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Bias and Hate Issue Committee Begins Work on Campus

Geoffrey Mock

As part of the university’s implementation of last year’s recommendations on bias and hate issues on campus, a new committee of faculty, students and staff began regular meetings this month. Their task is to strengthen the university’s policies and practices that influence student bias/hate prevention and responses.

Chaired by public policy professor Kate Whetten and Paul James, assistant vice president in the Office of Institutional Equity, the committee held its first meeting Feb. 9.

In addition to the co-chairs, the committee members are:  Marcy Tucker, Jordan Hale, Clay Adams, Seun Bello Olamosu, Christopher Boswell (student), Rashmi Joglekar (student), Riyanka Ganguly (student), Erika Weinthal; Khalouk Shahbander (student); Gavan Fitzsimons; Li-Chen Chin; Quinton Smith; Lewis Hutchison and J. Alan Kendrick.

The committee’s charter calls for it to act on a range of issues, such as reviewing university policies and practices, examining educational and training programs, offering recommendations on university adjudication processes and analyzing data on bias and hate issue trends.

The panel will continue meeting twice a month until May, when it will begin holding monthly meetings. The committee will also be available to meet when the president asks for guidance on specific incidents or issues.

The committee is gearing up to hear from campus entities that have a mission to reduce and eliminate bias and hate (diversity and identity included). The committee will learn about what is occurring across the Duke community, which will allow them to make recommendations that are in sync with institutional conditions while working toward a spirit of understanding, awareness and inclusion.

The new committee will add to the university’s efforts that came out of a May 2016 report on bias and hate issues. Some report recommendations have already been implemented: For one, a clause was added to the student conduct code clarifying that acts motivated by bias and hate will be treated as aggravating factors in determining sanctions.

A steering committee chaired by Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta is overseeing implementation of the report’s recommendations.