2012 URMIA-ThreatCampusViolenceSpecialEvents

Threats from Campus Violence and Student Special
Events : Awareness, Prevention, and Response

Leta Finch, MPA, DRM
Aon Risk Solutions

Nakeschi Watkins
Yeshiva University

Gary J. Margolis, Ed.D.
Margolis, Healy & Associates, LLC

UNIVERSITY RISK MANAGEMENT AND INSURANCE ASSOCIATION
2012 Western Regional Conference Boise, ID

AGENDA

• Introductions
• A Conversation…
• Response is Important/Prevention is Better
• Fights, Stabbings and Shootings
• The Research
• 5 Steps
• Recommendations
© Margolis Healy & Associates, LLC



Leta Finch, MPA, DRM
Aon Risk Solutions


The U.S. Gun Culture


Threats from Campus Violence:
Awareness, Prevention, and Response

State Laws and Campus Gun Policies
• Carry
• Conceal Carry
• Ban
No resolution in sight


Response is Important
Prevention is Better


Preventing Campus Violence
This law is settled

• OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH
Act) was passed to prevent workers from being killed
or seriously harmed at work. The law requires
employers to provide their employees with working
conditions that are free of known dangers.

• 29 states have explicit workplace violence laws


To Help Prevent Campus Violence
The following list in not to be construed as complete or is it meant to imply that by following any or
all of the suggested steps, a campus can prevent an act of violence.

1. Implement pre-employment screening and background checks.
2. Adopt a “Zero Tolerance” policy toward threats of violence applicable to
everyone on campus. This means that no threat of violence or violent
behavior will be ignored. The policy needs clear response and
communications procedures.
3. Provide assistance programs for employees who need help in managing stress
and transition assistance to employees leaving the university’s employment.
4. Survey staff, faculty, and students and ask them where they believe the
campus and individuals are the most vulnerable.
5. Train staff, faculty, and students about warning signs and violence prevention.


To Help Prevent Campus Violence

6. Train staff and faculty on how to minimize emotions when threatening
situations arise in the workplace and classroom.
7. Establish a formal reporting system for complaints of threats and threatening
situations. Take immediate action to resolve any reported situations.
8. Create an Incident Response Team and notification system to respond to
threatening or escalating situations before they turn into a crisis.
9. Never meet with a threatening staff, faculty member or student alone.
10. Always maintain the usability of means of egress


Resources

• U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA
Materials addressing workplace violence
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/index.html

• Department of Labor: OSHA
Violence in The Workplace: State Plan Standards & Resources
http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/work_violence.html

• The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
Extensive list of warning signs
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/violence_warning_signs.html

• Wayne State University
“What Is Disruptive, Threatening, Or Violent Behavior”
www.clas.wayne.edu/multimedia/usercontent/File/Deans%20Office/disruptive_behavior.pdf

• San Diego State University
“Violence-Free Workplace Policy”
http://bfa.sdsu.edu/ps/pdf/Policies/ViolenceFreePolicy.pdf



Nakeschi Watkins
Yeshiva University


Yeshiva University

• Wilf Campus
• Beren Campus
• Brookdale Center
• Resnick Campus
• Girls and Boys High School
• Israel Campus


Yeshiva Student Special Event

• Event 1
Radio Taping

• Event 2
Chanukah Concert


Event Planning

Orientation for Student Life
• Event Planning Checklist
• Review of all events weekly
 Campus Events
 Security
 Facilities
 Risk Management



Gary J. Margolis, Ed.D.
Margolis, Healy & Associates, LLC


TWEET TWEET

@margolishealy
#urmiawrc2012



Student Special Events
STUDENT SPECIAL EVENTS

• Several high profile violent incidents at
special events
• Celebratory riots at athletic events
• Disruptive attendees
• Disputes about entry @ closed events
• Fights, shootings, & stabbing during &
after events


CAMPUS VIOLENCE LANDSCAPE

• High-risk drinking
• Gender/sexual violence
• Criminal intrusions
• Event based violence
• Rampage shooters
• Terrorist threat


FIGHTS, STABBINGS, AND SHOOTINGS

• Often associated with large student parties
– UConn Spring weekend
• A 20-year-old University of Connecticut student
died Saturday of head injuries from a fight outside
a restaurant during Spring Weekend
– JMU block party
• “Some got in fights when other partiers
accidentally bumped into them, she said. People
with blood streaming down their faces and arms
rushed past her.”



