Gettysburgian editors Ben Pontz and Gauri Mangala discuss the news and other items of interest on the Gettysburg College campus and interview campus newsmakers on the new On Target podcast produced in association with WZBT.
Gordon-Mora Addresses Upcoming Changes to Bias Reporting On-Campus
By Alli Dayton, Managing/News Editor On Wednesday, Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Eloísa Gordon-Mora sent out a campus-wide email detailing upcoming improvements to the College’s bias reporting. Gordon-Mora began her email by acknowledging the efforts of the President’s Council, the Bias Awareness Resource Committee, the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Advancement Council, the Climate Study Working Group, […]
Highest Semester Total of Bias Incidents in Fall 2019 Report Reflects National Trend
By Jane Fitzpatrick, Staff Writer On Jan. 27, Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities Ron Wiafe informed the campus community that 18 bias incidents were reported during the fall 2019 semester, the highest number of reports in a semester in the nine years that the college has released bias incident data. The second-highest semester totaled […]
‘Targeted Act of Intimidation’ Prompts Campus Safety Alert
By Benjamin Pontz, Editor-in-Chief Bill Lafferty said that a “targeted act of intimidation” led to Saturday evening’s campus safety alert, which was disseminated to the campus community via email shortly after 5:00 p.m. Lafferty, the Assistant Vice President of College Life and Executive Director of Public Safety, added that the warning came within the purview […]
Senate Discusses Repercussions and Reporting of Bias Incidents
By Garrett Adams, Staff Writer A donation to the Emergency Fund, a discussion with Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities Ron Wiafe, and a motion to potentially release club representatives from attending all Senate meetings were all on the agenda at Monday night’s Senate meeting. President Pat McKenna ’20 began by explaining that Student Senate is allotted […]
College reports 20% increase in bias incidents, but sees no spike after election
In an email to the College Digest, Ron Wiafe, Director of Student Rights & Responsibilities, reported that 29 bias incidents occurred on the Gettysburg College campus during the 2016-17 academic year, an increase of more than 20% from the 2015-16 total of 24.
Notably, the largest number increase in incidents from 2015-16 to 2016-17 came in incidents pertaining to race and ethnicity, which increased from 11 to 19. Concurrently, incidents pertaining to gender identity were cut in half, going from 10 to 5.
While a vocal campus population suggested that a more divisive atmosphere existed on campus this year, perhaps in relationship to the results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, such a relationship was not reflected in reports of bias incidents; Wiafe called the difference in number of incidents before the election versus after the election “not statistically significant,” noting that 14 of the 29 reported incidents occurred prior to the election while the other 15 happened after.
The campus has established a Bias Awareness and Resource Committee (BARC), which is working to address issues pertaining to biased conduct as well as educate the campus on the issue.
That committee has student representatives from the Black Student Union, Latin American Student Association, Student Senate, Outer Space (which supports queer-identified students) and the Interfraternity Council as well as a Chinese international student representative, members of the faculty, and college administrators.
