Bias Incident Prevention
What is the Bias Incident Prevention and Response team?
Colby recognizes that, because of the unique ways in which hate/bias behavior affect the community, care for the community is important when responding to bias incidents. The Bias Incident Prevention Response (BIPR) team has been created to address the needs of the campus community. It is the role of the Bias Incident Prevention and Response (BIPR) team to address expressions of bias in our community. When appropriate, the BIPR team provides educational opportunities for specific campus constituencies and/or the campus as a whole to reflect on the nature, causes, and effects of bias. Moreover, the BIPR team coordinates interpersonal and campus-wide response to expressions of bias reported through the BIPR online reporting form. These reports allow the BIPR team to:- Assist those directly impacted by bias incidents and work with reporting and /or targeted parties to determine the kind of response, if any, that would be helpful.
- Though the BIPR team will always reach out to reporting parties, reporting parties play a significant role in determining what the follow up to a specific incident entails. If a reporting party communicates that they are not interested in an incident-specific response, the BIPR team will do its best to honor that.
- Gather campus climate data regarding bias-motivated expressions and behaviors;
- Maintain an updated incident log of all reported incidents, omitting all names and including a brief summary of the behavior/expression being reported;
- Communicate with the campus about specific incidents and/or campus climate trends, when deemed appropriate;
- Make data-driven policy recommendations;
- Recommend and assist with data-driven educational programming, largely in collaboration with other campus entities addressing equity and inclusion.
The Bias Incident Prevention and Response team consist of the following trained faculty, staff, and students:
- Tayo Clyburn, PhD, Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – 207-859-4257, tclyburn@colby.edu (chair)
- Emily Schusterbauer, Director of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Program/Associate Director of the Pugh Center – 207-859-4093, eeschust@colby.edu (chair)
- Masi Ngidi-Brown, PhD, Director of International Student Programs – 207-859-4263, mngidibr@colby.edu
What is a bias incident?
As expressed in Colby’s Student Handbook, “Colby stands for diversity, for respect for various lifestyles and beliefs, and for the protection of every individual against discrimination. In the classroom and outside, there is freedom to study, to think, to speak, to work, to learn, and to thrive in an environment that insists upon both civility and the free and open exchange of ideas and views.” Moreover, “[t]he right of free speech and the open exchange of ideas and views are essential, especially in a learning environment, and Colby College upholds these freedoms vigorously.” Colby College recognizes, however, that expressions of bias (“bias incidents”) may be harmful to individuals, groups, and/or the campus as a whole–even if these expressions fall within our community standards of free speech, and regardless of whether or not they constitute a direct violation of Colby College’s code of conduct. A bias incident is characterized as a behavior or act – verbal, written, or physical – which is personally directed against or targets an individual or group based on perceived or actual characteristics such as race, color, religious belief, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, or age. Bias incidents may be engaged in intentionally or unintentionally. Sometimes, we may express unconscious bias in ways that are harmful to others without realizing that we are doing so. Expressions of bias, or bias incidents, can take many forms, including:- Using verbal or written slurs or epithets
- Using hate symbols
- Defacing posters or signs
- Telling jokes based on identity-based stereotypes
- Treating a person or a group of people in a way that is motivated/informed by identity-based stereotypes
- Avoiding or excluding others because of their perceived identities
- Imitating someone’s cultural norms or practices.
- Imitating someone with a perceived physical, cognitive, or psychological difference
What is a hate crime?
A hate crime, also called a bias crime or bias-related crime, is criminal activity motivated, in whole or in part, by the perpetrator’s bias or attitude against an individual victim or group based on perceived or actual personal characteristics, such as their race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity. In addition to the victim, members of the victim’s group and the community as a whole can feel victimized by a hate crime. In Maine, a hate crime is a civil violation prosecuted by the attorney general, usually combined with criminal charges like criminal threatening or assault. Maine statute reads: “A person has the right to engage in lawful activities without being subject to physical force or violence, damage or destruction of property, trespass on property or the threat of physical force or violence, damage or destruction of property or trespass on property motivated by reason of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.” Examples of specific crimes identifiable as hate crimes include assault, burglary, forcible and non-forcible sex offenses, intimidation, destruction, damage or vandalism of property in which the victim is intentionally selected because of the actual or perceived protected category. Hate crimes are prohibited, in separate ways, by Maine law and Colby policy. Thus, offenders may be prosecuted under state criminal statutes and subject to disciplinary action by Colby. The College may pursue disciplinary action while criminal action is pending, or even if criminal justice authorities choose not to prosecute. In addition to any criminal penalties, students found responsible for a hate crime are subject to disciplinary action and penalties, up to and including suspension or expulsion.How do I report a bias incident or hate crime?
