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Dean's Office
Bias Initiative
Now accepting applications for January 2010
Table of Contents
Overview
The Bias Initiative at Tufts University was formed to
respond to and engage our community in discussions about acts of intolerance.
The program also seeks to provide resources for the student community to
effectively respond to incidents of intolerance and harassment. Our mission is
to encourage an understanding of the effects of acts of intolerance, to create a
sense of community responsibility, and to build an environment of mutual respect
through education and dialogue.
One of the
great strengths of Tufts University is its diversity -
our students come from many different countries and many
regions of the United States; have a rich variety of
ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds; are gay,
straight, bisexual and transgender; are differently abled
in ways both visible and invisible; have varied
religious beliefs and practices; have many different
political beliefs; and come from a wide range of
socioeconomic backgrounds. We have much to learn from
one another, and we hope that you will take the time to
get to know many members of the Tufts community, in
particular those who are from backgrounds and
experiences different from your own.
Our differences are one of our greatest strengths and
present us with one of our greatest opportunities --
that of sustaining a healthy community in which our
differences contribute to increased understanding. Of
course, on any vibrant university campus, there are
times when people disagree and opinions clash. At Tufts,
these disagreements and differences of opinion sometimes
have resulted in incidents of bias or discrimination,
examples of which include graffiti containing slurs, and
incidents in which people felt intimidated or physically
threatened. Whether these incidents originated from
people outside or inside Tufts, they nonetheless had a
negative impact on our community. Tufts aspires to do
better.~ Vincent Manno, Former Associate
Provost
~ Susan Ernst, Professor and Former Dean,
School of Arts and Sciences
The Bias Initiative has two components: The Bias
Response Team and The Bias Education and Awareness Team
(BEATBias). For
information about the Bias Initiative at Tufts or for
assistance in coordinating a program with your student
group or residence halls, please send an email to
Tuftsbeatbias@gmail.com.
About Us
The Bias Initiative on campus was created to both to
implement ongoing education programs and to respond to
incidents of intolerance. We remind all members of our
community that it is our collective responsibility to
make Tufts a place where all people and points of view
are truly respected. The Bias Initiative is made up of
two components: Bias Response Team, and a peer education
program, or BEATBias.
The purpose of the program is to:
- Respond to bias incidents and hate crimes on
campus
- Encourage an understanding of bias and its
effects
- Create community responsibility and involvement
- Build and environment of mutual respect through
education and dialogue.
Bias Response Team
The Bias Response Team coordinates the
administrative response to incidents of bias. The
team is composed of representatives of the Dean of
Students Senior Staff and representatives from the
TCU Senate's Culture, Ethnicity, and Community
Affairs Committee. Regular consultants to the team
include the Director of the Office For Diversity and
the University's General Counsel.
Bias Education and Awareness Team
The Bias Education and Awareness Team or BEATBias,
is an undergraduate peer education program that
coordinates student response to incidents. The
BEATBias seeks to improve student life by giving
students a forum to discuss issues around bias
through awareness events and peer-led discussions.
What is a Bias Incident
Examples Of Bias And Hate Incidents:
Defacing signs by using slurs or negative images
associated with group identity, graffiti, verbal
epithets, or violent acts that target a person or
community based on race, color, national or ethnic
origin, age, religion, disability, gender, sexual
orientation, or gender identity and expression.
Differences Between Hate Crimes And Bias Incidents:
- Bias Incident - any act directed against a
person or property that includes the use of slurs or
epithets expressing bias on the basis of race,
color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion,
disability, gender, sexual orientation, or gender
identity and expression.
- Hate Crime - a hate crime is a criminal offense
expressing those same biases.
How You Can Help
Sign up to be on our mailing list! For more
information, send
an email to BEATBias.
Fight Hate and Promote Tolerance:
-
Be sensitive about the language
you use; often the language you are accustomed to
using can be very hurtful to others.
-
Hang a safe space sticker or
other visual symbols of unity on your door or around
your hall.
-
Don't be afraid to let other
people know how language or humor affects you. Speak
up if you are personally offended by it or if you
think others might be.
-
Actively educate yourself by
attending classes, lectures and events that inform
you about issues of gender, race, ethnicity,
religion, sexual orientation, and disability.
-
Offer your support to those who
have been targets of bias incidents.
-
Work to build community in your
floor and hall – a community in which individuals
value respect and positive regard for others as a
healthy and strong community.
-
Attend BEATBias events.
