Bias Response

The Nature of Our Community

Lafayette College believes that diversity is fundamental to the education of its students because it helps prepare them to pursue lives of significance as leaders in an increasingly interconnected, globalized world. Diversity at the College is about creating and maintaining meaningful intercultural awareness that promotes a welcoming, inclusive, respectful, and equitable community that gives voice to a wide range of intellectual perspectives and worldviews. We feel that these attributes can best be learned in an environment that models and encourages their practice - both inside and outside the classroom.

We hold each other to high standards and strive to create a caring and supportive community. We know from experience, however, that situations will occur that strain these communal bonds and have therefore devised a way to address such circumstances as they arise.

Purpose

The Bias Response Team (BRT) was established by a coalition of students, faculty, and administrators to provide a mechanism to respond to acts of intolerance and resolve conflicts in a spirit of civil discourse and mutual accountability. Bias or hate incidents of any kind are contrary to the aforementioned principles and threaten the safety, well-being, and educational experience of all members of our community. Such incidents will not be tolerated and will be addressed whenever and wherever they occur.

The Bias Response Team

• describes a safe way for those affected by bias to seek assistance or report incidents
• provides a comprehensive, coordinated and timely response to incidents of bias
• creates opportunities for dialogue
• signals to the community that the College takes these matters seriously

 

Definitions

Bias-Related Incident*

A "bias-related incident" is any incident in which an action taken by a person or group is perceived to be malicious or discriminatory toward another person or group. Such actions may be based on bias or prejudice relating to such characteristics as race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity or any situation in which inter-group tensions exist based on such group characteristics.

Bias-Related Incidents may be violations of criminal law, such as "Hate Crimes," or violations of civil law, such as unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, education or public accommodations.

Hate Crime*

In Pennsylvania, the legal definition of a hate crime is determined by Pennsylvania's "Hate Crime" Law, the Ethnic Intimidation and Institutional Vandalism Act. A hate crime is a criminal offense committed against persons, property or society that is motivated, in whole or in part, by an offender's bias against a specific characteristic of an individual or a group such as race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation.

College Policies

Bias-motivated behaviors that violate provisions of the Lafayette College Code of Conduct or Pennsylvania state law will be addressed through the College's disciplinary process and/or the criminal courts. Discriminatory or bias-motivated behaviors that violate neither the law nor the Code of Conduct will be addressed through a conflict resolution process. Examples of bias-related incidents include assault, damage to property/vandalism, defacing signs or images, harassment, physical confrontation, threatening communications (written or electronic), written or verbal slurs, etc.

*Source: www.stopbias.org, the web site for Pennsylvania's Inter-Agency Task Force on Civil Tension.

 

Team Members

Individuals serving on the BRT are committed to creating a safe, inclusive and equitable campus climate. Core members of the team are identified below. Additional members of the campus community may consult with this core group depending on the nature of the situation.

Core Members

Karlyn Adams '09
Association of Black Collegians

John Colatch
Director of Religious Life and Chaplain of the College

Amina Deburst
Assistant Director of Intercultural Development

Adekemi Egunsola '09
International Students Association

Ashley Juavinett '11
Student Government Association

Ann McGillicuddy-DeLisi
Chair of the Faculty Committee on Diversity and Professor of Psychology

Hannah Stewart-Gambino
Dean of the College

Kevin Worthen (chair)
Dean of Students

Consulting Members

Roger Clow
Office of Public Information

Hugh Harris
Director of Public Safety

Leslie Muhlfelder
Vice President for Human Resources and College Counsel

Tim Silvestri
Assistant Director of Counseling Services

Student Leader(s)
Of Group or Population Affected by Incident

Advisor(s)
Of Group or Population Affected by Incident

 

Resources

Students and other members of the campus community are invited and encouraged to consult both on-campus and off-campus resources when confronted by these difficult issues.

Lafayette College

Counseling Center
610-330-5005

Dean of the College
610-330-5080

Dean of Students
610-330-5064

Human Resources
610-330-5060

Intercultural Development
610-330-5819

Religious Life
610-330-5320

Residence Life
610-330-5335

Off-Campus Resources

Anti-Defamation League

Civil Rights Coalition

Human Rights Campaign

NAACP

Pennsylvania Inter-Agency Task Force on Civil Tension

Stop the Hate

Southern Poverty Law Center

 

Interest Groups

Students may affiliate with a wide variety of student organizations that contribute to the development and preservation of a campus climate that values diverse perspectives and social justice; some of these interest groups are listed below. For more information about these groups, or other clubs and organizations, click here http://ww2.lafayette.edu/~studlife/organizations.php or contact the Office of Student Life Programs at 610-330-5337.

Africans Creating African Consciousness and Interest Abroad (ACACIA)

Amnesty International

Association of Lafayette Feminists (ALF)

Association of Black Collegians (ABC)

Brothers of Lafayette (BOL)

Hispanic Society of Lafayette (HSL)

Interfaith Council

International Students Association (ISA)

Lafayette African and Caribbean Students Association (LACSA)

Lafayette Intercultural Networking Council (LINC)

Nia (Multicultural Women's Support Group)

QuEST (Questioning Established Sexual Taboos)

Students for Social Justice (SSJ)

 

Procedures and Reporting

If you experience or witness a bias-related incident, we encourage you to submit a report. Any member of the Lafayette community can report an incident using the options below. Individuals may report incidents in person or by phone (Office of the Dean of Students and Public Safety), or electronically (online report).

We recognize that some individuals may wish to make a report without becoming fully involved in this process. We have, therefore, provided an option for reports to be submitted anonymously. Please be aware that this anonymity may limit the effectiveness of the BRT's response as the group will be unable to seek additional information or clarification.

Reporting an Incident

Contact the Bias Response Team online by completing a Bias-Motivated Incident Report.

Contact or visit the Office of Public Safety (610-330-5330, 11 Marquis Hall). If you feel that you or others are in immediate danger call the emergency number at 610-330-4444 (x4444 from an on-campus extension).

Contact or visit the Office of the Dean of Students (610-330-5064, 132 Farinon College Center).

After a Report is Submitted

All reports will be shared with members of the BRT and will remain confidential to the extent possible. Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, however, in cases where an immediate threat to the health and safety of the campus community exists.

Once it receives information regarding an incident, the BRT will:

• Contact the reporting party, if known, to confirm that the information has been received.
• Assess the situation and seek additional information and clarification as needed.
• Identify those affected (directly or indirectly) by the incident to offer support, resources and referral.
• Determine an appropriate action or response.
• Notify administrative offices as needed and appropriate.
• Follow up and evaluate response.