All members of the campus community are encouraged to report any incident of Bias that they witness or experience by using our online reporting form. It is important to note that the BIPR team is not an emergency response body. The BIPR team can work with affected campus community members to coordinate ongoing safety measures (like long-term No Contact Directives and permanent rooming reassignments). Campus Security, however, is best equipped to implement safety measures that are needed immediately (like emergency No Contact Directives or emergency access to a Safe Room). It is also important to note that the BIPR team is not a disciplinary body. This means that the BIPR team does not investigate and impose sanctions for the reports that it receives. The BIPR team’s primary goal in responding to reports is to ensure that those immediately affected feel supported and have the opportunity to shape any response that might be deemed appropriate.- If requested, a BIPR team member will reach out to and consult with the reporting party in order to determine the best course of response. In all cases except those determined to pose a threat to the wider campus community, the reporting party and/or the targeted party can opt for the BIPR team to take no action at all.
- the BIPR team,
- the head of security,
- the Dean of the College,
- The Assistant Dean of Students (Conduct and Accountability)
Resources
What are some of the resources available if you believe you have been a target of, or if you are aware of a bias incident or hate crime? Prior to and during the process of filing a bias incident report, the complainant may receive the counsel and support of an advisor of his or her choice. The advisor may be any member of the Colby community (faculty, staff, coach, or peer) and may provide the complainant with support and guidance. We offer below a list of faculty and staff who can provide support and guidance during the Colby College hate crime and bias incident reporting process and who are committed to expectations of privacy.- Emily Schusterbauer, Director of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Program/Associate Director of the Pugh Center – 207-859-4093, eeschust@colby.edu
- Tayo Clyburn, Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – 207-859-4257, tclyburn@colby.edu
- Kate Smanik, Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life, 207-859-4272, kesmanik@colby.edu
- Dean on call, 207-859-5530
- Dean of Studies Office, 207-859-4560
- Campus Life Office, 207-859-4280
- Security, 207-859-5911
- Hall Staff members
- Waterville Police Department, 911 or 207-680-4700
- MaineGeneral Medical Center, 207-872-1300
- Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Center, 207-660-6277
- State hotline, 1-800-871-7741
- Maine Attorney General, 207-626-8800
- Stop the Hate – Program that provides anti-hate tools for colleges and universities
- Teaching Tolerance – 10 ways to fight hate
- ADL Hate Crimes – Statistics and Strategies for Fighting Hate
Where can I receive confidential support on campus?
Confidentiality is a legal protection and assures your privacy to the fullest extent allowable by state law. Confidential support is available by contacting:- Health Services – 207-859-4460
- Counseling Services – 207-859-4490
- Title IX Advocate (Emily Schusterbauer) – 207-859-4093
- Catholic Campus Minister (Charles Demm) – cademm@colby.edu
- Interim Jewish Chaplain (Sarah Rockford)– sarah.rockford@colby.edu
What happens after a BIPR report is made?
- A member of the BIPR team will follow up with the reporting party and/or targeted party to review the report and determine if further action should be taken.
- Depending upon the reporting party’s preferences (and/or the targeted party’s preferences) the BIPR team may:
- Refer affected students to relevant support resources on campus (including, but not limited to: counseling services, religious and spiritual life staff, equity and inclusion staff);
- Work with Campus Security, the office of the Dean of the College, the Advising Deans, and the Office of Campus Life to coordinate necessary accommodations, including safety measures, housing adjustments, and academic considerations;
- Coordinate informal resolution of the incident through facilitated communication and/or mediation;
- Refer the case to the Judicial Dean, if the incident constitutes a violation of college policy and the reporting and/or targeted party would like to pursue disciplinary action.
