should report this behavior immediately by:
- Notifying your supervisor or the Director of Human Resources (if you are an staff, faculty member, or student worker); or
- Notifying any member of the Dean of Students Office (if you are a student)
C. Other Behaviors of Concern
You may become aware of concerning behaviors that do not constitute a threat of violence or self-harm but still raise concerns about an individual’s well-being. It is impossible to list all the indicators of a distressed individual, but common examples might be:
- Unexplained changes in patterns (sleeping, eating) or hygiene;
- Substance abuse, self-medicating or engaging in other high risk behaviors, including self-injury; or
- Hostile, aggressive, depressed or unstable behavior, including a sudden mistrust of others.
It is important to recognize that such behaviors, in and of themselves, do not constitute a violation of this Policy or any other College policy.
At the same time, such behaviors can signal that an individual is in some form of distress. In addition, the individual may or may not be fully aware as to the various care and support resources that are available through the College or in coordination with local resources.
All members of the community are therefore strongly encouraged to report any behaviors of concern by:
- Notifying your supervisor or the Director of Human Resources (if you are staff, a faculty member, or a student worker); or
- Notifying any member of the Dean of Students Office (if you are a student).
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