Campus Response to Hate

Take a Stand on Your Campus

This Action Kit provides introductory advice to assist students, faculty and administrators with effective ways to respond to and prevent hate crimes and incidents.

1 | Report Hate

Nearly two-thirds of hate crimes go unreported to law enforcement.

How to Report a Hate Incident

207,880

Hate Crimes

occured in the U.S. in 2015.

In the same year only 5,850 hate crimes

were reported by local law enforcement agencies.

Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Crime Victimization Study, 2015

Hate crimes and hate incidents are notoriously underreported. Campus and community leaders may be reluctant to report incidents for public affairs reasons, and those targeted by hate may not be comfortable doing so. However, for hate crimes to be most effectively addressed, an accurate public record is imperative.

Contact campus police or local police, depending on the location of the crime. If you are in need of emergency services call 911 (9911 on many campus telephones). If you are not comfortable going to law enforcement, find a trusted intermediary like a counselor, staff member, or campus organization.
Report the incident. Each campus has designated procedures for reporting hate crimes and incidents of harassment and intolerance posted on the college website. Some campuses provide reporting forms online. If you are unsure how to report an incident to your campus, the Title IX office is a good starting point.
If you are reluctant to go to law enforcement, find a student or campus group that can be an intermediary in reporting the attack. Examples include: Office of Diversity and Inclusion; groups representing those who may be targeted, including Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, or LGBTQ student associations; or disability rights groups on campus.
When reporting, provide all details of the crime or incident you recorded or remember, including: the perpetrator’s(s’) gender, age, height, race, weight, clothes, or other distinguishing characteristics. If any threats or biased comments were made, such as racial slurs or anti-gay epithets, include them in the report, as well as any damage to property.
If you believe the incident was bias-motivated, urge the officer to check off the “hate/bias-motivation” or “hate crime/incident” box on the police report.
In addition to contacting your local law enforcement agency, also contact your local FBI field office and provide the same information. Further information on how to report these crimes can be found on the FBI’s Hate Crime website.

The Problem of Hate on Campus

Addressing Hate: Preventing and Responding to Hate on Campus

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The College of Marin, California, campus community participated in a regional United Against Hate campaign.

Hate doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and for far too many communities, it is not new. While to some, incidents may appear isolated, hate incidents can be a symptom of deeper systematic issues. To create a campus environment where students of diverse backgrounds and identities are safe to learn, it is important that Administrators not just react when an incident occurs, but take proactive steps to identify policies and practices that may perpetuate systemic discrimination and to prevent future hate incidents.

Proactive Steps Campuses Can Take To Prevent Hate on Campus:

Have a dedicated multicultural center that can serve as a sanctuary to all students.
Review student body and faculty diversity to ensure the campus represents a critical mass of traditionally underrepresented communities.
Do not ignore painful campus history. Instead provide opportunities for open discussions and historic context. Involve students in discussions.
Hold regular forums with students to listen to their concerns and work with them to create plans to respond to the issues raised.

Responding to a Hate Incident on Campus:

Ensure the student body is and feels safe.
Hold open forums that center the experiences of individuals directly affected by the incident. (E.g. A discussion of racist graffiti in public space can easily turn to general issues of public safety and vandalism. Do not distract from the incident or use the forum to discuss alternative issues. Focus on the incident at hand.)
Hate incidents can be traumatic for those affected. Listen to their needs. Do not ask or expect individuals directly affected to lead campus forums on the incident.
Offer mental health services that are accessible to all communities.

For more than a decade, college students have created Not On Our Campus campaigns that address safety and inclusion, including issues of racism, anti-Semitism, LGBTQ bias, and hazing. Here you will find videos and stories that document campus efforts + resources to get you started.

Stand up on your campus!

The Not On Our Campus (NOOC) Quick Start Guide provides a step-by-step plan to launch your NOOC Campaign.

Find more college resources to build safe, inclusive campus communities.

To learn how you can get involved, contact the Not On Our Campus team at info@niot.org.

Document a Hate Incident

2 | Leadership

For campus leaders: what to do when hate comes to your campus.

How to be an Ally

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Malissia Clinton, whose home was set on fire in Manhattan Beach, CA in a suspected hate crime, hugs a community member at a peace rally. Photo Beach Reporter

Listen and make sure the people targeted by hate remain at the center of perspective.
Don't make people targeted by hate responsible for leading the conversation. Develop a response that is most useful for them, but don't make them responsible for addressing hate and bias incidents.
Call a campus meeting, including student leaders and officials willing to hear concerns and answer questions.
Hold a vigil: There is power simply in gathering, lighting candles, and singing or standing together in silence.
March: Many campuses have found success in marches, a visible way of showing the power of unity.
Make ribbons or buttons: These quiet reminders can include messages such as “End Racism and Bigotry” or “Stop Hate Together at _____”.
Offer support: For example, when Muslim, Arab, and South Asian students were attacked, some campuses offered safety escorts.
Join forces: Too many factions lead to mixed messages and diluted impact.
Ask your campus officials to find ways to ensure safety.
Pledge unity: Consider using the “Not In Our Town Pledge”; “The Birmingham Pledge”; “An Ally’s Promise”; or some variation on these, to build a sense of community support.