- A brief summary of each report will be added to BIPR’s online Incident Log. No names will be included in the log, and BIPR will do its best to limit the inclusion of other identifying information.
Bias Incident Log
2/19/2019On CampusGender, Gender Identity/Expression, SexualityMembers of an athletic team were accused of designing and wearing shirts that contained offensive generalizations about women.2/25/2019OnlineRace/ColorA response to a Civil Discourse post was interpreted as containing racial stereotypes.3/5/2019AMS Elevator DoorReligion/CreedA swastika was etched into the door of the AMS elevator.pFall 2019 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
10/15/2019 | Outside of Pugh Center | Political Party | Student defaced posters advertising a speaker hosted by the Colby Republicans. |
Spring 2019 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
8/23/2019 | On Campus, Dana Residence Hall | Gender, Gender Identity/Expression | Someone characterized the gender neutral bathroom in a way that was not inclusive of gender nonbinary people. |
Spring 2019 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
2/8/2019 | On Campus, Senior Apartments | Gender Identity/Expression, Sexual Orientation | A student was pressured to engage in a drinking game and was called “pussy” and “faggot.” |
2/16/2019 | Downtown Apartments | Religion/Creed | A birthday party involving a “Jewish wedding” was interpreted as demonstrating cultural appropriation. |
3/10/2019 | Online | Race/Color | A Civil Discourse post was interpreted as targeting a student based on their racial identity. |
4/3/2019 | On Campus | Socioeconomic Class | The reporting party perceived the downtown apartment selection process as being biased in favor of students with more financial resources and family connections. |
4/15/2019 | Online | Ethnicity, Race/Color, Creed | A student made a Facebook post interpreting the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral as “karma” for French colonialism. |
4/15/2019 | Online | National origin | A student made a Facebook post interpreting the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral as “karma” for French colonialism. |
4/20/2019 | Cotter Union | Ethnicity, Race/Color | The reporting party interpreted a sign hung in an outward-facing Pugh Center window saying “Decolonize this Space” as “targeting all white people.” |
Jan Plan 2019 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
1/7/2019 | In a Classroom, On Campus | Gender, Gender Identity/Expression | A professor was interpreted as using culturally insensitive and biased language in class. |
1/19/2019 | At the shuttle pick-up outside of the Pugh Center | Gender, Gender Identity/Expression | A male student engaged in unwanted touching of a female student’s back, shoved the female student as she was trying to sit down, and then called the female student a bitch. |
1/31/2019 | Online | Other: Socioeconomic class | A student’s Facebook post encouraging theft of wealthy people’s possessions was interpreted as inciting violence against a class of people. |
Fall 2018 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
10/26/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | A student wore a hat and a wig that imitated and appropriated Asian culture. |
10/26/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | A student wore a hat and a wig that imitated and appropriated Asian culture. |
10/26/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | A student wore a hat and a wig that imitated and appropriated Asian culture. |
11/1/2018 | Off Campus, Bar night at Viper | Ethnicity, Race/Color, Socio-Economic Class | At bar night, students wore costumes that involved cultural appropriation, referenced racial and ethnic stereotypes, and criminalized black culture. For example, students were dressed in prison attire, had fake tattoos, and wore hairstyles associated with black culture. |
11/2/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Socio-Economic Class | On social media, students posted pictures of themselves in the costumes described in the 11/1/2018 BIPR report (see previous BIPR report). |
11/3/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | Students at an Akon Day party wore costumes that involved cultural appropriation, referenced racial and ethnic stereotypes, and criminalizing black culture. For example, students were dressed in prison attire, had words like Africa and Gang written on their skin, and wore hairstyles associated with black culture. |
