Faculty, Staff Seminars Address Campus Violence

VALDOSTA - Valdosta State University is offering a series of workplace and campus violence seminars to discuss warning signs of violent behavior, techniques to address problematic situations and resources available on campus.

VSU’s University Police, Counseling Center and Human Resources teamed up to develop the informational sessions, which are being held in September, October and November.

Campus Violence: What Professors Should Know will review campus violence risks and offer faculty suggestions to mitigate potentially explosive situations on campus.

University Police Assistant Director, Ann Farmer, and VSU Counselor Leah McMillan will speak about the importance of recognizing threatening acts on campus.

“The most important preventive measure that work environments and schools can take is to establish a bond of trust and to encourage them to come forward with information when someone makes a violent threat,” McMillan said.

The 2-hour seminar will be held Thursday, Sept. 13, at 1:30 p.m. in the University Center Rose Room, Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 10 a.m. in the UC Rose Room and Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m. in the UC Cypress Room.

Workplace Violence: Don’t be Caught Unprepared is an overview of crisis prevention strategies for VSU staff. McMillan and Farmer, a member of the Georgia Association of Campus Law Enforcement, will teach participants how to assess workplace climates and offer effective communication strategies when confronting volitile situations. The 3-hour seminar will be held Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 1:30 p.m. and Thursday Nov. 8, at 9 a.m., both in the UC Rose Room.

The sessions are a part of VSU’s greater mission to enhance student safety and security on campus. In April, the university initiated the VSU Campus Alert system, which provides campus leaders and security professionals the ability to send cell phone messages to inform VSU students and personnel of an emergency. Students, faculty and staff may enter their emergency notification numbers at www.valdosta.edu/editalertinfo/ .

The campus has continued its commitment to providing exemplary prevention and cautionary measures by installing 9-foot emergency call boxes with hands-free, two-way communication and offering free consultations at the Counseling Center to distressed VSU students and staff.

Register for the campus and workplace violence seminars online at www.valdosta.edu/finadmin/training/ . For more information about the sessions, call VSU’s Employee and Organizational Development at 259-5105.