Threat Assessment Team
I. Purpose:
The purpose of this procedure is to establish clear and consistent guidelines for when the Threat Assessment Team (TAT) should convene to assess and respond to behaviors or incidents that may pose a threat to the safety, security, or well-being of the campus community.
II. Scope:
This procedure applies to all students, employees, contractors, visitors, and affiliated individuals within the Isothermal Community College campus community.
III. Procedure Statement
Isothermal Community College is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all members of its campus community. The Threat Assessment Team (TAT) is responsible for evaluating potentially dangerous behaviors or situations and coordinating an appropriate and timely institutional response. Upon the TAT’s collective review of relevant information, they are charged with providing a recommendation to the Vice President of Strategy and Operations for final review and decision in consultation with the President. The procedure outlines specific criteria for convening a formal TAT meeting.
IV. Definitions
- Threat: An expression of intent to cause physical, psychological, or emotional harm to a person, group, or property. Threats may be direct, indirect, conditional, or veiled.
- Credible Threat: A threat that includes details indicating intent, means, and/or a timeline and appears realistic based on known facts or behavior.
- Imminent Threat: A threat that is believed to be immediate or likely to occur within a very short timeframe, requiring urgent intervention.
- Significant Threat: A threat that may not be imminent but reflects a serious potential for violence or disruption that warrants coordinated intervention.
- Indirect Threat: A vague or ambiguous statement suggesting potential harm without identifying specific targets or timelines.
- Veiled Threat: A statement that implies harm without explicitly stating it (e.g., “Someone’s going to regret this”).
- Conditional Threat: A threat made contingent upon specific actions (e.g., “If I don’t pass this exam, someone’s going to get hurt”).
V. Threat Assessment Team Composition and Roles
The Threat Assessment Team (TAT) is comprised of a select group of Isothermal Community College administrators and staff responsible for identifying, assessing, monitoring, and mitigating high-risk behaviors exhibited by students, employees, or visitors that may pose a threat to the campus community. Team members are appointed by the President of the College and serve as part of a multidisciplinary approach to campus safety and incident management. Annual training for all TAT members is strongly encouraged. Training may include, but is not limited to, updates on relevant laws and regulations, review of threat assessment procedures and case studies, and scenario-based skills practice.
Current membership includes:
- Vice President of Strategy and Operations
- Executive Assistant to the President
- Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
- Associate Vice President of Student Affairs
- Student Support Counselor/Accessibility Coordinator
- Campus Resource Officers
- Manager of Employee Services
- Safety Coordinator
The President may add additional members to the Threat Assessment Team on a temporary or permanent basis, depending on the nature of the situation or evolving needs of the college.
Roles:
Vice President of Strategy and Operations
- Serves as the designated Chair of the Threat Assessment Team.
- Makes final decision on course of action based on recommendations/input from the rest of the team and in consultation with the President.
- Oversees coordination of follow-up actions and ensures implementation of team recommendations.
- Communicates serious threats and major safety measures to the Executive Team and broader campus community, as appropriate
Executive Assistant to the President
- Coordinates meeting logistics, calendar invites, and internal communications related to the team.
- Serves as the official recorder for all formal TAT meetings.
- Prepares meeting agendas, takes minutes, and documents decisions, outcomes, and recommendations.
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
- Provides leadership on academic matters and insight into the student experience.
- Advises on any academic interventions, classroom-related concerns, and faculty notifications.
- Ensures academic accommodations or actions as needed following TAT recommendations.
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs
- Communicates relevant information to the appropriate Carere and College Promise navigator, Local Educational Agency administrator, and/or Director of College and Career Readiness if it involves a student in their area.
- Oversees student conduct and case resolution processes for enrolled students.
- Assists in monitoring student follow-up plans, referrals, and outcomes related to behavioral concerns.
Student Support Counselor/Accessibility Coordinator
- Provides input related to student engagement, retention risks, and access to student services, resources, and support.
- Coordinates academic accommodations or actions as needed following TAT recommendations.
- Assists with implementing individualized support or outreach plans.
Campus Resource Officers
- Conduct immediate risk assessments and offer law enforcement expertise.
- Respond to imminent threats with appropriate protective or preventative action.
- Coordinate with external law enforcement agencies when necessary.
- Participate in welfare checks and incident investigations as needed.
Manager of Employee Services
- Serves as the lead for all members of the public or employee-related concerns and coordinates internal Human Resources investigations when necessary.
- Advises the team on relevant college policies, employment law, and disciplinary procedures.
- Provides support and coordination for employee accommodations, workplace safety plans, and post-incident follow-up.
Safety Coordinator
- Provides the team with campus safety protocols and incident response coordination protocols.
- Assesses environmental and facilities-related risks tied to any potential threat.
- Coordinates drills, safety trainings, and follow-up preparedness activities based on team recommendations.
While not an official member of the Threat Assessment Team, the Director of Marketing and Community Relations will be utilized when mass notification across campus channels is necessary. If the Director of Marketing and Community Relations is unavailable, then the responsibility will be deferred to the Chief Information Officer.