11/3/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | Students at an Akon Day party wore costumes that involved cultural appropriation, referenced racial and ethnic stereotypes, and criminalizing black culture. For example, students were dressed in prison attire, had words like Africa and Gang written on their skin, and wore hairstyles associated with black culture. |
11/3/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | Students at an Akon Day party wore costumes that involved cultural appropriation, referenced racial and ethnic stereotypes, and criminalizing black culture. For example, students were dressed in prison attire, had words like Africa and Gang written on their skin, and wore hairstyles associated with black culture. |
11/3/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | Students at an Akon Day party wore costumes that involved cultural appropriation, referenced racial and ethnic stereotypes, and criminalizing black culture. For example, students were dressed in prison attire, had words like Africa and Gang written on their skin, and wore hairstyles associated with black culture. |
11/3/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | Students at an Akon Day party wore costumes that involved cultural appropriation, referenced racial and ethnic stereotypes, and criminalizing black culture. For example, students were dressed in prison attire, had words like Africa and Gang written on their skin, and wore hairstyles associated with black culture. |
11/3/2018 | Off Campus | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | Students at an Akon Day party wore costumes that involved cultural appropriation, referenced racial and ethnic stereotypes, and criminalizing black culture. For example, students were dressed in prison attire, had words like Africa and Gang written on their skin, and wore hairstyles associated with black culture. |
11/6/2018 | The Spa | Race/Color | A group of students believed to be associated with the Akon Day party on 11/3 (see previous BIPR reports) were confronted by students who were chanting Africa, staring at them, and circling them. |
11/6/2018 | Outside of the Campus Life Office | Gender, Gender Identity/Expression | A poster addressing gender expression/identity-related housing concerns was torn down. |
12/1/2018 | On campus, senior apartments lobby | Ethnicity, Race/Color | A large group of students walked into the senior apartments while chanting random Spanish words and racial slurs, including “ching chong chang.” |
Spring 2018 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
5/17/2018 | Off Campus (Feminist Alliance Facebook Page) | Gender, Gender Identity/Expression, Sexual Orientation | In response to a public post about a movie screening series, someone (who may not be affiliated with the College) commented, “Do you really think it’s a good idea for you Dykes to sit around eating popcorn for hours on end?” |
5/12/2018 | On Campus | National Origin, Other: Glorifying Colombian Drug Lord | A student at the Roberts Road Spring Concert was wearing a shirt with “Escobar” and the number 49 on the back and “El Cartel” on the front. |
5/5/2018 | On Campus | Ethnicity | People were wearing sombreros in a way that was interpreted as cultural appropriation. |
5/4/2018 | The Alfond Apartments | Gender Identity/Expression, Sexual Orientation | “Cocksucker” and “fag” were used repeatedly to demean an opponent in a game of beer pong. |
5/2/2018 | Goddard-Hodgkins Common Room | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | A Black Lives Matter poster was vandalized and replaced with the phrase “All Lives Matter”. |
4/6/2018 | Diamond Classroom | National Origin | A faculty member was interpreted as making a generalization about an ethnic identity. |
2/18/2018 | Johnson Pond | Ethnicity, Religion/Creed | A large Swastika was drawn with footprints on Johnson Pond. |
Fall 2017 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
11/19/2017 | Miller Street | Ethnicity, National Origin, Race/Color | Two students were seen surreptitiously photographing a group of international students spending time together in the Miller Street. |
11/6/2017 | On Campus | Disability, Other: Politics | An Outside Colby article was interpreted as promoting ideas that foster an environment of political hostility, patronize people with differing political opinions, and promote ableism. |
10/21/2017 | Roberts | Gender Identity/Expression, Sexual Orientation | In the third-floor gender neutral bathroom, people were overheard mocking the utility of gender neutral bathrooms and making explicit jokes and slurs about queer individuals, including using the term “faggot.” |
10/12/2017 | On Campus | Other: Socioeconomic Class | An article in the Colby Echo was perceived as promoting anti-Waterville bias by unfavorably comparing downtown Waterville to Colby’s campus. |
