Hate & Bias Prevention Support & Education
Towson University
Relevant Excerpt
To foster a safe and inclusive campus, the university will investigate all incidents motivated by bias. In order to prompt an investigation, the incident must be reported. If you have been a victim, or have witnessed or learned of a hate crime or bias incident, you can file a report using the Hate Crimes and Bias Incident Report Form.
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The person reporting the incident can expect a confirmation of receipt of their report within two business days. Once the report is made, a review will begin. The reviewing authority will be determined by the status of the persons involved as well as the nature and location of the incident. Investigations might include interviewing all involved parties and reviewing camera footage.
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Additionally, the university may respond to the incident with actions including - but not limited to - campus-wide programming, conversations with student leaders and/or meetings with individuals and communities most impacted separate from and while the investigation is on-going.
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What is a bias incident?
Bias incidents involve verbal, written, or physical behaviors that are not criminal offenses but target a person because of their actual or perceived identity or group membership(s) and may violate a university policy. This includes inflicting mental or emotional distress upon a person through a course of conduct involving abuse or disparagement of that person's actual or perceived identity or group membership(s). It is important to note that all hate crimes are bias incidents, but not all bias incidents are hate crimes.
What is Prohibited Conduct?
Sometimes it is unclear if bias is the motivation behind an incident, but the behavior may still violate university policies. Some examples of prohibited conduct include but are not limited to; disruption or obstruction of university-sponsored activities or events; off-campus conduct that is disorderly and disrupts others in the community; abuse of any person; this includes written, e-mail, or telephone abuse or personal property of another; and harassment of any person; and other behaviors found in the Code of Student Conduct (PDF).
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When a case is deemed unactionable it means the event does not violate policy or the law. This means that the event will not result in traditional consequences for the offender such as suspension, expulsion, or arrest.