Washington University in St. Louis values diversity, inclusion and human dignity, and strives to foster an environment in which all community members are respected and able to take part in academic, co-curricular and social activities.
Following these values, the university developed a system through which students, faculty, staff and community members who have experienced or witnessed incidents of bias, prejudice or discrimination involving a student can report their experiences to the university’s Bias Report and Support System (BRSS) team. If you would like to report a bias incident that does not involve a student, please contact Human Resources.
Emergency situations
If you are concerned about your immediate health and safety or that of someone else, do not complete the online form. Please call 911 or WUPD at 314-935-5555
The BRSS team
| Supports students who have witnessed or been the target of bias-related incidents | |
| Refers community members to appropriate university and local resources, and educates reporters on what to expect from each resource | |
| Informs the university community about the frequency and nature of bias incidents through summary reports each semester to drive discussion around making the university more diverse and inclusive The BRSS coordinator also meets with the vice chancellor for students and the vice provost to discuss the campus community’s climate and areas for potential improvement |
Bias incidents
A bias incident is any discriminatory or hurtful act that appears to be or is perceived by the victim to be motivated by:
| Race | |
| Ethnicity | |
| Age | |
| Religion | |
| National origin | |
| Sex | |
| Disability | |
| Gender identity or expression | |
| Sexual orientation | |
| Veteran status | |
| Socioeconomic status |
To be considered an incident
The act is not required to be a crime under any federal, state or local statutes, nor does it have to violate university policy
Filing a report
If you have witnessed an incident of hate, bias and/or discrimination involving a student, you have several options for filing a report:
1. Report online
Complete the BRSS form. Please note: after you click on the link, make sure to click on the option Bias Report and Support System (BRSS). Once the online form has been completed, the BRSS coordinator will receive an email notification and assign your report to a BRSS team member.
2. Report by phone
Call the BRSS at 314-935-7535 during business hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. After-hours calls will be returned during the next business day.
3. Report in person
Provide an in-person report during a meeting with the BRSS coordinator or a BRSS team member. Schedule a meeting via email.
Reporting anonymously
If, for any reason, you do not want to provide identifying information when you file a report, you have the option to fill out the BRSS form anonymously online by selecting the “For Information Only” option. Please note that a brief description of the incident will be included in the quarterly summary report.
WashU School of Medicine
Non-anonymous BRSS reports on the Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) campus are sent to the assistant provost who assists WUSM students in navigating their programs and connects them with the relevant policies and contacts within those programs.
After your report is filed
If you select the “For Support and Referral” option, a BRSS team member will contact you to schedule an in-person meeting. During this meeting, the team member will:
| Listen and support you as you provide details of the incident | |
| Identify campus and community resources to help you understand your options | |
| Walk you through what to expect should you choose to utilize referrals |
After your in-person meeting, you will receive an email from your team member to make sure the BRSS has answered your questions and provided appropriate referrals.
Confidentiality
The university will strive to protect, to the greatest extent possible, the confidentiality of persons reporting to the BRSS and of those involved in the reported incident. Because the university may have an obligation to address certain reported incidents, however, the university cannot guarantee complete confidentiality where it would conflict with the university’s obligation to investigate meaningfully or, where warranted, take corrective action. Even when some disclosure of the university’s information or sources is necessary, it will be limited to the extent possible.