POLICY STATEMENT
It is the policy of Nevada State College to prevent, respond to, and resolve incidents and/ or crimes motivated by bias, prejudice, bigotry, or hatred against individuals, groups, organizations, businesses, or institutions on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.
The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents has mandated that its institutions formulate and submit Hate Crimes policies. NSC’s policy reflects policies at other NSHE institutions and was modeled after Western Nevada College and Great Basin College’s Hate Crimes Policies.
The policy and procedures set forth relate to a secondary process (aside from the criminal investigation) where the institution responds to the alleged commission of a hate crime on campus. It is a law enforcement matter to determine if a hate crime occurs. It is an institutional matter to prevent, respond to and investigate hate crimes and any alleged acts of discrimination and violations of the NSHE Code and the student code of conduct when those occur. As per NSHE Code, it is forbidden for a member of the NSHE community to commit a hate crime.
DEFINITIONS
Hate Crime: A crime listed under NRS 193.1675 or NRS 207.185 against another person that is motivated by virtue of the victim’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation. Hate crimes are particularly repugnant to the mission of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) and detrimental to the responsibility of NSHE to provide a safe environment for education, research, and service for the NSHE community. (NSHE Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 30)
A. Bias incidents refer to acts of bias, prejudice, bigotry, and/ or hatred that do not violate laws but do constitute conduct prohibited by NSHE Code, Chapter 6 provisions.
B. Hate crimes refer to acts of bias, prejudice, bigotry, and/ or hatred that violate NRS Codes or federal statutes and do constitute conduct prohibited by NSHE Code, Chapter 6 provisions.
C. Bias incidents and hate crimes are acts, or threatened or attempted acts, by any person or group of persons intended to cause emotional suffering, physical injury, or property damage against the person or property of another individual or group, which is or appears to be motivated, all or in part, by bias, prejudice, bigotry, and/ or hatred.
PROCEDURES
It is the policy of Nevada State College to prevent, respond to, and resolve incidents and/ or crimes motivated by bias, prejudice, bigotry, or hatred against individuals, groups, organizations, businesses, or institutions on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.
I. Reporting Hate Crimes
At NSC hate crimes, like any other crime, should be reported by students or employees immediately. Anyone who needs to report a hate crime, or any other crime, should call the Henderson Police or 911 if it is an emergency or 9 911 from a campus telephone. All crimes, including hate crimes, require a call to the local police department to file a complaint.
II. Prevention, Response and Investigation
A. NSC has a legal and ethical obligation to provide a safe learning and working environment free from discrimination, threats or violence. Just as supervisors, managers, and administrative faculty have a legal and ethical obligation to address and/ or report suspected bias incidents and/or hate crimes, academic faculty members have a legal and ethical obligation to address and/or report such incidents that occur in the academic environment. Every employee and student can actively contribute to a safe and respectful campus environment by reporting suspected bias incidents and/ or hate crimes immediately to the Office of the President if related to student conduct, human resources if related to employee conduct, Campus Security and/ or local law enforcement authorities. The Office of the President can be reached at 702-992-2350 and Human Resources can be reached at 702-992-2320. Campus Security can be reached at campus telephone extension 2222 or calling 702-992-2222. Local law enforcement authorities can be reached by dialing 911.
B. All reports of suspected bias incidents and/ or hate crimes will be investigated. Depending upon the circumstances of the incident, the investigation will be conducted by the Office of the President if related to student conduct, human resources if related to employee conduct, the State Department of Personnel, or local law enforcement authorities.
C. In the event a member of the NSC campus community, including faculty, staff, and students, engages in a bias incident or hate crime, the college may, in addition to reporting the activity to local law enforcement authorities, place the student on emergency suspension or the employee on administrative leave or emergency suspension pursuant to the NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 6, Section 6.5 and/ or the NSC Student Code of Conduct to protect life, limb or property pending a disciplinary hearing, and initiate a Chapter 6 proceeding to determine whether disciplinary sanctions should be imposed against the student or college employee.
D. In the event a person who is not a member of the NSC campus community engages in a bias incident or hate crime, the president or president’s designee may, in addition to reporting the activity to local law enforcement authorities, inform the person that the person is not authorized to remain on the premises and that the person’s continued presence could subject the person to liability for trespass or loitering as prescribed by law pursuant to NSHE Code, Title 2, Chapter 6, Section 6.18.
E. This policy will be disseminated to all employees and will be published in the NSC Catalog.
F. Nothing in the preceding shall negate or restrict any right protected by the 1st and 14th amendments of the United States Constitution or Article 1, Section 9 of the Nevada Constitution.
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS
Student Conduct
Stefanie Coleman, VP of Student Affairs
Phone: 702-992-2600
Email: Stefanie.Coleman@nevadastate.edu
Employee Conduct
Office of Human Resources
Phone: 702-992-2320
Email: hr@nevadastate.edu
RELATED INFORMATION
- Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 30 of the NSHE Board of Regents Handbook
- NRS 193.1675
- NRS 207.185
HISTORY
Updated contact information, August 2013.
APPROVALS
Approved by Provost Dr. Lesley DiMare, February 2, 2009.
Approved by President Dr. Fred Maryanski, February 2, 2009.