10/7/2017 | Heights | Gender, Gender Identity/Expression, Sexual Orientation | Students in a residence hall room were overheard saying, “yeah, I probably should have raped her.” |
10/6/2017 | Heights | Race/Color | A BIPR report regarding costumes was interpreted as employing and reinforcing racial stereotypes in its interpretation of others’ behavior. |
10/6/2017 | Heights | Race/Color | Members of an athletic team were seen wearing orange jumpsuits with “the juice is loose” written on them (referencing OJ Simpson’s release from prison). These students also had teardrop tattoos on their faces. |
10/3/2017 | Spa Info Desk | Ethnicity, National Origin, Other: Non-English Language use | A Spa info desk worker refused a request to play Latinx music during Latinx heritage month. |
10/1/2017 | On Campus | Race/Color | An entry in the BIPR incident log was perceived as invalidating an incident that was reported to BIPR. |
10/1/2017 | On Campus | Gender, Race/Color | A male student of color believes that, because of his identities, he was perceived as a threat by another student. |
Spring 2017 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
04/30/17 | On Campus Outside of AMS | Gender, Gender Identity/Expression Sexual Orientation | Students inside a residence hall room were heard yelling the following out their window (which was covered): “Long-haired, girly-ass faggot.” |
04/24/17 | On Campus Academic Building | Religion/Creed | An anti-Semitic slur was written on the door of an academic office. |
03/27/17 | On Campus Apartment Patio | Disability/Ethnicity/Race/Color Religion | Students were seen making an arm gesture identified as a Hitler Salute. |
02/15/17 | On Campus | National Origin/Race/Color | A Facebook event description contained racial and geographic stereotypes. |
Fall 2016 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
11/14/16 | The SPA | Ethnicity/National Origin | Someone witnessed one student saying to another student (who was studying Spanish), “Spanish is stupid, Donald Trump is going to kick out all the Mexicans anyways. Just look at your professor straight dead in their eye and tell them I don’t need to learn this.” |
11/12/16 | On Campus | Ethnicity/Gender/Race/Color | A Story Time presentation contained generalizations about ethnicity, gender, and race/color that were offensive to the reporting party. |
10/30/2016 | Parking lot between PPD and Hockey Rink | Ethnicity | A student was harassed because of their ethnicity. |
10/28/16 | Dana Dining Hall | Ethnicity | A female student identified by the reporting party as white was dressed as a Native American. |
10/27/16 | On Campus | Religion/Creed | Bloody tissues left outside of office, with possible Anti-Semitic connotation. |
10/21/16 | Ground floor of Mary Low Residence Hall | Gender Identity/Expression Sexual Orientation | The gender non-binary/gender neutral signs on two single-occupancy restrooms were defaced. Red tape saying “Men” was put over one sign, and red tape saying “Women” was put over the other sign. |
10/20/16 | The Pub | Gender/National Origin/Race/Color | Workers at the Pub engaged in biased treatment of students. |
9/18/16 | Dana Dining Hall | Ethnicity/National Origin/Race/Color | A student was overheard jokingly saying, “Your ancestors already took all our land, what else?” |
9/16 | Dana Lawn | Ethnicity Gender Identity/Expression National Origin Race/Color Religion/Creed | Someone witnessed students with “smeared mud on their faces and dressed in ragged clothing” pounding on drums in a way that was interpreted as “mimicking the culture and rituals of indigenous populations.” |
Spring 2016 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
4/19/16 | Lovejoy | Gender/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation | A person reported that another student informed them that “I am not a rapist, but if I was I wouldn’t want to rape you, there are plenty of other girls for that..” |
4/2/16 | Bobs Dorm | Anti-Semitism | A person reported that two members of the basketball team dressed up as Hasidic Jews to celebrate their ninth Annual Mustachio Basho. |
3/6/16 | Off-campus | Gender/Race/Ethnicity | A person reported that they were assaulted on a bus while being transported from an off-campus party. |
2/22/16 | Miller Library | Race/Ethnicity/Veteran Status | A person reported that they were told “don’t colonize 020”; And there is also a yik yak towards “Asian Internationals” about “colonize 020” in offensive words. |
2/21/16 | Pugh Center | Ability | A student used the phrase “on the other hand”. |
Jan Plan | Location |
Characteristic Targeted |
Incident Description |
