Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access
Bias Reporting

If you are visiting this page, you or someone you know is or has likely experienced a hurtful event or situation. We at ESF know, we never want that to be part of your experience here and would want to immediately address the issue as well as provide you with resources you may need.

Bias Reporting System

ESF's bias reporting system provides ESF students, staff, and faculty with an avenue to report incidents of bias, bigotry, or hate that occur on our campus or in off-campus settings that impact ESF. Reports may be submitted anonymously or with the reporter's name included. Please note that submitting a report anonymously may impact ESF's ability to fully respond to your concerns. ESF Community members who feel they have been the target of bias (or who have witnessed a bias-related incident) may report the incident online, or contact these Title IX Authorities.

Bias Incident Reporting Form

The Bias Incident Reporting form is NOT for 911 or Emergency Service. Do not use this form to report events that present an immediate threat. If you require emergency assistance, please call ESF's University Police at 315-470-6666 or 911.

Your confidentiality and trust is very important to us! We will make every effort to respect your privacy. Please be aware, however, in certain circumstances involving safety or criminal action, we may not be able to guarantee anonymity.

Your contact information is optional and only necessary if you would like follow-up/feedback. Please use 'anonymous' in the name field if you wish to remain so.

What happens when you report?

STEP 1: When ESF receives a bias report, the information is received by:

Questions? Contact Us.

Seth Thompson
Title VI Coordinator 
219 Bray Hall
 sthomp43@esf.edu
 315-470-6810

 

Heather Engelman
Title VI Investigator
219 Bray Hall
 engelman@esf.edu
 315-470-4752

STEP 2: Anonymous on-line reports: If the report is submitted anonymously, a determination will be made as to whether the report is actionable. If no action is possible or warranted, the report is documented for the purposes of assessing campus climate and culture. If the incident is actionable, the report is documented and a determination is made regarding the key resources to be leveraged and best course of action.

All other on-line and in-person reports: The report is documented and a determination is made regarding the key resources to be leveraged in support of the impacted individual or group and broader campus community.

Examples of key resources facilitating the best course of action to meet the needs of the individual and/or groups impacted by the incident include:

• Counseling Services
• Student Affairs
• Human Resources
• University Police
• Graduate School
• Office of International Education
• Centennial Hall

Central to the university's response to a reported bias incident will be determining whether any violation of university policy occurred in connection with the incident. While the wishes and preferences of the person affected by the incident (the “reporting party”) will inform the actions that the university may take, the welfare of the community is measured against our policies and values must also drive our response. Within this context, if the reporting party requests that the report remain confidential, the university will make all reasonable attempts to comply with this request.

STEP 3: If deemed appropriate to engage the broader campus community, additional campus entities and key resources will be consulted to design effective frameworks to support impacted individuals or groups.  These resources may include but are not limited to:

• Student Government
• Academic Governance
• Executive Cabinet

ESF expects students, staff, and faculty using the bias reporting system to make reports in good faith. ESF reserves the right to take disciplinary action against individuals who do not submit reports in good faith.

• Resources Contact Information
• ESF Employee Assistance Program
• Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action Plan

• NYS Division of Human Rights Report Discrimination

FAQ

• What is the official definition of a Title VI incident?

  Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals from discrimination based on race, color and/or national origin. It extends to those who experience discrimination, including harassment, based on their actual or perceived shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics or citizenship or residency in a country with a dominant religion or distinct religious identity. Institutions have a responsibility to address discrimination against groups when the discrimination involves:

  • Racial, ethnic, or ancestral slurs or stereotypes;
  • A person's skin color, physical features, or style of dress that reflects both ethnic and religious traditions; and
  • Where an individual came from or is perceived to have come from, including discrimination based on a individual's accent or name, including names commonly associated with particular shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, or an individual speaking a foreign language.
• What is the official definition of a bias incident?
  Based on the principles of the New York State Human Rights Law and the New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR), a bias-related incident may not always rise to the level of illegal discrimination, but it involves conduct motivated by prejudice, stereotypes, or negative attitudes toward a person's protected characteristic.
  • Protected characteristics include race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, and other categories protected by law.
• What are examples of micro-aggression, bias or discrimination incidents?
  
  • Micro-aggression are subtle, often unintentional statements or behavior that communicates stereotypes, assumptions, exclusions, or disrespect toward a person based on a protected characteristic. Repeated microaggressions can contribute to a hostile environment.
  • Bias Based incidents include action, comment, behavior, or expression that targets or negatively impacts an individual or group because of a real or perceived protected characteristic, even if the conduct does not violate the law.
  • Discrimination includes policies, decisions, behaviors, or patterns of conduct that intentionally or unintentionally disadvantage, exclude, limit, or adversely affect individuals because of a protected characteristic. This may include harassment when it creates a hostile or unequal environment.
• How does reporting work?
  The bias incident reporting system keeps the targeted member of the ESF community at the center of the response process so that the individual can decide how they want to proceed. 
  Reports may also be submitted anonymously; allowing you to provide the information you feel comfortable providing. The more information you provide, the more effective ESF can respond to the situation.
• What is the response to a bias or hate incident?
  Responses to incidents will vary based on the incident and the individuals involved.  Incidents may be referred to.
  • the Student Conduct Office for further review and potential action when involving students
  • ESF Human Resources when there was a violation of the ESF code of conduct when applicable to faculty and staff.
  • It is important to note that not all incidents will travel that path.  This occurs for a variety of reasons, including at the request of the targeted individual or because the action would not be considered a violation of the conduct code.
  • Whenever possible, based on the information available, ESF will attempt to create an educational opportunity with those who have engaged in a bias incident.  This approach creates the opportunity to respond appropriately to incidents while also maintaining the educational mission of ESF.

• Why should I report and incident of bias or hate?
  
  • ESF can best support the targeted individual (s) as well as aim to prevent future incidents when incidents are reported.
  • The purpose of the bias incident reporting process is to provide impacted parties of bias or hate incidents opportunities to be heard and supported,
  • To understand and respond to situations that affect the campus community.
  • To educate and inform the community, and to create awareness of ignorance and intolerance as it relates to bias or hate incidents.
  • The bias incident reporting process provides services to witnesses, bystanders, targeted individuals, offenders, or members of the community that include but are not limited to counseling, training and professional development, and escort safety service.
• What incidents have occurred at ESF?
  Learn about hate incident statistics by reviewing the ESF Campus Safety Act Reports prepared by ESF University Police that archive crime (not bias) information.
• What help is available for targeted individuals who experience bias or hate?
  Targeted individuals of bias or hate incidents may need immediate support. See internal and external to ESF resources listed at the above URLs.
  Targeted individuals are also encouraged to report the incident. If the person reporting the incident requests follow-up, ESF personnel will contact them to provide support and resources. If the person reporting the incident requests follow-up, a Title VI Admininstrator(s) will contact them to provide support and resources.
• How can I help educate campus about bias?
  We welcome the opportunity to attend student organization meetings, department meetings, residence hall programs, or other events to provide trainings and workshops.