Safety & Security
Threat Assessment Team
Southwestern University affirms its long-standing commitment to the health and safety of all members of the community as well as those who visit our campus. When someone jeopardizes our community or threatens a person or persons with violence, the University must call upon its full resources to evaluate and assess the situation promptly, intervene as appropriate, and support those who raised concerns about the threat and others who may be involved.
The purpose of the Threat Assessment Team is to respond appropriately to concerns expressed about behaviors exhibited by anyone - students, faculty, staff, visitors - before a critical incident occurs so that the campus remains a safe and secure environment.
Early identification of a concern allows University officials, if appropriate, to reach out to an individual, evaluate the circumstances, provide resources, reduce stress, and avoid or minimize harm to the individual and others. Our process aims to promote early voicing of concerns and to be supportive while making the health and safety of our campus paramount.
Southwestern University’s Threat Assessment Team is made up of a group of trained professionals from across the campus community who are available for anyone to share information about any individual who may be planning or is at risk of engaging in violence, who has planned a violent act, or who may be the intended victim of a violent act. Threat assessment consists of a process to identify and respond to those individuals who pose, or may reasonably pose, a threat of violence to self, others, or the campus community, and to initiate an intervention designed to avert the threat if it exists.
If you are aware of an emergency or have an immediate safety concern, call the Southwestern University Police Department (SUPD) immediately at 512-863-1944, or call 911 when appropriate. If you are concerned about someone’s behavior, and it is not an emergency, you may call SUPD and have them contact the Counselor on Call, Chaplain, or nurse. You must give your phone number to SUPD so they can have any of the above people call you back, but your name and concerns can be confidential.
THREAT ASSESSMENT TEAM
Elma Benavides - Associate Vice President for Human Resources
benavide@southwestern.edu, 512-863-1441
Jason Bonick - Director of Counseling and Health Services
bonickj@southwestern.edu, 512-863-1630
Julie Cowley - Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
cowleyj@southwestern.edu, 512-863-1720
Brad Dunn - Chief of University Police
dunnb@southwestern.edu, 512-863-1031
Brit Katz - Vice President for Student Life
katzb@southwestern.edu, 512-863-1582
Glenn Schwab - Senior Associate Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
schwabg@southwestern.edu, 512-863-1697
Shelley Story - Dean of Students
storys@southwestern.edu, 512-863-1281