3 Tips + Sample Statements

Statement 1: For President/Campus Administrators

It is important, at this time, for the university community to reaffirm our commitment to our core values, and to work together in unity to defend them. One of those core values is to recognize that diversity is a source of strength for our community. Above all, a university must be a community of learners, where we respect each other, even if we have differing opinions. This is the time we need to reach out and express our love and concern for each other. Every student at this university is valued as a person. There will never be a place at this university for unchallenged expressions of hate and bigotry. As President of this university such inhumane conduct will not be tolerated by me. It should not be tolerated anywhere in America. Cases of hate speech or threats to members of our community should be reported immediately to (insert your police department name) or the office of Equal Opportunity. (Insert University name) is not a perfect place, but we will unite against these injustices whenever and wherever we encounter them. I want to thank all students, faculty and staff for standing up for these values.

*Based on a statement by University of Oklahoma President David Boren

Statement 2: For Student Government/Groups

Early this morning, the Department of Public Safety was notified of a race-related incident targeted towards (insert school and/issues).

It is disheartening and immensely frustrating that we are still dealing with this issue. This is exactly why we need to do more than just have conversations. We must move in a direction towards more tangible solutions to prevent incidents like these from occurring in the future.

I implore all of us to unite in solidarity with those impacted by this situation and we must remember that, as Frederick Douglass said, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress”. We must use this time to reflect on what we value as a community and we must show those in the community that bigotry, hate, and racism cannot and will not be tolerated.

Now more than ever, we need to make sure that members of our community feel welcomed and, above all, safe on this campus. I encourage the University to work to ensure that those responsible for these despicable acts are brought to justice.

Throughout this process, I will remain as transparent as possible. As with all incidents involving conduct, the details of any proceedings will remain largely confidential. As I receive any updates, I will share as much as possible with the student body.

This will not be tolerated now, or ever, on the campus of (insert University name) and I will do everything in my ability to ensure that this never happens again.

* Based on a statement by American University’s Student Government President Taylor Dumpson

Statement 3: For Faculty

We, the undersigned (insert university name) faculty and staff, are appalled by the racist, white supremacist hate crime that occurred on our campus. We condemn this crime and send our support and solidarity to the immediate target of the crime and to all Black students, as well as to other students of color and all students outraged by such racism.

As faculty, we commit to continuing to engage the systemic roots and current effects of racism on campus. We expect the administration to do the same. The administration’s agreeing to the three demands at the Black student organized demonstration on May 5 is a positive step, but it is only a small step. Thus, we:

Urge the administration to collaborate with Black students and other students of color to address their academic needs, their safety, and their overall well being — steps that will benefit all of (university name) and that are critical to living up to the University’s commitment to social justice;
Urge the administration to identify and prosecute the perpetrator(s) of this crime to the fullest extent allowed by law and to expel any student(s) found responsible for participating in the crime;
Urge President (name) to meet with students of color regularly to understand their experiences on campus and to collaborate with them in creating an inclusive university for all.

Lastly, we urge President (name) to use the opportunity to speak to thousands in the (university name) community and millions in a national media audience -— to publicly condemn this racist hate crime and to identify concrete steps the University is taking to address this crime and the racism at (university name) and in society at large.

*Statement based on the American University faculty and staff joint opinion piece in the student newspaper, The Eagle.

Download PDFs of statements here.

Common Obstacles: Actions/Advice

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Students stand up to hate at the University of Mississippi.

When a hate group comes to campus, the most effective course of action is to deprive the speaker(s) of the thing they want most – a spectacle.

Don’t ignore hate.
Plan an alternative event, away from the hate group’s actions, to show unity and demonstrate your campus’ commitment to inclusion.
Reach out to those who have been harmed, as well as campus and community organizations that support the group or groups being targeted.
Turn a moment of crisis into an opportunity to plan ongoing action to stop hate.

