Bias Reporting

In line with our commitment to fostering a culture of belonging on campus, we have created a bias reporting system for use by all members of our community. This tool is a resource to report individual incidents of bias on or off campus and serves as a mechanism to help us address systemic issues of bias more broadly. Our goal is to educate our community and to provide an avenue for people to report any incidents of bias. This allows Albion College to support our students, staff, and faculty and assists us in identifying bias trends on Albion College campus. This, in turn, guides the Office of Belonging in creating a strategy for continuing education and for addressing problematic and harmful behaviors.

This bias reporting system is for non-emergency reporting only. All emergencies should be reported to the Office of Campus Safety at 517-629-1234. Rivkah Gamble, Associate Director of Belonging, serves as the point of contact for the bias reporting system (bias@albion.edu).

Albion will make every effort to prioritize the confidentiality and trust of individuals who file a bias report. Please be aware, however, that in certain circumstances involving safety or criminal action, we may not be able to guarantee anonymity. The information contained in this report will be shared with the appropriate campus officials involved in an investigation or resolution of the incident.

Bias Response Timeline

The Bias Incident Report Team (BIRT) will acknowledge receipt of all non-anonymous bias incident reports within 48-hrs and will evaluate your report promptly, however, the timing and manner in which the College responds to the report will vary depending on the information provided and based on anonymity. The College does not guarantee it will respond to reports individually. If you would not like your response to be dealt with individually, you can indicate that in the form.

What is a Bias Incident?

Bias Incidents are unintentional or intentional acts targeted at a person, group, or property expressing negative bias or hostility based on perceived or actual gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or disability; bias incidents may consist of name-calling, epithets, slurs, degrading language, graffiti, intimidation, coercion, or harassment directed toward the targeted person or group. Bias acts often contribute to creating unwelcoming or even unsafe environments for victims and social identity groups. Acts qualify as biased acts even when delivered with humorous intent or presented as a joke or a prank.

   [Adapted from Student Affairs Leadership Council, 2011]

Examples of Bias Incidents

  • Verbal abuseUsing racial slurs, name-calling, or other degrading language
  • ThreatsMaking threats, threatening phone calls or emails, or destroying personal property
  • HarassmentRidiculing someone’s accent or language, or insulting their traditional dress
  • VandalismDefacing or vandalizing property
  • Social media: Making derogatory comments on social media about someone’s disability, ethnicity, race, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, or political affiliations/beliefs
  • Bigoted imagery: Drawing or creating pictures that imitate, stereotype, or belittle/ridicule someone because of their gender, gender expression, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, faith, or political affiliation
  • MockingMocking someone’s cultural practices or norms, or imitating or mocking someone with a disability (i.e., making a joke about someone being deaf or hard of hearing, or blind, etc.)
  • PartiesHosting racially themed parties
  • Hate symbolsUsing hate symbols or messages
  • ObjectificationUsing language or imagery to objectify someone
  • Power differential: Anyone in a position of authority over others using pejorative comments or stereotypes, leading to a hostile learning and/or living environment
Bias Incident Response Team Members

Albion College Bias Report