Bias Incident Response Team

Spring 2023 BIRT Semester Report

Fall 2022 BIRT Semester Report

Spring 2022 BIRT Semester Report

Fall 2021 BIRT Semester Report

Spring 2021 BIRT Semester Report

Fall 2020 BIRT Semester Report

Incidents that are not in need of immediate attention or are believed to risk the health or safety of the individuals have four options:

1. Use the online Bias Response Form: The online system will ask for identification, a description of the incident and other relevant information.
2. Report the incident to a Resident Assistant or Professional Staff member in the Residential Center. Reports made after hours will be handled by Residential Center staff as an immediate response (following Residential Center Bias Incident Protocol, the incident will then be referred on to the Bias Incident Response Team for further review).  
3. If there is any evidence or concern that that the incident was a violation of the university’s Title IX policies, students may report the incident directly to the University’s Title IX Coordinator.
4. Any evidence or concern that the incident was a violation of Federal or State law, the incident will be forwarded on to University Police.
5. Use the Bentley CARES reporting form: The CARE Team will forward any relevant incidents on to BIRT.

The chair of the BIRT will review any reports received and determine next steps. Determination of the following will be made accounting for:

1) is there evidence of a bias incident

2) the incident a violation of the university Title IX policy or Federal/State law.

1. If a violation of the Title IX policy has occurred, the incident will be referred to the Title IX Coordinator.

2. If a violation of Federal/State law has occurred, the incident will be referred to University Police.

3. If a bias incident is evident the report will be referred to the Bias Incident Response Team for further evaluation, members of the adhoc team may be included to provide feedback and ideas. 

4. If there is evidence of violation of university policy, the incident will be referred to Student Conduct.

5. If there is evidence of criminal activity the report will be referred to University Police.

6. If  there is no immediate evidence of bias in the report, a member of the Bias Incident Response Team will meet with the reporting party to follow up.

A member(s) of the Bias Incident Response Team will reach out to the reporting party to set up a meeting regarding the incident. During this meeting the following points will be covered:

1. Reviewing the information in the report

2. Addressing the immediate issues

3. Discussing next steps and possible options.  Next steps are based on what is known (is the responding party known? How the reporting party would like to respond? What are the needs of the community?). The University does not limit the time frame to report any incident.

   • Student Conduct Process

   • Mediation

   • Educational opportunities

   • Whether moving forward or not, the incident will be recorded in Bentley’s Hate Crime or bias incident data

   • Human Resources – Faculty/Staff Grievance Policy if the incident involves a faculty/staff and student.

   • No action, just a report

   • If the incident rises to the level of significant community impact, the University may move forward with an investigation with or without the consent of the reporting party.

Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) is responsible for responding to student reported bias incidents. Additionally, in working closely with appropriate administrators, students, faculty, committees, organizations and offices, BIRT plays an educational role in both fostering an inclusive campus climate and supporting targeted individuals when bias and/or hate incidents occur. The team has broad membership in order to support and affirm Bentley’s educational mission and to support our vision to create an institution in which people do not experience barriers because of aspects of their identity.

The BIRT has no authority to discipline any student or member of the faculty or staff. Bias incidents that violate Bentley University policy or Massachusetts State Law will be referred to and addressed through the University’s student conduct process and/or the criminal courts. Bias incidents that violate the standards outlined in Bentley’s Employment Policies and Practices will be referred to Human Resources. Bias incidents that violate neither the law nor University policy will be addressed by an educational response that may include conflict resolution, coordinated by BIRT.

The Bias Incident Response Protocol shall be interpreted and implemented in a manner consistent with Bentley’s commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression.

Hate speech and actions are not tolerated by the university and are contrary to the university’s polices of harassment based on bigotry or bias. The expression of an idea or point of view some may find offensive or charged is not necessarily a bias-related incident. Bentley values freedom of expression and the open exchange of ideas. The expression of controversial ideas and differing views is a vital part of campus discourse. While this value of openness protects controversial ideas, it does not protect harassment or expressions of bias or hate aimed at individuals or groups that violate University policies.

A bias incident is characterized as a behavior or act—verbal, written or physical—which is personally directed against or targets an individual or group based on perceived or actual characteristics such as race, color, religious belief, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, or age. Behavior reflecting bias may constitute a violation of Bentley University policy. Examples of what may constitute a bias incident include, but are not limited to:

• Threatening phone calls, mail/email, social media
• Jokes based on stereotypes
• Excluding or barring participation from university-sponsored clubs or events, based on one's perceived identity
• Using a racial, ethnic, homophobic, gender-based or other slur to identify someone
• Graffiti or other vandalism
• Harassment based on identity
• Physical assault

Massachusetts State Law: Hate Crimes

Acts constituting hate crimes, as defined by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 22C, Section 32, include “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 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.”

Chapter 265 Crimes Against the Person – Section 39 states in relevant part that it is illegal to commit a crime against one’s person or property with the intent to intimidate such person because of such person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.

Bentley University does not discriminate in admission or access to or treatment or employment in any of its educational programs or activities, including scholarships, loans and athletics, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status. Bentley University maintains and supports affirmative action plans for its workplace in compliance with federal law. Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including hiring, promotions, training, working conditions, compensation and benefits. Bentley University’s policies and practices reflect the university’s commitment to nondiscrimination in all areas of employment. The university complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Revenue Procedure 75-50 prohibiting such discrimination. 

The BIRT has three primary responsibilities:

1. Evaluate and respond to immediate needs of the reporting party
2. Act as a referral resource, directing reporters to appropriate campus units for further action
3. Assist in and consult on the development of community level response to the incident (Residence Hall emails, University emails, Educational sanctioning)

The BIRT is composed of representatives from various departments at Bentley University. The team reviews and responds to reported bias-related incidents in an educational and non-confrontational manner.

The team is comprised of two levels: a core team and ad hoc team. the team is comprised of individuals across campus whose job responsibilities are connected to one or all of the following: incident/behavioral response and protected groups in reference to the Bentley University non-discrimination statement (listed above), making them a logical point of contact for informal reporting.

Core Team

The Core team consists of staff members who will evaluate incoming reports from students, faculty, and/or staff and provide guidance on next steps.  Guidance will be based on the type of incident and will include additional conversations with a member(s) of the adhoc team based on the nature of the incident presented.

• Matt Banks, Chair, Associate Director, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
• Nicole Black, Director, Graduate Academic Services
• Sam Bor, International Student Advisor, Center for International Students and Scholars
• Kendra Criss, Human Resources
• Jane Griffin, Assistant Provost, Student Success; Professor, Modern Languages
• Julia Hvoslef, Director, Gender and Sexuality Student Programs
• Shatasia Kearse, Associated Director, Multicultural Center
• Katie Penn, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Division of Equity and Inclusion
• Stephanie Segalini, Director, Disability Services
• Justin Woodard, Director, Residential Center

Ad hoc Team

The ad hoc team consists of members from across the university whose functional areas include protected groups on campus. These team members will be included in ongoing and consistent conversations on the overall campus climate. Members will also be present for specific follow up based on the nature of the incident present.