FIRE Records Request

From: Bindu Jayne
Dale Thu, Feh 4, 2015 at4. 3 PM
Subiect Bias Incident Response Team - Invitation

To: Susan Edwards James Brown Paui Gates

      
   
   
 

 
 

Mark aachnieier Traci Royster

i ames Barnes

Cassie wineoarger
iJhon cimmino

Cc Kathy Ray

Good anernoon,

First, apoIogize for the Iength or this emaii. out I thought it was Important to provide you an
With a IittIe context oeIorejumping into my request

We are preparing to Iaunch the Bias Incident Reponse eam (BIRT) and are seeking your nlfice's
(or your organizatinn's) participation. Recentiy, this in ative was approved by the Cabinet to
move rorward, so I write to provide you some background about BIRT and ask Ior your vaIued
participation. Understanding the ovenwheiming scheduIes you an have, pIease do Iet me know if
there is a designee that you wouId preIer to serve on the BIRT in your pIace

Background
In the Fan 2013 semester, the LGBT Advisory Board approached the Commission on Diversity
(COD) concerning oias incidents on campus The centrai mission or this Response Team is to heIp
address on-campus and ofl-campus situations or oias that airect our racuIty, start and students
through education, support and, ir possioie, reIerraI to existing investigative processes (The
BIRT protocoI is not something unique to Appaiachian -- in fact during my research or this
initiative prior to presenting the proposaI to the Cabinet, I was hard-pressed to find a schooI
Without a BIRT)

Bias incidents reported couId extend to any protected cIass status - age, coIor, gender
identity or expression, genetic InIormation, nationaI origin, poIiticaI arriIiation, race, reIigion, sex,
sexuaI orientation, or veteran status. Incidents may be reported aoout on-campus or oIr-campus
happenings and reports may oe suomitted anonymoust oy victims or witnesses

PIacing this initiative In a oroader context, the Department or Education recentIy reIeased a
"Dear Letter" reminding coIIeges and universities to be vigiIant aoout the environment
that certain students, racuIty and stair may he Iacing during this nationaI resurgence oI
IsIamophooia, anti-reiugee and anti-Immigrant sentiment I have attached a copy or this
Department or Education guidance for your review and inrormation

Lug cs
The Response Team host once a month standing meetings with potentiaIIy more scheduIed iI

a particuIarIy egregious Incident is reported that needs the Immediate attention. Bias
Incident Response Team members wiII convene to strategize pIans Ior IndividuaI support for non-
anonymous reports, IaciIitate communication between runctionai areas to provide that support,
to recommend educationaI programs that are both preventative and responsive in
cases where there is no known respondent, heIp prevent oias Incidents from through the
cracks, keep annuaI statistics Ior trends and pattern recognition or campus ciimate, educate the
campus and community aoout newiy initiated oias reporting options, and oaIance competing
interests or start and racuIty, concerning topics Iike cIassroom triggers, academic Ireedom, Iree
speech rights, and more.

AppState #000001

FIRE Records Request

The involved parties of the Bias Incident Response Team inciude Academic Aflairs, the Dean of
Students, Faculty Senate, Human Resources, the (Nice of Muiticulturai Student Deveiopment,
Staff Senate, the Title IX Coordinator, and the University Ombuds Office Representatives from
Athletics, the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, Counseling for Faculty and Stafl,
Counseling Services, the office o! Semices, the Office of Student Conduct, University
Housing, office o! General Counsel and University Police will be called upon when necessary.

ease find a Doodle link below loi- us to schedule our fi st meeting. Please complete
term by Wednesday, February 10 so that we can be in touch to convene the
inaugural meeting at this group. Jhon Cimmino, a graduate intern within my orrice, has

graciously taken the reins in handiing the iogistics ror this initial meeti
communications, so please do keep an out for ruture emails irom



 

 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Jhon with any questions.

 

Thank you {or your involvement in this new in iative!

Respectruny.
Bindu

Hindu krill: Jan i \Niumc Vim (Muslim [or Fqutn, Dutmn is ('nmniimu

i 'Itllc ix 

 

\Wulr hun 5i,

l2; 1 r; armiiul i ltuucht'

 

Attachments area

AppState #000002