UVM encourages students, faculty, and staff to share their experience when they have been impacted by bias by providing space to be heard and to receive supportive resources tailored to the situation. In addition to offering individualized support measures to address the impact of bias, reports are reviewed collectively to inform campus climate programming. The expression and discussion of controversial and differing views is encouraged as part of the educational experience. At times, those expressions may include hurtful or offensive language.  UVM will not stifle or discipline these expressions; they may be used as an opportunity for broader campus discussion and community growth.

To be connected to information and support: 

Report an incident

When a report is submitted, the Office of Equal Opportunity (EO) will take the following steps:

  1. Review the report and determine whether Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct or other university policy is implicated;
  2. Conduct initial outreach to the individual who submitted the report to seek additional information and/or make them aware of their options, including process referrals for potential policy or legal violations when appropriate; and
  3. In partnership with other campus offices, offer supportive measures to individuals impacted by a reported bias incident or incident of discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct.  

Anonymous or incomplete reports may have a limited response and those reporting incidents are encouraged to share as much information as possible, and to contact EO with questions.

 

Bias can take many forms:

Bias Incident

Verbal or nonverbal conduct that communicates hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons and is based on their membership in a category protected by UVM’s Equal Opportunity policies but does not rise to the level of a university policy violation. Bias incidents may be intentional or unintentional. However, regardless of intention, expressions of this kind can have harmful impacts on individuals and on the broader living and learning community. When this occurs, UVM seeks to offer support for members of our community in the spirit of Our Common Ground.

Discrimination

Adverse treatment based on an individual’s membership in a category protected by UVM’s Equal Opportunity policies that is sufficiently serious to unreasonably interfere with or limit an individual’s opportunity to participate in or benefit from a university program or activity, or that otherwise adversely affects a term or condition of the individual’s employment or education.  Discrimination is prohibited by UVM policy and several options for resolution, including through disciplinary action, are available through AAEO. A full definition is available in the university’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Harassment

A form of discrimination (defined above) that encompasses an incident(s) of verbal, written, visual, or physical communications and/or conduct based on or motivated by an individual’s membership in a legally protected category that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, persistent and/or patently offensive that it has the effect of unreasonably interfering with that individual’s work or academic performance, or that creates a hostile working, educational or living environment. Harassment may include the use of epithets, stereotypes, slurs, comments, insults, derogatory remarks, gestures, threats, graffiti, display or circulation of written or visual material, taunts, and negative references related to any of these protected categories. Harassment is prohibited by UVM policy and several options for resolution, including disciplinary action, are available through EO. Quid pro quo ("this for that") is a form of harassment where an employee or student's submission to or rejection of unwelcome treatment based on a protected category is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of their employment, academic standing, or participation in any University programs or activities, or is used as the basis for university decisions affecting the individual. A full definition is available in the university’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Report a Bias Incident

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We encourage any person who has experienced or witnessed a bias incident to report it and seek the necessary resources. Thank you for taking the time to report this incident to ensure we are creating a more inclusive community for everyone.

 

Affiliated Offices