SEE FILM GUIDES

SEE ADVICE FOR CAMPUS

Advice for Campus Administrators

Listen to concerns of those who have been targeted.
Take a strong stand denouncing the hate incident and disseminate accurate information to the campus community.
Send an open letter to the campus and community that recognizes the impact hateful rhetoric and hate groups can have on students and outline your plan for action.
Acknowledge that any pain or discomfort they feel is valid and point towards campus resources.
Publicize procedures for reporting hate crimes and incidents.
Ensure that the public safety office reports hate incidents and crimes to campus administrators. Be transparent about incidents.
Wear signs of solidarity with students (arm bands, buttons, etc). Join efforts to circulate a pledge to stop hate and promote inclusion.
Establish a task force or hate crime rapid response team.
Start a Not On Our Campus Hate Crime and Awareness Project.
Offer counseling support for victims and others who experience trauma resulting from hate on campus.
Provide training for staff and faculty on recognizing and addressing hate.

FILM GUIDES

ADVICE FOR CIVIC LEADERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

Students, faculty, and administrators, working with others on campus and in the community, can create an atmosphere where hate and intolerance are rejected and inclusion is a core value.

The University of Florida Prepares for a White Nationalist Speaker

High-visibility events planned by “alt-right,” white nationalist, and other similar groups can prompt strong campus and community reactions and inspire opposition rallies, sometimes resulting in violent clashes between the groups and destruction of property. This local example illustrates how the University of Florida Police Department worked together with University administration and local and state law enforcement agencies to confront the challenge of protecting freedom of speech rights and avoiding violent interactions and disorder.

[more +]

The University of Florida Prepares for a White Nationalist Speaker

Two months after the tragic deaths in Charlottesville, Richard Spencer was scheduled to speak at a private, ticketed event on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville. In anticipation of the October 19th engagement, the University Police Department worked together with University administration and local and state law enforcement agencies to coordinate the security plan. University of Florida Police Department also reached out to law enforcement agencies in Berkeley and Charlottesville, to gather intelligence about Spencer’s recent appearances in their towns. Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency to allow for a quicker response from the National Guard if they were needed.

Security plans implemented for the event enabled Spencer to proceed with his talk (though many in the audience booed and taunted him) and maintained mostly peaceful demonstrations. Five people were treated for minor injuries resulting from scuffles, one person was arrested for resisting an officer’s orders, and another (hired as security by a media outlet) was arrested for carrying a firearm. After Spencer had left the campus, an altercation at a bus stop culminated with a Spencer supporter shooting into a small group of protesters. Nobody was hurt, but the shooter was later picked up with his two companions, and all three were charged with attempted homicide.

University of Florida Police Chief Linda Stump-Kurnick, Assistant Vice President of Public and Environmental Safety, shared the top practices that reduced opportunities for violence and disorder, as identified in their after-action report.

Successful practices included:

ICS/NIMS: From the initial planning day, the University of Florida (UF) Police Chief and Assistant Vice President committed to compliance with National Incident Management System (NIMS) standards, including use of Incident Command System (ICS). This framework provided for a consistent and common approach to planning, terminology, resource requests, command, and other facets. A unified Incident Action Plan (IAP) was developed for the event and signed by all three Unified Commanders.

Prohibited Items: The University developed a comprehensive list of prohibited items based upon feedback and experiences from the cities of Charlottesville and Berkeley. A draft list was reviewed and adjusted by Public Safety, General Counsel, and University Relations leadership before finalization. The items were banned in order to eliminate makeshift weapons and body armor in the protest areas, and to prevent protestors from covering their faces (i.e., masks and bandanas) – both significant issues in Charlottesville and Berkeley. Observations and anecdotal evidence indicate this action was successful in preventing agitators from attending, and in forcing protestors to dump banned items before entering protest areas. Large banners listing the items were displayed prior to checkpoints into the protest areas. The communicated list of prohibited items was also available on the UF Free Speech website, which provided extensive information about the October 19th event to prepare students, event attendees, professors, and other University staff for the day.

Crowd Control: UF employed three layers of security around the venue to protect the crowd. A fourth layer was added by the City of Gainesville’s adjacent SW 34th Street Closure, which marked the first screening for prohibited items. An outer perimeter consisted of road closures and checkpoints that limited vehicle access and provided a second screening for prohibited items. The inner perimeter was constructed of vehicle barriers and barricaded protest areas, providing a third screening for prohibited items. Two protest areas were created with the barricades, designed to separate groups by ideology. An empty zone separated the two areas and was designed to be larger than a protester’s ability to hurl an object at the opposing group. The final layer of security surrounded the venue. Protestors were not allowed in the immediate vicinity of the venue but could see it. Only ticket holders could enter the venue, and everyone, including the speaker and his entourage, had to use walk-through magnetometers. This layer was the fourth screening for prohibited items. A significant, visible police presence enhanced these crowd-control measures.

Soft Uniforms: With guidance from the Florida Highway Patrol, the Unified Commanders adopted a soft uniform approach. Protestors did not see a “militarized” look from law enforcement, which can lead to a hostile crowd. Additionally, most law enforcement heavy equipment was staged out of sight from the protestors. “Hard hat teams” or “hatch teams” were readily available and staged for quick response. However, their deployment was only to be initiated if enforcement action was needed.

