Bias Support Team

Submit A ONEPARD UNIVERSAL REPORTING FORM
If you have experienced or witnessed an incident of bias, please submit a OnePard form via the link above. You will be given the option to remain anonymous.

What does the Bias Support Team do?

What do we do? We:

  • Receive reports from students, faculty, and staff of incidents that may involve prejudice;
  • Reach out to and seek to support those who file reports;
  • Empower those who file reports to participate in determining what response and support would be most meaningful;
  • Forward reports to appropriate offices, as necessary;
  • Engage those who were the subjects of reports in voluntary, educational conversations; and
  • Monitor trends in the campus climate to inform educational efforts.1

The Nature of our Community

Diversity at Lafayette College is about creating and maintaining meaningful intercultural awareness in support of a welcoming, inclusive, respectful, and equitable community that gives voice to a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and worldviews. 

Diversity is fundamental to the education of Lafayette College students for many reasons, not least of which is that it helps to prepare them to pursue lives of significance as leaders in an increasingly interconnected, globalized world. 

Inclusive leadership is best learned in an environment that models and encourages best practices both inside and outside the classroom. When situations occur that strain these communal bonds, we ask our community to engage in the difficult and rewarding work of practicing inclusive leadership.  The Bias Support Team exists to coordinate these opportunities for learning and dialogue, and every community member is encouraged to participate in its efforts. 

The Bias Support Team

  • Describes a safe way for those affected by bias to seek assistance or report incidents
  • Provides a comprehensive, coordinated, proportionate, and timely response to incidents of bias
  • Creates opportunities for dialogue
  • Signals to the community that the College takes these matters seriously
  • Tracks incidents of bias over time
  • Offers targeted educational opportunities

The bias support team is not not a disciplinary body.  The Office of Student Conduct is responsible for disciplinary proceedings.  BST may discuss with a student how to file a complaint with OSC if it appears that a violation of the College’s Code of Conduct has been alleged, but it is not the role of BST to investigate or determine whether a reported concern involved a violation of college policy.  (adapted from Michigan).

Bias Support Team members include:

  • Alexandra Hendrickson – College Chaplain and Director of Religious & Spiritual Life (Chairperson)
  • Jennifer Dize – Assistant Dean of Students
  • Brian Samble – Dean of Students
  • Other Lafayette community members, as needed for specific support and expertise

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.

1 Bullet points modified from this article: https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2019/06/17/truth-about-bias-response-teams-more-complex-often-thought-opinion