1/22/16 | Alfond | Gender Expression/Sexual Orientation | A person reported that they were watching a basketball game where Colby students were yelling “fag” at players on the opposing team. |
1/14/16 | Foss Dining Hall | Race/Color/Ethnicity/Religion/Creed | A person reported that two students were in conversation when they heard, person 1 say “What does ashy mean?” and person 2 “You need to hang around more black people!” |
FALL 2015 |
Location |
Characteristic Targeted |
Incident Description |
12/16/15 | Alfond Gym | Gender/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation | A person reported that a student in response to the ref making a call that a certain student did not like at the men’s basketball game, he screamed out in reply “What the hell is this? A women’s basketball game?” He continued to make multiple comments about women’s basketball and the WNBA. |
12/18/15 | Dana Dining Hall | Ethnicity | A person reported that they accidentally brought my wrong copy of Colby card that was marked lost, therefore, I couldn’t get into Dana. The student asked the person at the desk if it’s possible to get in since clearly the Colby card proved my identity. It was reported that the individual told the student that “I know it’s easy for you to get a guest swipe because look around there are so many Asians in the dining hall. They have no families and no friends, so they don’t use their guests swipes. I know that you know all of them. You know how I know that? Because you are Asian.” |
12/11/15 | Alfond Apartments | Sexual Orientation | A person reported that they were kissing a person of the same gender, when they were yelled at and pointed at by other people at the party. |
12/9/15 | Dana Beach | Ethnicity/National Origin | A person reported that while walking home, a group of students were pretending to have a luau, dressed in luau skirts and coconut bikinis screaming “for the fiftieth state.” |
12/6/15 | Lorimer Chapel | Religious Expression/Creed | A person reported that the Catholic Chaplain’s office on the ground floor of Lorimer Chapel was defaced and [pro-life] flyers were taken. |
12/5/15 | Between Hillside and the apartments | Sexual Orientation | A person reported that three male students were in a group, when two of the students were shouting a homophobic slur at one of the males within the group. |
12/5/15 | Gym | Gender/Sexual Orientation | A person reported that during the Colby v. Bowdoin men’s basketball game, a person screamed statements about women and the WNBA to degrade the referee. |
11/30/2015 | Lovejoy | Sexual Orientation | A person reported that a group of men made homophobic comments about a peer prior to class. |
11/14/15 | Alfond Apartment Patio | Gender identity/sexual orientation |
Two students were on the patio when another student approached and, while giving them his middle finger, told the two students that “there are no lesbians allowed at my party”. |
11/6/15 | Dana, third floor hallway | Religion |
Student reported that she was told by another student that a swastika was drawn on the bulletin board. The student reporting indicated that it was then turned into a drawing of four squares by the time she saw it. |
11/5/15 | Alfond apt. first floor | Race/national origin |
At a Halloween party, a student reported seeing three students wearing a sombrero, poncho, and mustache as costumes. |
10/20/15 | Heights | Race | *Two students, while attending a party reported that a student looked at them and said “hey, I don’t want to see any of that around here”. The students reported that they are a bi-racial couple. |
10/06/15 | On-campus/Runnals | Race/Ethnicity/Religion | A white board in Runnals listing club theater performances and club presidents was defaced. Next to a name on the list was written “Nazi Cellist”. |
10/03/15 | On-campus/Senior Apartments | Gender Identity | *A student reported that she was verbally harassed and intimidated by a male student while in the entry way of the apartments. |
09/26/15 | On-campus/Blue Light Pub | Race/Ethnicity/Natural Origin/Native Language | A student was asked by another student if he spoke Spanish. The student reported that the other student was persistent in telling the student he wanted to speak Spanish with him even though the student repeatedly indicated he did not want to engage with him using his native language. |
Spring 2015 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
05/16/15 | On-campus/ Spa | Race/ethnicity/ natural origin |
* A student watching tv in the spa made racist comments about current events in Baltimore and with regard to his roommate. |
05/03/15 | On- campus/Colby Dancers Performance | Gender Identity national origin/ Race |
