Office of Non-Discrimination Initiatives

: Bias Incident Reporting

Bias Incident Reporting Team

Springfield College strives to create a campus environment where all individuals feel welcome, regardless of their identity. Our community is what makes us special. Every member is valuable and we want to help ensure that each person feels safe, welcomed, and included.

The College’s Bias Incident Reporting Team (BIRT) was created to provide those who have witnessed or themselves been a target of an act of bias the opportunity to be supported, to communicate incidents of bias to the campus community when appropriate, and to provide education to the community.

Springfield College values an environment free from discriminatory conduct. The College is committed to providing a safe, respectful, educational and work environment that is free of hostility, intimidation or harassment for all members of the Springfield community.

Bias Incident Reporting Team Members

The Bias Incident Reporting Team is comprised of College staff, faculty, and students. Their charge is to provide communication between different campus departments regarding students, provide a centralized repository for information about student behavioral concerns, follow up with referring persons, provide students with support, resources and case management, and to educate the community. Membership of BIRT includes individuals from the following areas:

  • Non-discrimination Initiatives
  • John M. Wilson Center
  • Dean of Students
  • Public Safety
  • Athletics
  • Human Resources
  • Residence Life and Housing
  • Student Government Association
  • Graduate Student Organization
  • Faculty

For a current list of BIRT members, please call (413) 748-3248.

  • What is a Bias Incident?

    Bias is defined as an action, behavior, or expression against an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived identity. A bias incident may take the form of verbal interaction, cyber-interaction, physical interaction, or interaction with property. Bias incidents occur whether the act is intentional or unintentional and may be based on, but not limited to actual or perceived: age, race, color, ethnicity, sex, sexual identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, gender identity and expression, national origin, genetic information, citizenship status, political affiliation or veteran status. Bias often contributes to or creates an unsafe/unwelcoming environment. Springfield College understands that unintentional bias-related incidents occur and will take an educational (non-disciplinary) approach to resolution where possible. Bias-related incidents where a perpetrator is identified may be referred to community standards or human resources.

    Examples of bias-related incidents include, but are not limited to:

    • Telling jokes based on a stereotype
    • Racist or derogatory graffiti or images/drawings
    • Using a racial, ethnic, or another slur to identify someone
    • Imitating someone with any kind of disability or imitating someone’s cultural norm or practice
    • Physical attacks, intimidation, threatening action or language, damage to personal property, and/or making comments on social media about and/or because of an individual’s actual or perceived age, race, color, ethnicity, sex, sexual identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, gender identity and expression, national origin, genetic information, citizenship status, political affiliation or veteran status

    A bias incident may or may not involve violations of College policies or state or federal law.

  • Impact of Bias Incidents

    The effect of bias incidents can be more distinct and harmful compared to other crimes or improper acts because the attack is based on their identity as opposed to any individual trait or behavior. The additional pain and significance of the event in the victim’s life takes on added dimensions, including:

    • a lingering sense of fear and vulnerability
    • a reactionary response such as action or bias against the perpetrator’s group
    • a feeling of an inability to prevent future attacks
    • severe emotional and psychological impacts
    • symbolic reinforcement of the legitimacy of the discrimination
    • a loss of importance and self-worth, for both the victim and the victim’s group
    • inability to concentrate, study, sleep or engage in academic work
    • distrust of others, social isolation

    Individuals are encouraged to seek support from campus resources in the aftermath of a bias incident.

  • Reporting a Bias Incident

    If you experience or witness a bias incident on campus or involving community members, we want to know.

    SUBMIT A BIAS INCIDENT REPORT

    When completing the form, please provide detailed information regarding the bias incident you are reporting. Once the form is received, a member of BIRT will review the information and take appropriate action, which may or may not include contacting you and any others you have identified. If you have any questions related to completing this form, please call (413) 748-3248.

  • Response to Bias Incident Reports

    The BIRT acts as the college’s first response team in addressing reported bias incidents. All reported bias incidents will be referred to BIRT for review. The BIRT will meet in response to receiving a bias incident report to consider and undertake the appropriate measures to address the incident. Such measures, depending on the nature and severity of the incident, may include:

    • Supporting the affected person(s) through referrals to appropriate resources;
    • Engaging community members to maintain a living, learning and working environment free from acts of bias, harassment, and intimidation;
    • Assessing the circumstances of the incident as thoroughly and as quickly as possible;
    • Making referrals to appropriate campus officials so that action can be taken;
    • Identifying and assisting in implementing an appropriate educational response and community outreach; and
    • Notifying the community, as appropriate.

  • Campus Resources for Support

Hate Crimes

Under Massachusetts law, a “hate crime” is “any criminal act coupled with overt actions motivated by bigotry and bias including, but not limited to, a threatened, attempted or completed overt act motivated at least in part by racial, religious, ethnic, handicap, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation prejudice, or which otherwise deprives another person of his constitutional rights by threats, intimidation or coercion, or which seek to interfere with or disrupt a person's exercise of constitutional rights through harassment or intimidation.”

By definition, all hate crimes are bias incidents but not all bias incidents are hate crimes.

Hate crimes that occur within the Springfield College community should be reported to Public Safety by phone or in person as soon as possible to allow for an adequate and timely investigation and response to occur.

Springfield College Department of Public Safety
25 Portsmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Phone: 413-748-5555