Bias Incident Response Team

St. Edward's University's Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) serves our community to create and maintain a safe, inclusive educational environment in alignment with our Holy Cross mission. BIRT operates as a cross-functional consulting body that actively addresses bias incidents and their impact on the St. Edward's community by monitoring, reporting, assessing, and recommending responses to potential incidents of bias.

What is an incident of bias? An incident of bias is defined as conduct or behavior (verbal, nonverbal, written) that is threatening, harassing (pervasive unwelcome behavior), intimidating, discriminatory, or hostile and is based on a person's identity or group affiliation, including but not limited to, race, age, disability status, gender*, gender identity/expression*, national origin, sexual orientation or religion.

When to make a report:

when you want to make an official report of a potentially biased incident.
when you have personally experienced conduct or behavior that may be biased in nature.
when you witness conduct or behavior of another person that may be biased in nature.
when you have concerns about the welfare of a specific community member or group due to a possibly biased incident.
when you know of a recent event in which something of a biased nature may have occurred.
when you have concerns related to an upcoming event or program that may target or alienate a specific identity or group.
when you come across vandalism on campus that may be biased in nature or targets a specific identity or group.

How to make a report about a:

A university employee or third-party contractor - To report an incident or a concern about a university employee or a contracted employee to Human Resources
Student - To report an incident or concern about a university student to the Dean of Students Office
General incident of bias - To report an incident in which you are unsure of persons involved or whether it meets the standard of bias, but you are seeking resources or want to make the university aware
Immediate emergency or to make a police report - call 911 or the University Police Department at 512-448-8444 / TTY: 512-233-1444

What happens when I make a report? For bias incident response cases, here is a visual flow chart of the reporting process when making a complaint of possible bias.

If you have any questions about a situation or how to report, please contact the Office of Equity and Employee Relations at 512-448-8540.

Bias Incident Response Team

Dr. Melissa Esqueda
Associate Vice-President of Equity and Employee Relations

Dr. Monique Jiménez-Herrera
Associate Vice-President of Faculty Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Erica Zamora
Director of Student Diversity & Inclusion

* May also fall under Title IX.