Exigency and Role Flexibility
Every effort will be made to ensure full participation of all designated Threat Assessment Team (TAT) members during a formal meeting. However, it is understood that emergent situations may occasionally prevent full attendance. In such cases, the Chair of the TAT may reassign or delegate responsibilities as necessary to ensure a timely and effective response. The absence of one or more team members shall not delay urgent assessments or interventions, and available members will proceed with the authority to act in the best interest of campus safety. If the Vice President of Strategy and Operations is unavailable but the President of the College is available, the President may assume the role of Chair. If the President nor Vice President of Strategy and Operations are available, the next highest-ranking TAT member shall be responsible for convening a formal meeting.
VI. Guidelines for Convening a Threat Assessment Team Meeting
A formal TAT meeting shall be convened when an individual’s actions, behaviors, or circumstances meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Direct Threats or Acts of Violence
- The individual has made a direct, credible threat of physical violence toward themselves or others.
Example of a direct threat: “I’m going to go grab my gun out of the car and I’m going to shoot you.”
Example of an indirect threat: A message written on a whiteboard stating, “Death to the tyrants over Isothermal Community College.” While concerning, this is not considered a direct threat. Please see Section V below for alternate response options for addressing indirect threats.
For further reference, see N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-277.1 – Communicating Threats.
- The individual has engaged in a physical altercation, assault, or act of violence.
- Law enforcement, Human Resources, or the TAT has identified an imminent risk of harm.
- Behavioral Red Flags and Concerning Communications
- Significant behavioral changes indicating increased risk, such as expressions of extreme anger, paranoia, hopelessness, or social withdrawal.
- Receipt of threatening, alarming, or disturbing communications—whether verbal, written, or electronic.
- Multiple or escalating reports of concerning behavior from different sources suggesting a developing or sustained threat.
- Possession or Discussion of Weapons for Harm
- Discovery of an unauthorized weapon on campus.
- Evidence that an individual has expressed intent to acquire or use a weapon to cause harm.
- Stalking, Harassment, or Intimidation
- Repeated or persistent stalking, harassment, or intimidation directed at an individual or group, either in person or through digital or electronic means.
- Suicidal Ideation or Self-Harm with Broader Implications
- Expression of suicidal ideation or self-harming behavior where the method, location, or circumstances may endanger others or disrupt campus operations.
- Credible Information from External Sources
- Receipt of credible intelligence or warnings from law enforcement, family members, or other third parties suggesting a potential threat to campus safety.
- Disruption of Campus Operations or Public Safety
- Behavior resulting in significant disruption of college operations or requiring emergency response measures.
VII. Alternative Response Options for Lower-Level Concerns
If an incident or behavior does not meet the threshold for a formal TAT meeting, the following alternative actions may be considered (the below is not considered a comprehensive list of all the possible actions available):
- Filing an Incident Report for documentation and continued monitoring.
- Issuing an awareness notification to relevant campus personnel (e.g., administration, Human Resources, campus resource officers).
- Conducting an informal case review via phone, email, or virtual meeting among TAT members to determine appropriate follow-up.
- Referring the individual for possible student or employee conduct violations, where applicable.
- Connecting the individual to available campus or community support resources, if appropriate.
- Probation or expulsion from the college.
- Other college restrictions.
Incidents where a TAT meeting is held can incorporate any of the above as well, if applicable.
In incidents where a TAT meeting is not called, the lead person handling it will depend on whether the individual involved is a student, member of the public, or employee. Incidents involving a student will be handled by the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, and the Manager of Employee Services will handle incidents involving an employee or member of the public.
Threat assessment reviews may occur simultaneously with other applicable proceedings, as guided by College policies, procedures, regulations, and laws.
VIII. Meeting Initiation and Scheduling
- Any member of the Threat Assessment Team may request to schedule a formal meeting when circumstances, based on the criteria outlined in Section VI, indicate that a coordinated review is warranted. Ideally, scheduling of the meeting should be carried out through the Executive Assistant to the President if they are available. Reasonable attempts should be made to schedule when all TAT members are available. The Chair of the Threat Assessment Team has the authority to determine the timing of meetings.
- The threat level will be determined based on all the information available at the time of the assessment. The threat level could be imminent risk or serious but non-imminent concerns. The threat level should be discussed by members of the TAT team. Once a threat level is determined, the team proceeds based on the assigned threat level. In situations where the threat level is in a gray area between imminent and serious, the TAT will err on the side of caution and assign it as an imminent risk.
- In situations involving imminent risk, a meeting should be convened as soon as possible. Campus Resource Officers must be notified at once, along with college administration, even prior to submitting a formal incident report.
Example of imminent risk: A faculty member reports overhearing a student say, “I’ve had enough—I’m bringing my gun tomorrow,” and the student has a known history of behavioral issues and access to weapons.
- For serious but non-imminent concerns, a meeting should occur within 24 to 48 hours (or within two business days) of the situation being identified.
Notification should be made to Campus Resource Officers and the college administration to ensure awareness.
Example of a serious non-imminent concern: A student has submitted multiple class assignments referencing violent ideation and is showing signs of extreme withdrawal but has not made direct threats or demonstrated immediate intent to harm.
IX. Documentation and Confidentiality
All reports, meeting minutes, and case outcomes will be documented in accordance with college policy, applicable laws, and privacy regulations. Information will only be shared with individuals who have a legitimate educational or safety-related need to know.
X. Review and Revision
This procedure will be reviewed at least annually, or more frequently as needed, to ensure alignment with best practices, legal standards, and the evolving needs of the campus community.
