Bias Incident Support Services
In alignment with the overarching missions and goals of the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Bias Incident Support Services (BISS) is charged with responding, educating and reporting to the campus about hate-bias incidents. The director for BISS oversees bias reporting and response, the coordination of campus support services to individuals affected by hate-bias incidents, and prevention programming and efforts.
Overview
Bias Incident Support Services (BISS) is charged with addressing hate-bias incidents targeting UMD students, faculty and staff. The program responds, educates and reports to the campus community about bias, its impact, as well as protocols related to bias. The program is housed under the Office of Diversity & Inclusion.
Mission
Bias Incident Support Services is committed to holistically addressing hate-bias incidents that target UMD community members by focusing on incident response and support, proactive training and education initiatives, and data collection and distribution.
Response and Support
BISS staff coordinate and facilitate support and response for those impacted by hate-bias incidents. Please contact us via phone (301-405-0980) or email (BiasSupport@umd.edu) to schedule a visit. We accept walk-ins with an at least an hour of advance notice; we're located in 3123 Susquehanna Hall.
Hate-Bias Training
BISS provides training and education focused on preventing and responding to hate-bias incidents, along with expertise and consultation to units across campus on hate- and bias-related matters.
Data Collection and Distribution
BISS staff collects and analyzes data related to hate-bias incidents which allows for the evaluation of trends, the assessment of training needs and strategizing of prevention efforts.