Title 17. Education

Chapter 26. Colleges and Universities

Part XII. Campus Accountability and Safety

17:3399.16        Safety education; recognition and reporting of potential threats to safety

A. The administration of each public postsecondary institution, in consultation with campus or local law enforcement agencies, shall develop and distribute information to students regarding internet and cell phone safety and online content that is a potential threat to school safety. Such information shall include how to recognize and report potential threats to school safety that are posted on the internet, including but not limited to posts on social media. 

B. The information shall include the following: 

(1) Instruction on how to detect potential threats to school safety exhibited online, including on any social media platform. 

(2) Visual examples of possible threats. 

(3) The reporting process, as provided in Subsection D of this Section. 

C. The information shall be distributed as part of new student orientation and shall be posted on an easily accessible page of each institution’s website. 

D. The reporting process shall, at a minimum, include: 

(1) A standardized form to be used by students, faculty, and other personnel to report potential threats. The form shall request, at a minimum, the following information: 

(a) Name of institution, person, or group being threatened. 

(b) Name of student, individual, or group threatening violence. 

(c) Date and time the threat was made. 

(d) Method by which the threat was made, including the social media outlet or website where the threat was posted, a screenshot or recording of the threat, if available, and any printed evidence of the threat. 

(2) A process for allowing anonymous reporting and for safeguarding the identity of a person who reports a threat. 

E. Each institution shall adopt a policy to implement the provisions of this Part. The policy shall require that for every threat report received, the actions taken by the institution and the campus law enforcement agency or security officers be documented. The policies shall also provide for guidelines on referring the threats to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. 

Added by Acts 2018, No. 641, § 2.