Reporting a Bias Incident

We are committed to making Lewis & Clark Law School a safe and supportive learning environment for our students, faculty, and staff. Part of this commitment is ensuring that students understand the process for reporting incidents of bias or harassment, as well as the resources that are available to support them after a bias-related incident.

Specific conduct is directly prohibited by our Harassment and Hate- or Bias-Motivated Conduct Policy. However, support is always available to any student who feels impacted by an interaction with another student, staff, or faculty member, regardless of whether the conduct in question violates the policy. Supportive resources can also be made available to students who do not wish to report a specific incident, but nonetheless feel that they are not experiencing a safe and supportive learning environment for any reason.

Note: Bias incidents, as well as harassment and hate-motivated conduct, are distinct from conduct that falls under our Sexual Misconduct Policy , such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking. Different procedures and reporting requirements apply to this type of conduct - students can learn more and access supportive resources by reviewing our sexual misconduct page or reaching out to Associate Dean of Student Affairs & Deputy Title IX Coordinator Libby Davis .

Below is a general overview of how a student can report a bias-incident, harassment, hate-motivated conduct, or any other bias-related interaction that has impacted them, as well as next steps for support. While this is a broad overview intended to help you understand your options, each situation may vary somewhat depending on the circumstances. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Associate Dean of Student Affairs Libby Davis, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Academic Resources Lexie Zirschky, or the Office of Equity & Inclusion.

Who do I report to? 

You can report a bias incident to and seek support from a confidential resource, a non-confidential resource, or both.

Confidential resources, both on and off-campus, generally will not tell anyone else about the incident or conduct unless you ask them to. They can help you to troubleshoot a situation, explore your options, and consider your next steps. On campus, that includes:

Ombuds Office

Student Counseling Center

Office of Spiritual Life

Each of these offices is available, free of charge, to meet with you. We also encourage students to reach out to our off-campus partners at the Oregon Attorney Assistance Program. Their staff are trained counselors and attorneys and are available 24/7, free of charge, to provide support.

Non-confidential resources, in many circumstances, are still able to keep a bias-related situation private if you ask them to and allow you to decide what the next steps should be. However, in some situations, they may need to independently take further action if the circumstances suggest that other students, staff, faculty, or the general learning environment may be impacted. In almost all circumstances, all non-confidential resources will limit information-sharing to as few people as necessary to address the situation.

You can report a bias incident or related conduct through any of the following:

Human Resources (Incidents involving Faculty or Staff)

Associate Dean of Student Affairs

Office of Equity & Inclusion

Director of Equity, Inclusion & Academic Resources

Report a Bias Incident Form

What Happens Next?

The first step after a report of a bias incident or similar conduct is typically to explore how we can support the impacted student(s). This might include:

• Exploring changes to class schedules, course planning, or other adjustments designed to minimize the impact of the incident on the student(s);
• Connecting the student(s) with counseling resources, on or off-campus;
• Connecting the student(s) with culturally-appropriate and/or spiritually-appropriate resources;
• Connecting the student(s) with peer resources;
• Meeting with the student(s) on an ongoing basis to provide support and assess whether the student(s) would benefit from additional resources.

There may also be further investigation of the incident, depending on the circumstances. This might include meeting with the involved parties, meeting with Human Resources (if faculty/staff are involved), meeting with the Bias Incident Assessment and Response Team (BART), and reviewing evidence. The privacy of the involved parties is always a priority in any investigation. 

Lastly, if the circumstances warrant it, we may take broader responsive steps to ensure that we continue to provide the safest and most supportive environment possible. This may include:

• Providing additional training opportunities;
• Partnership efforts with the Office of Equity & Inclusion, student organizations, and outside organizations;
• Responsive programming, through our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee or other offices.

Questions & Support

We understand that reporting any incident of bias-related conduct can be stressful for a student. We are happy to speak with you about the process generally, as well as any specific situation that impacts you. For more information, please contact Associate Dean of Student Affairs Libby Davis, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Academic Resources Lexie Zirschky, or the Office of Equity and Inclusion.