Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What parts of our identities are considered protected?

  • Age
  • Ancestry
  • Color
  • Criminal Record (State Employment
  • Gender Identity (or Expression)
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Learning Disability
  • Physical Disability
  • Marital Status
  • Mental Disorder
  • National Origin
  • Sex (including Pregnancy or Sexual Harassment)
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Race
  • Religious Creed

• What is a bias-related incident?

  A bias-related incident refers to an occurrence where individuals are targeted or affected based on prejudice, stereotypes, or discriminatory attitudes related to characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or other protected attributes.

• What happens after a Bias Incident Reporting Form is submitted?

  The Office of Equity and Diversity will respond via email or phone within 48 hours when the University is open to conduct additional inquiry and ensure the well-being of the affected individual(s) and campus community, while providing resources and options.

• What is the difference between submitting a Bias Incident Reporting Form and filing a Formal Complaint?

  • Bias Incident Reporting Form
    • Filed by anyone who directly experienced or witnessed a bias-related incident
    • Initiates outreach from the Office of Equity & Diversity
  • Formal Complaint
    • Filed by the person directly effected by the bias-related incident
    • Initiates the Investigation (or Grievance) Process

• What to expect in the Investigation (or Grievance) Process?

  1. Formal Complaint Filed to Office of Equity & Diversity
  2. Initial Assessment by Office of Equity & Diversity
  3. Interviews and Evidence Collection
  4. Analysis and Evaluation of Interviews and Evidence Collected
  5. Notification of Findings
  6. Follow Up and Recommendations
  7. If applicable, referral for adjudication

• What recommendations can the Office of Equity & Diversity provide?

  The Office of Equity & Diversity cannot issue sanctions for policy violations. Our main function is to gather the facts associated with the complaint. If a policy violation occurred during a bias-related incident, the Office of Equity & Diversity would refer the Investigation Report to either the Office of Student Conduct (for student violations) or, Human Resources (for employee violations).