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Bias Incident Reporting

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Azusa Pacific is committed to fostering a welcoming and safe environment for all members of the university community, and encourages all members of the university community who have witnessed or experienced a bias incident to report it.

This reporting tool is for non-emergency incidents only. For emergencies, including safety concerns for members of our community:

Online Bias Incident Report Form

What is a Bias Incident?

A bias incident is any intentional or unintentional act or behavior directed toward an individual or group based on any facet of the individual’s or group’s identities. Bias incidents may take the form of, but are not limited to:

  • Racist slurs
  • Derogatory comments
  • Offensive terminology
  • Cultural appropriations (taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture: e.g., costumes)
  • Microaggressions (subtle, nonverbal, layered insults/assaults based on race, gender, class, sexuality, language, immigration status, phenotype, accent, or surname, often carried out automatically or unconsciously)

Bias Incident Reporting Process

This reporting system is for all Azusa Pacific University employees and students, and Azusa Pacific takes seriously the reports made through this system. Please make your report as accurate and truthful as possible, and remember that all information contained within this report may become part of APU’s administrative record keeping and may be available to the students to which it pertains under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Be professional, accurate, and factual. Recitations of observations and facts are more useful than characterizations or labels. We encourage community members to resolve conflicts directly, when possible.

The university is committed to evaluating your report thoroughly, fairly, and promptly, but the timing and manner in which the university addresses the report will vary depending on the information provided and whether you wish to remain anonymous. Below are the prescribed steps that will be applied to process your report:

Step 1

Once submitted, your report is electronically routed to the Office of the Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer (VP/CDO) for initial processing.

Step 2

The VP/CDO will assign your report to a designated reviewer, who will contact you within five (5) business days to explain the process, gather any additional information needed, and consider your desired outcome.

Step 3

The reviewer coordinates with all involved people in an attempt to achieve a mutually agreeable resolution as soon as possible. A final review of the outcome will be conducted by the VP/CDO.

Note: If the Bias Incident Report reveals alleged violations of other APU policies, the report may be referred for investigation under those policies. FERPA requirements and other privacy laws may limit the amount of information we can share with you.

Preserving Evidence

It is important to preserve evidence related to the concern. If you experience or witness a diversity-related concern, document it the best you can:

  • If you experience a written slur or discover graffiti, do not erase it until police have seen it. Also, photograph any physical evidence such as bodily injury, damaged property, or a license plate.
  • If the incident is verbal, write down what was said, and get the contact information of any possible witnesses.
  • Act immediately to preserve evidence, as speed and accuracy of response are critical.

Bias Incident Response Team

The Bias Incident Response Team includes members of the university community who are available to support and guide students and other members of the APU community seeking assistance in determining how to manage reported incidents. Team members document incidents and assist with the coordination of support such as counseling, health services, or other referrals as needed to ensure safety and provide assistance and comfort to those impacted. Team members also develop an appropriate plan to initiate communication with the broader community, and make referrals to Student Affairs, Human Resources, Campus Safety, and/or the Office of the General Counsel if the incident appears to violate a university policy or state/federal law.