-
Hang a poster in your hall to announce that you
do not tolerate bias. Posters and materials
can be picked up at the Office of Student Affairs in
Dowling Hall Suite 701, or click each poster below to
download a copy.
Every hour...someone commits a hate crime.
Every day...at least eight blacks, three whites,
three gays, three Jews and one Latino become hate crime
victims.
Every week...a cross is burned.
~ from Tolerance.org website
Visit
http://www.tolerance.org to find out more
about how YOU can help!
How To Report An Incident
If you experience a bias incident or harassment or
know someone who has:
- Contact TUPD at x6-6911 (617-627-6911)
- Contact the Residential Assistant on duty.
- Contact the Bias Response Team at x7-3158
(617-627-3158)
- Report Online via
WebCenter
Statement of Confidentiality
Only members of the Tufts University community may
use this system and report bias incidents online.
Incident reports are sent to a secure server in
order to ensure the confidentiality of users. A copy
of this report - in the form of an email - will be
sent to Marisel Perez, Associate Dean of Students.
Dean Perez will contact the reporter.
The Bias Response Team will maintain the level of
confidentiality requested by the reporting party. It
will release only incident information, i.e. nature,
location of incident, etc. to the Tufts community in
safety announcements and summary report updates.
However, should a report indicate that a person's
well-being is at risk, a partial or edited report
will be turned over to the appropriate university
administrator, who will have access to the
reporter's information. Online reports may be
subpoenaed if deemed necessary under the law. If you
have any concerns please call the Bias Intervention
Program at (617) 627-3158.
Bias Incidents and Hate Crimes: Response Protocol
for Residential Assistants and Hall Directors
If a Bias Incident Occurs in Residence Halls
The student targeted should contact his or her RA.
The RA should immediately contact the police and the
Hall Director and remain with the student until the
police have finished documenting the incident. The
RA and the Rd will offer support to the student and
explain the services available. The RA or the RD
must also fill out an incident report with the
Office of Residential Life within twenty four hours
of the incident even if the police responded to the
scene. The Tufts University Police will generate a
police report and forward it to the Dean of Students
Office. A member of The Bias Response Team will
receive the police report next day and will the
student who was targeted.
Residential Assistant Responsibilities in Addressing
Bias Incidents
Protocol for the Bias Response Team and BEATbias
How and when do we react?
- Upon receiving a police report regarding a
bias incident, a member of the Bias Response
Team will contact the student targeted, contact
the Residential Life office to coordinate the
appropriate response if one is necessary.
- The BEATbias will work with the RA or the
Hall Director to create the best response for
that community.
- If serious incident occurs or if there are a
number of incidents in the same hall in a short
period of time, a mandatory hall meeting may be
called. At any time, the residents may also
request that a member(s) of BEATbias create a
program for the either in response to an
incident or as a proactive measure.
Additional Resources
Tufts University
Outside Resources
BEATBias Program Mission
Consistent with the overall mission of the Dean of Student
Affairs Office, the Initiative’s Bias Awareness and Education Team (BEATBias)
seeks to improve the quality of student life by offering students opportunities
for personal growth and development through engaging in peer-led discussions and
events that foster the understanding and support of campus diversity. To this
end, training and support will be provided to students committed to the
coordination, facilitation and support of such student peer programs.
Community Impact
BEATBias members will have an impact on individuals and the larger community
through program initiatives and the development of
dialogue opportunities. Team members will advise
and assist residential staff, student groups and student
leaders in developing outreach and educational initiatives.
BEATBias Role Mandatory participation in
training on topics including, but not exclusive to:
- Development of skills to successfully facilitate educational
meetings and discussions
- Pluralism in a community of learners with varying sexual
orientation, religious backgrounds, race-ethnicity-culture, gender,
disabilities, and socioeconomic status
- Promoting campus advocacy on issues of diversity
- Program planning and organization
BEATBias Responsibilities
- Facilitating educational events
and discussions on topics and issues of pluralism
- Serving as consultants/trainers/liaison to residential life staff
- Being assigned to a duty team and Residential Directors
- Collaborating with residential life staff in the design and
implementation of programs/activities
- Being assigned to peer groups of culture centers
- Collaborating with various groups in developing programs and
conducting outreach activities. Members will provide training to student groups
in organizing programs and leading discussion on intolerance
- Creating a basic menu of programs to be implanted during the year
- Conducting aggressive marketing, update website with current
events and information
- Following through with their responsibilities and keeping all members of the team informed
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