Connecting to Get Things Done: A Conceptual Model of the Process Used to Respond to Bias Incidents

In this study, we interviewed victims of bias incidents and members of a bias response team to investigate the process the team used to respond to incidents. Incidents included acts of sexism, homophobia, and racism on a large, predominantly White research university in the Midwest. Data were analyzed using a 4-stage coding process. The emergent model focused on the way the bias response team members connected to students, other team members, and colleagues from across campus to respond to the bias incidents. Important tensions that team members navigate also became evident and are depicted in the model. Findings from this study inform practice by illuminating the complexity of how educators carry out social justice work on a campus. Furthermore, this study expands diversity scholarship by examining the intersection between individuals, campus climate, and their environment.