In the aftermath of a Bias Report Incident with the former Director of Campus Safety, the Campus Safety staff have had to restructure in order to adequately meet the needs of the Gustavus Community.
The incident ultimately resulted in the removal of the director of Campus Safety. An email from the Bias Response Team on Aug. 25 addressed this incident to the Gustavus Community.
“The reports indicated that a Gustavus employee used a racial slur twice during a student leader training session in Alumni Hall. The slur was not directed at any specific individual. The slur was used while providing an example during the training session. The Bias Response Team has convened and determined that this was an incidence of bias. The language used is rooted in violence and oppression and, therefore, Gustavus maintains its zero-tolerance policy for its use, regardless of the intent or context. The situation is being addressed with the employee through appropriate Gustavus Human Resources processes,” an email from the Bias Response Team to the Gustavus Community said.
Amidst a semester characterized by change in many different areas, Campus Safety staff has also had to meet their challenges in new ways. In the absence of a singular director, or a head of Campus Safety operations, they’ve been forced to rethink their power dynamics, amongst other things, in order to properly meet the needs of the Gustavus Community.
“I’m the assistant director [of Campus Safety], there’s myself and Chris Gilbertson who is also an assistant director. We are just in charge of different areas,” Assistant Director of Campus Safety Shannon Zellmann said.
“In not having a director, we have stepped into all of [the director’s] job duties as well,” Zellmann said.
The Campus Safety staff have had to collaborate in new ways, in the absence of a singular director. Team work, communication, new ideas, extensive anti-racist training, management training and hard work have characterized their restructuring this semester.
“We’ve incorporated Morning Briefings to go over incidents, issues, what we need to do for that day and that was something we did not have prior to [the change in leadership]. It’s been really great, it takes a full team. Everyone has pitched in to cover duties,” Zellmann said.
In general, Campus Safety has adapted its mission in order to adequately meet the needs of the Gustavus Community this year. With the addition of more in-depth training for their entire Campus Safety staff, the officers and staff are working to commit to communication now.
“We have to work in different ways now, communication has been key,” Zellmann said. “We have done a ton of training this year. We had a full diversity training and something we are instituting now is MOAB, or management of aggressive behavior. MOAB is about de-escalation, our perception, how [campus safety staff members] are perceived by others when we go to calls, and how to communicate better,” Zellmann said.
In regards to the bias incident that resulted in the removal of the former director of Campus Safety, the Bias Response Team continues to report incidents of bias and misconduct and remains accessible to the entirety of the Gustavus Community.
“The Bias Response Team, moving forward, continues to do what it needs to do,” Bias Response Team member Tom Flunker said. “[The Bias Response Team] is undergoing a review right now, from an outside source, that is going to help us to take a look at what we are doing, the processes and procedures, and how we inform and work with the Gustavus Community. This review will help us to better understand what changes [are needed] and what we are doing well. That continues, no matter what,” Flunker said.
Through the Bias Response Team’s page, located on the gustavus.edu website, anyone can file an online ‘Silent Witness’ reporting form, at any time. The person filing the form may decide if they would like to remain anonymous or not. The Gustavus Community encourages that incidents are reported either through the online form or by contacting any of the Bias Response Team members.
“Gustavus aspires to be a community of persons from diverse backgrounds who respect and affirm the dignity of all people. The College investigates all reports of bias and seeks to provide resources and support to students, faculty, and staff who may be impacted,” the Bias Response Team’s email concluded.