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Controversy Continues Over UNLV's Proposed Policy On Bias Incidents

By Howard M. Friedman

At the University of Nevada Las Vegas, faculty concern continues over the University's proposed Policy on Bias Incidents and Hate Crimes. The draft defines a "bias incidents" as:

verbal, written, or physical acts of intimidation, coercion, interference, frivolous claims, discrimination, and sexual or other harassment motivated, in whole or in part, by bias based on actual or perceived race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, sex (including gender identity or expression, or a pregnancy related condition), sexual orientation, national origin, military status or military obligations, disability (including veterans with service-connected disabilities), age, marital status, physical appearance, political affiliation, or on the basis of exercise of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.... Bias incidents do not include statements made on controversial issues that serve to promote intellectual inquiry into those issues. While such statements and related discussion can cause feelings of discomfort, a "reasonable person" can and must differentiate these statements from bias incidents.

The draft encourages reporting of bias incidents to UNLV police. After the ACLU of Nevada criticized the draft as an unconstitutional infringement on free speech, Nevada's chancellor of public higher education called for the policy to be rewritten. (Las Vegas Sun, 4/27). But now faculty are concerned that UNLV President David Ashley chose Christine Clark, the vice president of diversity and inclusion, to head a task force to review the draft. She helped develop the initial draft, and critics say she ignored their concerns at that time. (Las Vegas Sun, 5/4). The policy was drafted in response to a call by the state Board of Regents last year for all state schools to develop policies on bias incidents. (Las Vegas Sun, 4/25.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 04, 2009 (boomark / email).