Campus Climate Education Response Team (CCERT)

• Incidents reported electronically are initially reviewed: auto-response is generated/acknowledging report is received and someone will contact the party.
• A member of the Team or designee will contact the involved and impacted parties and follow up with next steps.

• Threat assessment conducted by CCERT team members, if threat identified, referral to Threat Assessment Management Team.
  • If/when no threat is determined the Threat Assessment Management Team will move to Step 3.

• Potential Referral to another University official/ investigative body: If it is determined, referral made to another University official/ investigating body to apply existing university policy.
  • Public Safety regarding alleged violations of any local, state or federal laws and regulations (e.g. a hate crime). Gender-based crimes may require permission from the reporting party/harmed party prior to disclosure to law enforcement. Public Safety will investigate.
  • Equal Opportunity/ Title IX regarding alleged violations of:
    • The University Nondiscrimination Policy (for faculty/staff).
    • Title IX Sexual Harassment or Community Standards Sexual Misconduct Policy.
  • Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution regarding alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct, inclusive of the University Discrimination, for student respondent(s).
  • Provost Office regarding alleged violations of pertaining to Faculty.
  • HRD regarding alleged violations pertaining to employees.

A Team member will organize a coordinated response that:

1. First and foremost, affirms and considers the complainant's experience and centers the complainant's dignity, wishes, and well-being.
2. When appropriate, engages the impacted community in a learning moment.
3. When appropriate, notifies the larger community of the incident and next steps (in consultation with Marketing and Communications).

In certain cases the Team may facilitate additional coordinated campus responses with may include but are not limited to:

1. Identification of and referral of impacted parties and/or alleged accused parties to appropriate support resources and services on or off campus.
2. Informal resolutions, if appropriate, will be used; examples include mediation, facilitated dialogue between parties, discussions; and/or
3. Educational awareness programs for the campus community and/or residential community.

A bias incident is also an offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by the offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity BUT may not rise to the level of a crime. Examples of behaviors that may be considered bias incidents:

• Telling jokes based on a stereotype 
• Racist or derogatory graffiti or images/drawings 
• Calling a person or a behavior “gay” as an insult 
• Using a racial, ethnic, or other slur to identify someone 
• Making a joke about someone being deaf, hard of hearing, blind, etc. 
• Imitating someone with any kind of disability, or imitating someone’s cultural norm or practice 
• Making comments on social media about someone’s disability, ethnicity, race, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, or political affiliations/beliefs

Are motivated by bias, but they include a definable crime, such as: threats of violence, property damage, personal injury, or other illegal conduct. A hate crime is an infraction of the law and will be addressed accordingly. The University of Hartford aligns with Connecticut house bill Act Concerning Hate Crimes.

A campus climate concern can include actions that discriminate, stereotype, exclude, harasses or harm anyone in our community based on their identity (such as race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or religion). Concerns may stem from fear, misunderstanding, hatred, or stereotypes. Behaviors may be intentional or unintentional.

Campus climate includes the experience of individuals and groups on a campus—and the quality and extent of the interaction between those various groups and individuals.

The University of Hartford is committed to maintaining an educational environment that fosters understanding and respect while protecting the free speech rights of the members of its community. Harassing speech or conduct that effectively prevents equal access to university programs or otherwise violates federal or state law, or University policy, is prohibited. *Manual of Academic Policies and Procedures (MAPP) section xxi