Hate/Bias

• UWM defines a hate- or bias-motivated incident as any type of disruptive conduct–oral, written, graphic, or physical–that is directed against an individual, or group of individuals, because of their actual or perceived protected characteristics. 
• This includes conduct that is directed towards someone because of their sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, gender identity or expression, ancestry, religion, age, disability status, or any other protected status as defined in UWM’s Discriminatory Conduct Policy (PDF). 

Examples of conduct that can be reported include, but are not limited to:  

• Physical intimidation, or assault;  
• Verbal or written slurs or epithets;  
• Degrading language;  
• Graffiti or vandalism;  
• And microaggressions. 

If you are in doubt, please submit a report and we will ensure that the report is directed to the appropriate office for review.

• Yes. Anonymous reports can be submitted, but UWM may be limited in its ability to investigate or respond to the incident if identifying information is not provided in the report. Therefore, anyone reporting a hate/bias incident is encouraged to provide a phone number and/or an e-mail address so that you can be contacted about the report. 

• If you submit a hate/bias report, UWM will make every effort to respect your privacy. However, in certain situations involving physical safety or potential criminal behavior, we may not be able to guarantee complete anonymity. In every case, reports will be handled with discretion and care, and information about individuals or situations will only be shared with those who have a legitimate need to know the information (e.g., UWMPD if there is a safety concern for the campus community). 

• After reviewing the report, a member of the EOCR (Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights) staff will contact the reporter to gather any additional information about the incident and to discuss its impact on the reporter. EOCR staff will also provide options for addressing the concerns, and share information about campus and community support services. 
• When appropriate, EOCR staff will provide information about the formal discrimination complaint investigation process. More information about that process can be found here. 

• With the agreement of the reporting person, EOCR (Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights) can refer hate/bias incident reports to UWM’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), a group composed of representatives from different campus offices, including the Dean of Students Office, Student Health and Wellness Center, the Centers for Advocacy and Student Engagement, and the Multicultural Student Centers. 
• The RRT provides care and support in response to incidents of hate and bias, but it does not conduct formal investigations into these reports.  

• Hate or bias incidents do not necessarily violate the law or university policy. As a public university, UWM is bound by the First Amendment and will not sanction or punish a member of the university community for exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression. 
• The term “hate speech” is used to describe hateful comments that demean a person or group of people based on their personal characteristics such as race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation. More information on “hate speech” is available here. 
• In situations where speech is protected by the First Amendment and is not subject to sanction, UWM is committed to providing care and support to those impacted by hateful and offensive speech and expression through the hate/bias reporting process.