Policy Author:
Student Affairs
Responsible Office/Department:
Student Affairs
Effective Date of Policy:
August 17, 2022
Policy Narrative
Daemen University employs an online Bias Reporting Form designed to assist the University in promoting an environment that fosters civility and mutual respect for all. Members of the Daemen community may use the online form to report incidents of bias, misconduct, and harassment. A bias-related incident is motivated by the offender’s bias against a person or group due their actual or perceived:
- Race
- Color
- Ethnicity
- National origin
- Sex
- Gender
- Gender identity or gender expression
- Religion or religious practices
- Age
- Ability
- Sexual orientation
- Marital status
- Familial status
- Pregnancy
- Veteran or military status
- Ex-offender status
One does not have to be a member of a specific gender, sex, class, or group in order to be a victim of bias, misconduct, or harassment. Additionally, reporters do not need to be victims of bias or misconduct themselves: this form can be used by bystanders to report incidents that they have witnessed or of which they have knowledge.
Any reports submitted will be routed to the appropriate office, typically Student Affairs and the Center for Diversity & Inclusion, which facilitates and adjudicates matters via the Student Code of Conduct, if it involves a student or the Office of Employee Engagement, if it involves an employee. All bias reports will be reviewed promptly. For reports containing contact information, a designated staff member will contact the reporting person and will be available to meet and discuss resources, policies, procedures, and services, with a view to addressing the immediate issue as well as any additional implications for campus climate. Reports and related follow up will be handled as discreetly as possible.
Bias Reports may be submitted anonymously; however, doing so will affect the University’s ability not only to investigate a report but also to provide a successful resolution or outcome.
Knowingly falsifying a report is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct as well as Employee Policies and may result in disciplinary action.
Members of the campus community may also avail themselves of the Grievance Procedure in Cases of Discrimination and Harassment, which affords a more formal process of investigation and determination of outcome. Filing of a Bias Report does not preclude subsequent use of the Grievance Procedure if the issue remains unresolved. At the discretion of the Grievance Officer, the Bias Report process may be considered to fulfill Step 1 of the Grievance Procedure, which calls for an initial attempt to resolve a complaint informally.
Purpose of Policy
To create and maintain an equitable environment where students have the optimal opportunity to succeed academically, personally, and professionally and where any and all Daemen University Community members feel safe, valued, and respected.
This policy’s virtual location is https://www.daemen.edu/student-life/student-affairs/student-handbook/section-5-general-university-policies