Check-In / Badging Process: With hundreds of responders on scene, maintaining accountability for safety was a significant concern and top priority. Each individual had to check-in the morning of the incident and was given a colored armband. Without an armband, even if in uniform, a person was not allowed on scene. The color of the armband was not made known until that morning in order to prevent forgery. This approach was a larger version of the badging process employed for Gator football games.

GIS Support: Simultaneous to the planning for the event, the University was in the process of creating a department to provide GIS resources to administrative units. The Director of that unit was tasked to the effort and created a secure, public safety map interface. The mapping interface overlaid information from all responding agencies over UF data layers. The map was updatable in real time and allowed for coordinated planning in regards to placement of people and resources. UF will be working in the future to better integrate the mapping component into event planning.

Law enforcement agencies that participated in the University of Florida’s security plan included Gainesville Police Department, Alachua County Sheriff’s Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Florida Highway Patrol.

Know Your Rights: Understanding the First Amendment

The First Amendment protects a broad range of speech - including speech that individuals may find repulsive, violent, and hateful. Generally, the content of speech cannot be restricted by the government. However, not all speech is protected.

Speech which incites or encourages people to take illegal action (e.g., speech encouraging murder or assault) and “fighting words” (e.g. speech which is intended to provoke a physical or verbal confrontation), as well as certain other forms of speech, may not receive protection.

Below are examples of instances where speech was challenged in court:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. - First Amendment to the Constitution of United States of America.

Values of Diversity and Inclusion

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Not In Our Town Bowling Green, Ohio

We can’t stand up to hate alone, we have to do it together in our schools and our communities. Local Action=Real Impact. Start in your community by sharing this message with your friends, community activists and leaders.

Reach out to your campus community and tell them you have their backs. Work with your campus or school organization, neighborhood group, or community watch listservs to open a discussion about who is vulnerable and what we can do together. Tell your fellow community members you’ll be there for them if they feel threatened. Set up a real-life response team as well as one that operates on social media.

Reach out to your police department outside of crisis situations and ask them to speak with your neighborhood group about how to report incidents and make everyone feel safe.

Mayors, City and Civic Leaders, you can set the tone for Inclusion, Safety and Civility. Send a message to residents that you want everyone to feel safe and included in your town. Organize a community event, like a town hall meeting, to find out who is vulnerable to hate and discuss how to build inclusion. Set a tone that encourages respect for different points of view.

Law Enforcement Leaders, help your community understand how to report hate crimes or incidents. Host an event with community members who can help you reach people who may be reluctant to report hate crimes. Let them know you will be there for everyone in your town.

Community Members, Educators and Students: Open up a discussion about who is feeling unsafe, what students can do to stand up for each other, and what school leaders can do to support these actions. School leaders, create a safe space for young people to talk to each other about their fears, dialogue respectfully about different points of view, and brainstorm ways to support each other despite those differences.

3 | Films & Videos

Watch and learn, facilitate discussion, and inspire action against hate.

Not In Our Town: A Bowling Green Legacy

Ole Miss: Facing the Change

When Hate Speech Comes to Campus

4 | Resources

In-depth PDF guides and online resources related to stopping hate on campus.

How to Report a Hate Incident

The Problem of Hate on Campus

Rally against hate, University of Minnesota campus, October 6, 2016. Photo by Flickr user Fibonacci Blue

Addressing Hate: Preventing and Responding to Hate on Campus

The College of Marin, California, campus community participated in a regional United Against Hate campaign.

Proactive Steps Campuses Can Take To Prevent Hate on Campus:

Responding to a Hate Incident on Campus:

How to be an Ally

Malissia Clinton, whose home was set on fire in Manhattan Beach, CA in a suspected hate crime, hugs a community member at a peace rally. Photo Beach Reporter

Hundreds gathered at Baylor University

Campus Lights Up Against Hate: UC Davis

Boston College students hold ‘Solidarity Black Out’

3 Tips + Sample Statements

Statement 1: For President/Campus Administrators

Statement 2: For Student Government/Groups

Statement 3: For Faculty

Common Obstacles: Actions/Advice

Advice for Campus Administrators

For Administrators: Boston College Protocols for Response

The University of Florida Prepares for a White Nationalist Speaker

Know Your Rights: Understanding the First Amendment

“Incitement to Imminent Lawless Action”

“Fighting Words”

“True Threats”

Values of Diversity and Inclusion

Not In Our Town Bowling Green, Ohio

Not In Our Town: A Bowling Green Legacy

Ole Miss: Facing the Change

When Hate Speech Comes to Campus

Resources

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