A bias incident is an act of bigotry, harassment, or intimidation that is motivated in whole or in part by bias based on an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Bias often stems from fear, misunderstanding, hatred, and stereotypes and may be intentional or unintentional.

FDLTCC has policies, procedures and protocols in place to respond to different kinds of incidents, enabling it to attend to the health and safety of members of the campus community, manage individual complaints or grievances, and adjudicate possible violations of college policies or local, state or federal laws. Examples of such policies, procedures, and protocols include but are not limited to:

Minnesota State policy 1B.1, 1B.3, 1C, the Student Conduct Code, employment agreements, faculty contracts, as well as local, state or federal civil rights laws and regulations.

This communication is a resource to guide affected individuals into these established policies, procedures, and protocols and to take a timely and comprehensive approach to addressing bias incidents, and to aid in communication with the extended community about incident-related concerns.

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College is committed to protecting the free expression and academic freedom rights of all [college/university] community members. The Bias Incident Advisory team does not have a role in determining whether campus policy has been violated and/or imposing disciplinary action.

Peter Angelos, Executive Information Officer

• peter.angelos@fdltcc.edu
• 218-879-0839

Damien Paulson, Interim Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management

• dpaulson@fdltcc.edu
• 218-879-0805

Jesse Stirewalt, Director of Housing and Student Activities

• jstirewalt@fdltcc.edu
• 218-590-3345

Andrew Wold, Biology Faculty

• awold@fdltcc.edu
• 218-879-0714

Taylor Warnes, Director of Marketing and Communications

• taylor.warnes@fdltcc.edu
• 218-879-0820

Nancy Olsen, Disability Coordinator

• nancy.olsen@fdltcc.edu
• 218-879-0864

LeAnn Ulvi, HR Specialist

• leann.ulvi@fdltcc.edu
• 218-879-0866

Representative from Student Senate

Representative from Anishinaabe Student Council

Anyone who has experienced or witnessed a hate or bias incident on campus, in class, or at a campus function, is encouraged to report this incident. We will provide support and resources for anyone harmed by this type of incident.

Report a bias incident with the online reporting form, or you can contact a member of the Bias Incident Response Team.

Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. The college will strive to protect, to the greatest extent possible, the confidentiality of the persons reporting and of those involved in the reported incident. The college may have an obligation to address certain reported incidents, including conducting an investigation and, when warranted, taking corrective action.

These reports may be used by college administrators responsible for reporting data and statistics to Minnesota State system administrators, State of Minnesota officials, and federal agencies. The reported information may also be released in accordance to local, state, or federal laws or with your consent.

Students, faculty, staff, administrators, visitors, community members, vendors, and contractors, and/or any other member of the campus community who experience or become aware of a possible bias incident may report the incident to any member of the Bias Incident Advisory Team.

The Bias Incident Advisory Team may respond to reported incidents in ways that include:

• Identifying the needs of the affected individuals, as well as those of the larger learning
• Referring affected individuals to other appropriate campus offices such as the 1B1 officer, the Title IX officer, student conduct, counseling, campus security, [detail any other offices as appropriate to the campus],
• Providing support, resources, and consultation to those harmed by the
• Considering whether the incident has potential free speech or academic freedom implications.
• Referring the matter to law enforcement if circumstances
• Updating the campus community as
• Organizing and holding open forums for affected individuals as well as the larger community to gather suggestions, to reaffirm campus values and standards and to educate.
• Recommending incident related topic program areas for additional trainings for students, staff and

All efforts should be made to identify and provide opportunities for the community that will enhance and encourage inter-group dialogue that focuses on relevant issues of bias and discrimination, and effective strategies for enhancing individual and community safety and well-being and reinforcing community values.

Bias Incident Reporting Form

What is a bias incident?
For the purposes of the Bias Incident Response Team, a bias incident is an act or pattern of bigotry, harassment, or intimidation that is motivated in whole or in part by bias based on an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or familial status. Something does not necessarily need to rise to the level of a hate crime or a policy violation to constitute a bias incident.

Can I submit a report anonymously?
Yes. In order to increase the likelihood that students, staff and faculty will submit reports, we created an online report form that can be submitted anonymously. You may also choose to provide non-identifying contact information, such as a personal email account, if you would like information regarding the status of your report. We want to obtain as complete a picture as possible regarding the experiences of our students, staff and faculty, and this tool is a mechanism for accomplishing that goal. We cannot respond to anonymous reporters to provide feedback or information, but we welcome the contribution to our collective knowledge.

Who can I talk to if I’m unsure about making a report?
We want individuals to have information to assist them in making the determination as to whether or not they want to make a Bias Incident Report and what options may exist through other reporting opportunities available, such as disciplinary investigations. To talk with someone who can provide you more information, please contact any member of the Bias Incident Response Team.

What happens after I submit a report?
The Chair of the Bias Incident Response Team and the Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management will receive a copy of the report. The report will then be discussed at team meetings to determine next steps. The information will be maintained in our database, providing us with an overall picture of the kinds of things our students, staff and faculty are experiencing. If the reporting individual wants to discuss the matter further and provides contact information, we will reach out to that individual. The team will determine what kind of follow up activity may be called for, such as asking Maintenance to remove graffiti, reaching out to an affected community to provide support or providing feedback to a department or individual.

What are the possible outcomes following a report?
Depending on the nature of the reported incident, the Bias Incident Response Team may:

• Offer support and information regarding available resources.
• Offer options on how to report an incident for investigation and resolution in accordance with applicable University policy and principles of free expression.
• Inform and consult colleagues regarding a possible institutional response.
• Coordinate support for community healing and educational outreach.
• Assess avenues for minimizing or eliminating future incidents of bias.
• Catalogue incidents.

Individuals who submit a report and identify themselves may be contacted for more detail. Anonymous reports also may be submitted. The team will compile and analyze data from submitted reports to inform future educational and prevention efforts.

Institutional responses may include:

• Removal of graffiti or flyers.
• Individual outreach to an affected party.
• Connecting affected parties to relevant resources.
• Educational workshops or seminars.
• Notice to the community about the incident.
• Offer of support and assistance to affected individuals/communities (typically in the form of counseling).

Will my report result in an investigation of the matter?
It is important to note that the Bias Incident Response Team is neither an investigative nor an oversight body. In the vast majority of cases, it will be entirely up to the person making the report to decide if they want to have a formal investigation initiated. If you submit a report and provide contact information, the team can let you know your options for having the matter investigated and provide information about relevant resources. In rare instances, we may be compelled by law to report a matter to appropriate investigative body (Student Conduct, Human Resources, and Public Safety). This would be most likely if the safety of a minor appears to be at risk or a direct threat of violence has occurred.

What is the purpose of reporting bias incidents?
The Bias Incident Report and Response Team were designed to promote an inclusive community at FDLTCC by providing a central, streamlined approach for reporting incidents of bias and/or discrimination involving students.

The Bias Report and Response Team have three primary goals:

• Support students who have witnessed or been the target of bias-related incidents.
• Refer to resources that can provide ongoing support.
• Inform the FDLTCC community about the frequency and nature of bias incidents that are reported.