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LGBTQ+ PRIDE SPECIAL | NEWS Dean of Students announces ‘Bias &

BY KRISTIJAN BARNJAK

@KBarnjak

Education Support Team’

The University of Arizona’s Dean of Students Office announced the creation of the “Bias & Education Support Team” Wednesday, which will monitor and respond to instances of discrimination and bias on campus.

In emails sent out to the UA community, Provost Liesl Folks and Dean of Students Kendal Washington White explained that BEST will “provide appropriate care and support to impacted individuals,” “offer opportunities for all involved parties to engage in optional activities and dialogue that promote education, understanding, and healing” and “track bias reporting trends and utilize data to inform campus leadership of tangible ways to improve the campus climate.”

The email clarified that BEST does not issue disciplinary sanctions or investigate claims of discrimination or bias. The team was created in response to “the need for a centralized place to report and respond to bias incidents was consistently expressed.”

The BEST page, which can be found on the Dean of Students website, explains the role of the team, answers some frequently asked questions and displays a button where students can submit a BEST report. Students should submit a BEST report if they suspect that they encountered an incident of discrimination or bias on campus.

“Based on the information provided in the BEST report,” the webpage stated, “if there is a reasonable basis to suspect that potential discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in violation of the university’s Nondiscrimination and Antiharassment Policy has occurred, the information will be sent to the appropriate UA office.”

BEST is comprised of two subgroups: the core team and the advisory board. The BEST webpage described the core team as “a team of campus professionals with relevant subject matter expertise” who receive specialized training on First Amendment protections, Student Code of Conduct, harassment and discrimination, Title IX and more topics.

The advisory board will be made up of students, faculty and staff who will have the responsibility to “review report data in aggregate form and provide strategic guidance on how to create an inclusive campus and uphold free speech.” Advisory board applications will be released in spring 2021.

A second email from Folks regarding anti-Asian bias and hate crimes followed soon after the announcement of BEST.

The email acknowledged an uptick in acts ranging from “verbal abuse to criminal physical assaults on members of the Asian and Pacific Islander community” that has “emerged nationally and globally during this COVID-19 pandemic.”

Folks also urges victims of anti-Asian bias or hate crimes to file an incident report referral form with the Dean of Students Office and strongly encourages members of the Wildcat community to access the resources available to them.

“Additionally, in cooperation with International Student Services and colleagues in the Cultural and Resource Centers,” Folks said, “Initiatives for Organizational Inclusion has developed a resource and support website for people impacted by or interested in learning more about COVID-19 related anti-Asian harassment. If you haven’t had a chance to do so yet, I encourage you to visit our Asian Pacific American Student Affairs Student Resource Center. Currently, the center is providing student supports and information virtually and continuing efforts to build a warm, supportive Wildcat community for our Asian and Pacific American

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students.”

It is unclear whether the creation of BEST is due in part to the influx in anti-Asian bias and hate crimes. The UA was criticized over the summer by the Coalition of Black Students and Allies for their lack of response to racial bias and hate crime on campus, leading to them releasing a list of demands.

The Daily Wildcat reached out to the Provost office and the Dean of Students but have not received a response yet.