In response to last year’s Virginia Tech shooting, the University will create a Behavioral Assessment and Response Council, Provost Arnett Mace said today.

The eight-member group was the top recommendation from the committee on Evaluation of Psychological Services and Protocols, one of two groups that issued reports last fall assessing campus security readiness in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy.

The purpose of the Behavorial Assessment and Response Council will be to rapidly assess and determine appropriate responses to serious behavioral problems exhibited by members of the University community.

Mace said students will be referred to the council if they exhibit behaviors such as making direct threats or inflicting physical violence, attempting suicide or expressing intent toward suicide, committing sexual assault, stalking, self-injury, disruptive classroom behavior \the individual refuses to moderate, engaging in high-risk behaviors including substance abuse, conduct that threatens the health or safety of another person and other behaviors that indicate a need for institutional intervention.

Among other such behaviors included in a list that is not intended to be exhaustive, Mace said, are an inability to regulate one’s emotion or cognition, communication of disturbing thoughts or fantasies, and expressions of hopelessness or of emotional distress or high anxiety.

Upon receiving a referral, the council will evaluate the student’s conduct. If it is determined that the behavior presents a substantial threat of harm to the student or others, is unduly disruptive to the campus learning environment, or is otherwise demonstrably inconsistent with the university’s educational mission, the council will be empowered to take a variety of actions.

Actions include barring the student from campus, issuing an interim suspension, requiring the student to take involuntary medical leave or ordering the student to undergo mandatory psychological assessment. Failure of the student to comply may result in summary involuntary withdrawal.

Rodney Bennett, vice president for student affairs, will chair the council. The committee will elect a vice-chair.

The other committee members are: Alan Campbell, associate dean in student affairs; Karen Kalivoda, director of the Disability Resource Center; Gerry Kowalski, executive director of University Housing; Amanda Patterson, assistant director of legal affairs; Gayle Robbins, director of the University Health Center; Jimmy Williamson, chief of police and Matt Winston, assistant to the president.

- University News Services