Campus Threat Assessment Policies
The Threat Assessment and Response Team was formed in the wake of the tragic mass shooting at Virginia Tech to assess potentially violent behavior or violent threats by students, faculty, staff or nonaffiliated people on campus.
It is the belief of the University of Wisconsin-Madison that the best ways to learn of and prevent a threat is through extensive communication between administrators and members of the campus community.
If there is a significant credible threat to the campus or a portion of the campus, legal and protective measures may be taken and information can be shared with the campus regarding the threat and possible crime prevention steps.
The goal is to get a troubled individual the resources and support he or she needs to be successful, and in some cases, to make an informed assessment of his or her behavior.
The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which covers student educational records, does not extend to observable behavior a student may display in class or elsewhere and should not be an impediment to coordination among instructors, administrators and police.
To respect privacy, the group does not publicize individuals who come to the attention of the team. If you are aware of an individual of concern, e-mail or call 608-263-5700 and ask for the on-call dean.