A student reported that racist statements made during the performance by the hosts of the show. |
04/14/15 | On- campus/ social media | Race/ethnicity/ natural origin |
A series of anonymous racist comments were posted to YikYak in response to a civil, organized protest aimed at raising awareness about issues of race in America. |
04/14/15 | On- campus/ social media | Race/ethnicity/ natural origin |
A series of anonymous racist comments were posted to YikYak in response to a civil, organized protest aimed at raising awareness about issues of race in America. |
04/14/15 | On- campus/ social media | Race/ethnicity/ natural origin |
A series of anonymous racist comments were posted to YikYak in response to a civil, organized protest aimed at raising awareness about issues of race in America. |
Fall 2014 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
11/10/14 | Heights Residence Hall | Sexual Orientation | A student reported multiple incidents of homophobia, harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence. These reported incidents were directed at students living in the Heights residence hall. |
SPRING 2014 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
05/10/14 | Colby Facebook Confessions | Sexual Orientation | Student reported that occupants of a car yelled “faggot” as the car passed. |
05/09/14 | Dana Residence Hall | Race/Ethnicity | Student reported that another student living in Dana has been making offensive slurs. |
02/24/14 | Colby Facebook Confessions | Race | An anonymous post on the Colby Confessions Facebook page made a claim that a Colby student organization is racist based on its name and mission. |
JAN PLAN 2014 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
01/20/14 | Alfond Fitness | Sexual Orientation | A group of three students harassed another student during his workout. One of the three students called him a ‘fag’ and pulled off his headphones. |
FALL 2013 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
11/19/13 | Dana 3rd floor: Posts on Colby Confessions Facebook | Religion | Dana third floor bulletin board was defaced with the message ‘I hate the papists, they worship a man in a pointy hat.” Similar anonymous posts were made on the Facebook Confessions page. |
11/19/13 | Heights Foyer | Sexual Orientation | Student was repeatedly yelled at and called a “fag” by another student |
10/30/13 | Pulver Pavilion SPA | National Origin/Ethnicity | A group of students having a conversation in their native language reported that a person confronted the group and chastised them for not speaking English in a public place and in an “English speaking” country. |
09/25/13 | Miller Library Steps | Religion | Visitor to campus was heard shouting messages of religious intolerance from the library steps. |
SPRING 2013 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
03/11/13 | On-line | Homophobic | Homophobic slur written as a response to a SGA survey. |
03/10/13 | Foss, Third Floor | Gender | Slur written on a white board. |
02/17/13 | Miller Library quad on Pulver side | Homophobic | Homophobic slur shouted by two male individuals at a student walking by. |
JAN PLAN 2013 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
01/12/13 | Bridge Club Rm Pugh Center | Racial | The Bridge clubroom pride flag was defaced with a racial slur. |
FALL 2012 | Location | Characteristic Targeted | Incident Description |
11/16/12 | Heights Roundabout | Homophobic | Homophobic slur shouted by a group of students at a student walking by. |
11/02/12 | East Quad Lounge | Ethnic | Swastika carved into a pumpkin. *Report canceled, not a swastika. |
11/01/12 | Off-Campus | Racial | Student dressed in a black-face for Halloween. |
10/22/12 | White board, Door in Foss | Racial | Slur written on a sign-up sheet. |
09/24/12 | Bulletin Board, Bixler | Homophobic | Slur written on a sign-up sheet. |
09/14/12 | Pugh Center, 1st floor, Common Space | Homophobic | Discrimination by a student organization |
Prevention and Education

- Define bias and hate behavior within our community standards
- Characterize ways these behaviors manifest themselves in our community
- Communicate ways these behaviors impact our community
- Explore strategies for reduction and eradication of bias and hate behavior

- Teaching Tolerance – http://www.tolerance.org
- The Civility Project at Mason – http://civilityproject.onmason.com/
- University of Illinois Office for Student Conflict and Resolution –http://www.conflictresolution.illinois.edu/tolerance/about.asp
- Anti-Defamation League – http://www.adl.org/imagine/#.VOx3vcewHro
- Campus Pride – http://www.campuspride.org
- Williams College- http://www.speakup.williams.edu/