Colby-Sawyer College values our diverse community and is committed to maintaining a humane atmosphere in which the sex, sexual identity, gender identity or gender expression, race or ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, age, mental or physical disability, family or marital status, or veteran status, or genetic information of an individual or group are respected and not disparaged.
Acts of intolerance require a response that asks all members of our community to uphold our shared values. Since incidents often fall beyond the reach of policy and laws, it is imperative that we respond as a unified community to denounce such behavior.
The following procedures are in place to efficiently and effectively address incidents which could be considered bias related incidents in a timely manner.
Not all hateful behavior rises to the level of a crime. Bias Related Incidents refer to any act or behavior that is a violation of the college’s student Code of Community Responsibility (Code), the college’s Title IX Policies and Procedures, and/or for employees, the college’s Employee Handbook that is reasonably believed to be motivated by a consideration (real or perceived) of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, gender, national origin, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.
The college recognizes that harassment related to an individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression can occur in conjunction with misconduct related to an individual's race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, or disability. Targeting individuals on the basis of these characteristics is also a violation of the college policy. Under these circumstances, the college will coordinate the investigation and resolution efforts outlined in these policies as well as the Code of Community Responsibility (for students) and Employee Handbook (for employees), to address harassment related to the targeted individual's sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression together with the conduct related to the targeted individual's race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, or disability.
A hate crime is defined by the Uniform Crime Reports as “a criminal act which was motivated by bias against any person or group of persons, or the property of any person or group of persons because of the ethnicity, race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability of the person or group, or bias based upon the perception that the person or group has one or more of those characteristics.”
Often bias related incidents are anonymous incidents of graffiti or vandalism where the identity of an alleged perpetrator is unknown. There are also times when the complainant chooses to report anonymously. The reporting steps for such incidents are the same as for when the alleged perpetrator of such an incident is known or the complainant chooses to self-identify; however, the response varies to some degree.
Instances of the aforementioned behavior should be reported and will be investigated and may be addressed by the college’s student conduct system or via an employment action (Human Resources). Community members are encouraged to report this type of incident whether as the victim or as a third party. The college urges reflection on the impact of such incidents on an individual, on the group that individual may represent, and on the community as a whole.
Students, faculty, and staff who see or become aware of a bias related incident are expected file a report with Campus Safety.
Once an anonymous bias related incident has been reported to and investigated by Campus Safety, the director of campus safety will notify the vice president and dean of students.
The vice president and dean of students will convene a Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT). This team will evaluate the known facts of the incident and determine a plan of action to address the incident and the community impact.
The vice president and dean of students will keep a log of all anonymous and self-identified bias related incidents including communications and responses related to each incident.
To satisfy Clery hate crime requirements the college must report instances of the following crimes when they are motivated by bias (either perceived or real):
[Thanks and acknowledgements go to the University of New Hampshire, Hamilton College, and Virginia Technical Institute for assistance with the wording of parts of this document.]
[Thanks also go to GRID (the Graphic Design majors’ club) for the “Don’t Tolerate Hate” logo.]