Oregon State University aims to create and sustain learning, working and living environments free from bias. If you have experienced or witnessed a bias incident you can use this page to learn more about the process, connect with a member of the Bias Response Team or submit a report.
Care
Bias incidents cause harm to individuals and communities. When anyone reports bias, we seek to mitigate impact, support people and restore communities to the best of our ability.
Education
Reporting bias opens the door for education. We use bias report information to inform outreach education in an effort to address and prevent the occurrence of bias.
Change
Bias reports help catalyze change. Bias reports illuminate the places in our university that need attention and resources. Bias reports also build context by joining individual experiences into a collective voice.
What the Bias Response Team can do …
When a report is submitted, the Bias Response Team carefully evaluates the report to identify needs and possible actions. The team seeks to prioritize a reporter's well-being, health and safety, and connects them to university resources that can offer more specialized support.
When evaluating a bias incident, the Bias Response Team can:
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Provide care to those negatively impacted by bias
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Facilitate restorative processes to mend organizational and intergroup conflict
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Facilitate education and dialogue
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Coach managers and leaders
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Refer bias reports to other university offices for possible investigation and follow-up
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Utilize bias response data to inform policy and practice recommendations to mitigate the impact of bias
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Allow reporters to inform what next steps they wish to undertake, unless it conflicts with mandatory reporting requirements
What the Bias Response Team cannot do …
There are limits to what the Bias Response Team can do when responding to bias incident reports.
While the team may recommend policy and practice changes, provide care and facilitate learning, the Bias Response Team cannot:
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Propose or facilitate formal discipline of faculty, staff or students
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Terminate faculty and staff
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Expel or formally discipline students
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Censor or punish people for offensive or repugnant comments that are protected speech
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Change curriculum
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Investigate or make any findings of fact
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Replace hard conversations between faculty, staff and students
What to expect when submitting a bias report
As a reporter, you may have question about what happens when you submit a report. Learn about the steps taken after a report is submitted and what you can expect from the process here.
Involvement in the bias response process
The bias response process is developmental and educational; it is not a formal investigation nor punitive process. Collaborating in bias response is tough at times, and it’s also worth it. Learn how you can show up fully in the bias response process and achieve positive outcomes for all involved. Learn more here.