Research
The University of Richmond’s holistic bias reporting and response processes are reflective of the best guidance provided by recent scholarship, including the following features recommended by Dr. Ryan Miller and other scholars:
- Intentional alignment with institutional values as well as a guiding philosophy to focus efforts (e.g., restorative practices)
- Clear reporting procedures and possible outcomes along with communication and transparency about those procedures
- Systematic data collection and centralized data sharing
- Support and engagement for both reporting and responding parties
- Campus engagement, including support from leaders, strong relationships among campus partners, and trust built with campus constituencies
- A tight fit with the wider campus DEI strategy, manifesting in educational efforts, programming, and cultural change efforts
- Mechanisms for addressing long-term cultural and structural change
The list presented here is a synthesis of guidance offered by Dr. Miller in discussion with the bias incident response review team at University of Richmond on May 9, 2023, and from the following published sources:
Garces, L. M., Johnson, B. D., Ambriz, E., & Bradley, D. (2021). Repressive legalism: How postsecondary administrators’ responses to on-campus hate speech undermine a focus on inclusion. American Educational Research Journal, 58(5), 1032-1069.
Miller, R. A., Guida, T., Smith, S., Ferguson, S. K., & Medina, E. (2018). A balancing act: Whose interests do bias response teams serve? The Review of Higher Education, 42(1), 313-337.
Miller, R.A. (2022). Bias Response Teams and Emerging Alternatives: Navigating Free Speech, Equity, and Inclusion in Higher Education. National Center for Free Speech and Education.