UMW Students, Faculty, and Staff:

I am writing to you with a reminder about the University’s threat assessment process and what you should know as a community member invested in keeping Mary Washington safe and secure.

UMW has an extensive and robust threat assessment and violence prevention process that assists the University in identifying threats to our campus community and in responding to those threats. The threat assessment and violence prevention teams are trained members of our staff and faculty who meet regularly and as needed when situations arise. A list of the members can be found here.

What is threat assessment and management? Threat assessment is a systemic process designed to identify situations and people who might pose a risk to the UMW community; to gather information about the concerns; to assess the potential threats; and to manage the situation in order to mitigate any harm. After the 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting, the Commonwealth of Virginia passed several legal mandates about threat assessment and continues to encourage intervention through interdisciplinary planning, training, and communication.

How can you be a part of threat assessment? Intervention is the key to prevention. Central to successful threat assessment and management is sharing information and concerns. Our team of trained faculty and staff members reviews information on a regular basis and as concerns arise.

If you see or experience anything of concern, no matter how seemingly insignificant, report it via the online reporting system or by calling UMW Police at 540-654-1025 (non-emergency) or 540-654-4444 (emergency).

I also wanted to make you aware of a new resource from the Talley Center for Counseling Services (TCCS). The Talley Center has added a specific section on suicide awareness and prevention for students and community members looking for information and support. The page is available in both English and Spanish.

https://students.umw.edu/counseling/links-to-umw-brochures-other-resources/suicide-prevention/

If you have questions about any of these processes or resources, feel free to contact me.

 

Sincerely,

Juliette Landphair, Ph.D. (she/hers)