College Policies and Response Procedure for Bias-Motivated Incidents

Delaware Valley College is committed to creating an educational community free from intolerance directed toward individuals or groups and to maintain an environment that foster respect for others. We are strongly committed to addressing incidents of bias and prejudice against members of our community. By taking strong, consistent and clear stands on bias-motivated incidents and acts of intolerance, we aim to help create an environment of inclusion, a respect for diversity and an understanding of different cultures.

A “bias-motivated incident” is any incident which may fall within one or more of the following definitions:

  • Discrimination is conduct of any nature that denies equal privileges or treatment of a particular individual because of the individual’s age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status.
  • Harassment is a form of discrimination consisting of physical or verbal conduct that (1) is directed at an individual because of the individual’s age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, political belief, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status, (2) sufficiently severe or pervasive so as to substantially interfere with the individual’s employment, education or access to DVC programs, activities and opportunities.
  • Harassment may include, but is not limited to verbal or physical attacks, threats, slurs, graffiti or other written word, or derogatory comments that meet the definition set forth above. Whether the alleged conduct constitutes prohibited harassment depends on the totality of the particular circumstances, including the nature, frequency and duration of the conduct in question, the location and context in which it occurs and the status of the individuals involved.
  • An act of intolerance refers to conduct that is in violation of a college policy, rule or regulation and is motivated by discriminatory bias against or hatred toward other individuals or groups based on characteristics such as age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, political belief, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status.

Protocol for Bias-Motivated Incidents

This protocol exists to ensure an efficient, effective and appropriate response to incidents that may be characterized as bias-motivated incidents involving our students. The protocol should be implemented whenever a bias-motivated incident is believed or perceived to have occurred, and is specific to addressing bias-motivated incidents targeting DelVal students. It does not cover faculty or staff. Faculty or staff who have been the targets of bias-motivated incidents should contact the Human Resources Office for assistance.

Procedures for Reporting Bias-Motivated Incidents

If you have been the target of a possible bias-motivated incident, or have witnessed a possible bias-motivated incident, you are urged to report the incident immediately by doing one of the following:

  • Report to the Resident Assistant in their respective Residence Hall
  • Report to their respective Area Coordinator
  • Report to the Security Office (x2315)
  • Report to the Vice President of Student Affairs (x2413) or the Assistant Dean of Student in the Office of Student Affairs (x2476)

The individual or department receiving the incident report must inform, within 24 hours, the Vice President of Student Affairs who will, with the appointed Bias Incident Response Team made up of administrators, faculty, staff and students:

  • Iinvestigate the reported incident and interview all witnesses with results to be included in the final report
  • Support those people who have been targeted
  • Communicate to the College as a whole the reported incident and the committee’s  findings
  • Recommend to the Vice President of Student Affairs on whether the incident warrants being sent to the Student Conduct Board for a judicial hearing. Factors taken in to consideration include but not limited to:
    • severity of incident
    • did physical injury occur
    • is the incident a crimes-code violation or a college violation
    • whether the incident is a possible suspendable or expellable offense

Incident Response Team:

John Brown (Vice President for Student Affairs)
Derek Smith (Director of Residence Life)
Steve Johnson (Director of Safety and Security)
Missy Chubb (Administrative Assistant to Continuing Education)
Janet Klaessig (Librarian)
Tanya Casas (Professor, Liberal Arts)
Imad Benjelloun (Professor, Math)
Jessica Mason (Student, Orientation Leader)
Joann Donigan (Instructor of English)

For current students, more information is available on the campus portal.