
Responding to Incidents of Bias and Hate
This protocol outlines the steps Cheyney will take when an incident of bias or hate arises on our campus.
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Assess
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- Assess threat to safety.
- The Office of Student Health & Wellness with Cheyney Campus & Public Safety conduct threat assessments and reaches out, as required, to local police, Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI to determine whether there are credible threats of imminent harm.
- We also work with Residence Life personnel, executive directors, and others to assess the immediate situation for alleged perpetrator(s) and alleged victim(s).
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Investigate
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- Consider the incident pursuant to the Code of Student Conduct and other policies and laws to determine whether an investigation and referral are warranted. That process is:
- Investigate.
- Once the investigation is complete, consider whether the facts determined by investigation (if true) would rise to the level of a violation.
- If so, refer to the appropriate disciplinary process for fact determination, adjudication, and sanctioning.
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Educate and Restore
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- Engage with offending individual through administrators, department faculty, chairs, Student Affairs, and Office of Student Counseling to assess harm caused, and then work with the individual on restorative justice/restitution solutions.
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Support
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- Support alleged victims and concerned community through clear, direct messaging and communication condemning hate.
- Announce an immediate investigation and plans for an educational response.
- Identify campus resources.
- Provide counseling and other supportive measures.
- Consider programming to counter the incident.
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Communicate
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- Upon learning about an incident, send separate messages tailored to students, employees, alumni, trustees, chancellor, and the wider community.
- Express concerns about reported bias-motivated behavior. Condemn hate.
- Announce an immediate investigation of the matter.
- Share resources for students affected by the incident.
- Send regular updates to various stakeholders.