Bias Reporting

Relevant Excerpt

Bias education Team

The purpose of the Bias Education Team (BET) is to support the college’s efforts to maintain an inclusive campus climate by establishing a mechanism by which it responds to bias incidents. The Bias Education Team is not a mechanism for investigative or disciplinary action. However, it enables the college to track alleged bias incidents, collect aggregate data, identify educational responses, and connect individuals affected by alleged bias incidents with supportive resources. 

The Vice Ppresident of Student Affairs is responsible for convening the BET with representation reflective of the incident in question. Once gathered and debriefed. BET will monitor any trends related to bias incidents and develops strategies to inform and educate the campus. . The BIRT will monitor any trends related to bias incidents and develop strategies to inform and educate the campus. 

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Bias Incidents

Bias incidents may include an act of bigotry, harassment or intimidation based on age, color, creed, disability, gender identity, gender expression, race, religion, nation/ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status committed on campus for which the respondent cannot be identified. 

This includes, but is not limited to, slurs, graffiti, written messages, or images that harass or intimidate individuals or groups because of their membership in the above listed protected classes.

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Response to Bias Incident Reports

The Bias Edcuation Team acts as the college’s first response team in addressing reported bias incidents in which no respondent can be identified. The college’s response to a bias incident report will depend on various factors, including the nature and severity of the complaint, whether the respondent is known or not known, the reporting individual’s wishes, the effect on the campus community, and the college’s obligations under the law.

Once a report is received, the BET Chair will make a decision whether to involve other individuals and/or offices, using the following questions, for example, as guidance:

• Does the bias incident involve actual or potential violence, or a significant actual or potential disruption to the College?
• Does the bias incident involve multiple people and/or actions that affect multiple people directly?
• Are there individuals that require immediate emotional support?
• Is there continuous and on-going bias behavior occurring?
• Do other circumstances exist that would compel others to be involved and to convene?
• Information presented to any individual and/or office will be handled confidentially, to the greatest extent possible, and to the extent permitted by law.

Bias incidents that do not require immediate notification will be forwarded to the BET for informational purposes with the possibility for follow up, if necessary.