Bias Education and Support Team

Beginning in Fall 2022, the College launched a new Bias Education and Support Team (BEST) to support the College’s commitment to a culture of greater inclusivity and belonging. At Oxy, a bias incident is defined as a behavior, whether intentional or unintentional, that constitutes hostility against a person or group because of their real or perceived identity. Oxy recognizes that such incidents can have tremendous impact on our community and can cause significant harm, even where they involve protected free speech or otherwise do not qualify as violations of College policy. BEST seeks to address this harm by providing support to impacted students, educational opportunities for faculty, staff, and students, and transparent information about the nature and frequency of bias events reported on campus.

Housed in the Division of Student Affairs, BEST aims to provide students who have witnessed and/or experienced a bias incident an opportunity to be heard and supported. BEST is an educational, non-punitive approach to addressing these issues. BEST does not have authority to impose discipline on any student and cannot compel students to speak with BEST or participate in any supportive or educational measures. BEST is designed to inform the community about bias incidents and respond to interpersonal interactions, relational dynamics, and/or on-campus incidents that are more difficult to define than harassment or discrimination, but still may have a significant impact based on identity characteristics including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual identity, socioeconomic class, educational level, religion/spirituality, national origin, ableness/disability, ethnicity, culture, size, English literacy, immigration status, and skin color, among others.  A few illustrative examples of bias incidents may include targeted graffiti, or transphobic jokes or racial epithets that may not be directed towards a specific individual. Bias incidents may or may not be intended to cause harm.

BEST will provide educational opportunities for faculty, staff and students regarding identity, intersectionality, microaggressions (including microinsults, microassaults and microinvalidations), while at the same time ensuring that the impact of bias incidents is addressed with intentionality and care.  After receiving a report, BEST seeks to respond in a timely manner and address the resulting harm to the fullest extent possible through appropriate resources, restorative practices, and community care. Data collected from bias reports will be used to develop and inform educational programs and services designed to interrupt problematic behaviors that can undermine a student’s sense of belonging at the College. 

BEST Membership:

• Isaiah Thomas (co-chair), Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Education, Housing Services, and Student Conduct
• Vanessa Gonzalez-Wright (co-chair), Director of the Intercultural Community Center
• Caro Brighouse, Associate Dean of Student Academic Affairs
• Joaquin Caro, Prevention Education Coordinator, Project SAFE
• Josè Cisneros, JEID Education Specialist
• Kim Lundy, Assistant Director of Campus Safety
• Shanda Ness, Director of Athletics
• Tahn Bae Park, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Restorative Practices
   

Report a Potential Bias Concern

Please complete the BEST Incident Report Form if you have witnessed or experienced a potential Bias related incident.  

Please note that BEST is not part of the College’s disciplinary systems and participation is not mandatory by any member of the campus community. Violations of College policy are handled separately as described below.

Reporting Civil Rights & Title IX Concerns

If you have witnessed or experienced a potential violation of the College’s Sexual and Interpersonal Misconduct Policy and/or the Discrimination, Harassment, & Retaliation Policy, please report it to the Civil Rights & Title IX Office. For more information on these policies, including how to report potential violations, please visit the Civil Rights & Title IX website or contact Alexandra Fulcher, Oxy’s Civil Rights & Title IX Coordinator.

Reporting Student Conduct Concerns

To report a violation of the Code of Student Conduct, please contact the Office of Student Conduct or contact Martha “M.D.” Matlock, Associate Director of Conduct & Restorative Practices.