Office of Equity & Diversity Resources

201 Lane Hall

The Office of Equity & Diversity Resources (OEDR) is responsible for monitoring the college’s commitment to equal opportunity and inclusiveness.  The OEDR staff work with other offices and members of the Bates community to design and carry out institutional diversity initiatives that strategically and proactively promote a culture of inclusiveness. The office ensures the fulfillment of applicable regulations and college policy; provides leadership and works with all elements of the College to promote the prioritization of diversity; and serves as a resource for the campus community in the development of innovative diversity efforts.

A few of the duties of the OEDR which may be helpful to students include:

• Claims of discrimination (race, gender, age, sexual orientation, etc. – all protected classes)

• Sexual Harassment
  • Every employee of Bates College is responsible for reporting issues of sexual harassment.  Once a claim of sexual harassment has been identified it is the obligation (by law) to act on it. Although we will try our best to provide confidentiality, it may not be possible to promise complete confidentiality.
• Sexual Assault
  • Conduct of a sexual nature toward another person that is accompanied by actual or threatened physical force or that induces fear, shame, or mental suffering.  (Rarely reported)
• Hostile environment
  • A work or learning environment is “hostile” when unwelcome verbal, non-verbal, or physical behavior of a prohibited nature is severe and pervasive enough to unreasonably interfere with an employee’s work or a student’s learning, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment to a “reasonable person.”

The office is a safe space in which students, faculty and staff can be assured they can talk, ask questions and give examples of situations they may be experiencing, in a confidential setting sensitive to their needs.

The office can also provide information to students as to resources that might be available to them in alleviating and/or solving whatever problem they may be facing.

The OEDR wishes to support students in every way possible in regard to all of the issues addressed above, but also to offer assistance by just talking and helping students to identify, report (if needed), or informally solve whatever issues they may be facing.