According to The St. Mary’s Way, at St. Mary’s College of Maryland we aspire to be a community “where people are engaged in an ongoing dialogue that values differences and the unique contributions of others’ talents, backgrounds, customs, and world views.” Similarly, we aspire to be a place “where people contribute to a spirit of caring and an ethic of service,” and a community where students, faculty, and staff of varying perspectives can thrive in a learning environment that is free from violence, harassment and discrimination. 

The Bias Prevention and Support Team (the Team) serves two primary purposes. First, the Team contributes to the College’s efforts to live out The St. Mary’s Way by establishing a prompt, consistent, and sensitive process to respond to bias-related incidents. The Team complements and works with other campus entities to connect students, faculty, and staff who have been affected by bias-related incidents to the appropriate support and resources. Second, the Team reviews the reports it receives to collect aggregate data, assess the campus climate, and identify educational and outreach opportunities. 

More information about the Team may be found at: https://www.smcm.edu/inclusive-diversity-equity-access-accountability/bias-prevention-and-support-team/