• UConn football player killed:

– “The University of Connecticut is mourning
the loss of football player Cornerback Jasper
Howard, a starter for the Huskies, was killed
Sunday morning in a stabbing that took place
on campus (after an on-campus party).”
• http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/18/conn
ecticut-cornerback-jasper-howard-killed-in-on-
campus-stabbin/



• Duquesne University – September 2006
– 5 students shot following an on-campus party

• Delaware State University – September 2007
– Two students shot during on campus; Shalita Middleton later
died from her injuries

• Villanova University – November 2007
– Shots fired following a dance on campus

• Florida Atlantic University – April 2008
– Shots fired at an on-campus Spring party


FIGHTS, STABBINGS AND SHOOTINGS

• Texas Southern – July 2009
– 6 shot during on-campus event

• Langston University – August 2009
– 3 non-students shot following on-campus party

• University of Connecticut – October 2009
– Football player Jasper Howard killed following on-campus party

• Diablo Valley College – March 2010
– Shooting following a Rugby match


RISK AT CAMPUS EVENTS

• Potential Lethal Mix
– Students and non-students
– Alcohol and other drugs
– Egos
– Security



THE RESEARCH

• Time of the incidents are in the early morning
hours;
• Each has a triggering event: argument,
fights, anger, vengeance, jealousy, domestic
related;
• Suspects are consistently male;
• Not clear if they all occur at non-school
sponsored events, but they all have a link to
student access to university space;
• Weapon of choice is a firearm © Margolis Healy & Associates, LLC


ENSURING INCIDENT-FREE EVENTS

1. Coordination
2. Pre-event planning
3. Event Protocols
4. Post-Event Protocols
5. After-Action Review



1. COORDINATIONCOORDINATION
1.

• Close coordination in & out
• The Inside Team - Student Affairs, Greek
Life, Student Organization Advisors,
Student Center, Public Safety, Risk
Management
• External Constituents - Local police, public
works, EMS, fire, etc.


I. COORDINATION

Policy
• Thresholds (types, size, triggers, liability)
• Venues (academic, admin, res hall,
multipurpose)
• Alcohol/No-Alcohol
• Guests (private/public)
• Access
• Security (type, staffing, costs) © Margolis Healy & Associates, LLC


2. PRE-EVENT PLANNING

• Conduct pre-event orientations
• Conduct pre-event review of
assignments
• Training
• Identify/mitigate hazards
• Review schedule of event activities



• Review venue/event diagram
• Review event specific policies and
procedures
• Review event specific alcohol policies
and procedures
• Review specific event ticketing and
credentialing policies © Margolis Healy & Associates, LLC


3. EVENT PROTOCOLS
3. EVENT PROTOCOLS

• Adjust to crowd demographics
• Anticipate crowd activities and behavior
• Maintain the usability of means of egress
• Make guests aware of their responsibilities
• Observe crowd for potential problems


3. EVENT PROTOCOLS
3. EVENT PROTOCOLS

• Monitor flow of crowd during duration
of event
• Recognize potential crowd crush
• React/report potential crowd problems
• Identify changing crowd behavior and
demeanor


4. POST-EVENT
4. POST-EVENT PROTOCOLS
PROTOCOLS

• Danger Zone
• Ensure adequate staffing and coverage
both inside/outside the event
• Ensure crowd completely disperses and
maintain presence
• Patrol other gathering spaces on campus
• Coordinate with local police


5. AFTER ACTION REVIEW ACTION REVIEW
5. AFTER

• Helpful to conduct “hot-wash” for most major
events
• Must conduct after-action review for events
where incident occurs
• Who, what, where, how, why?
• What will we do differently next time
• Use other incidents as tabletop exercises for
your planning group


OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

• Event management system (software) -
accessible by all campus event planners
• Assign primary responsibility for special event risk
assessment and approval to one office or person
(e.g., public safety or risk management)
• Risk Assessment Committee (multidisciplinary) to
systematically assess risks of campus events
• Develop formal approval process and related
forms
• Training program for student security, public
safety/police, and guest services


OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

• Consider using a professional crowd
management vendor
• Unified radio equipment and use of metal
detectors and wands
• Identify policies and procedures specific
to late night events (e.g., location staffing;
guest admittance, occupancy, hours, etc).
• Tailgating policy (e.g., time, location,
permission, organization) © Margolis Healy & Associates, LLC


LEGAL DUTIES
Legal Duties for Special
Events

• While the precise contours of this duty will vary from state
to state, institutions of higher education generally have a
legal duty to act reasonably to provide a campus
environment that is reasonably safe from foreseeable
general criminal activity by students, employees, or third
parties



SUMMARY Summary

• Student special events are potentially lethal

• Proper risk assessment & coordination can
mitigate potential dangers and liability



ENSURING INCIDENT-FREE EVENTS

• Coordination
• Pre-event planning
• Event Protocols
• Post-Event Protocols
• After-Action Review



CONTACT

gmargolis@margolishealy.com
Leta.Finch@aon.com
watkins@yu.edu



2012 URMIA-ThreatCampusViolenceSpecialEvents

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