Bias Incident Report | Office of Equity and Inclusion

Incidents targeting underrepresented, marginalized groups and persons within protected classes are an unfortunate reality on campuses and society at large, and we must stand united against these heinous acts.

If you believe you have witnessed a bias related incident, we urge you to report it to UMPD, who provide a daily crime log on their website. The UMass bias incident report will be updated on a weekly basis or more. The university also has a variety of means through which the community can report perceived acts of bias and hate in person, online, and anonymously, but only incidents reported that have been validated through the UMPD will be reflected here.

And please remember, reporting matters. It helps us to track incidents, observe patterns, and provide support. If you have information that could aid in the investigation of the incidents below, please contact UMass Police at 413-545-2121.

Report an Incident to OEI

What is a Bias Related Incident?

A bias incident is conduct, speech or expression motivated, in whole or in part, by bias or prejudice. It differs from a hate crime in that no criminal activity is involved. While hate crimes on campus, if charged and prosecuted, are dealt with in the court system, bias incidents are handled through university grievance procedures. Learn more about the difference between bias incidents and hate crimes.

What is on This Report?

In the spirit of transparency, the information below reflects reported cases of bias since September 2018. In order to ensure that this report provides accurate, verified, and consistent information, the information provided on this page since September 2019 will come solely from reports filed to the University of Massachusetts Police Department (UMPD)**. UMPD actively investigates all of these reports.

*Effective 11/11/19, in order to protect the anonymity of the reporting parties and victims, we will no longer list the residence hall names where incidents took place.

** Effective March 2020, incidents listed on this page have been expanded to include incidents reported to OEI.

Spring 2023

4/21/23: Racially insensitive language directed at students on a bus by non-UMass personnel
Location: Bus
4/2/23: Racially offensive language was used toward a student by another student
Location: Residence Hall
3/8/23: Racially insensitive remarks used toward a student by a member of staff
Location: Campus Office
3/5/23: Report of student being misgendered by member of staff
Location: Dining Common
2/23/23: Report of insensitive language directed at students by other students
Location: Student Union
2/16/23: Racially insensitive language directed at students by classmate
Location: Academic Department
2/10/23: Offensive language directed at student by classmates
Location: Academic Department
2/7/23: Racially insensitive language directed at students on a bus by non-UMass personnel
Location: Bus

Winter 2023

1/10/23: Insensitive language directed at student by faculty member
Location: Campus

Fall 2022

11/6/22: Racially insensitive language was used toward students
Location: Residence Hall
11/5/22: Homophobic slurs yelled from residence hall at passes-by
Location: Residence Hall
11/4/22: Racially insensitive language directed at students on a bus
Location: Bus
10/19/22: Abelist language directed at student by non-umass personnel
Location: Campus
10/15/22: Students struck with eggs and subjected to racial epithets from occupants of a passing car
Location: Massachusetts Ave
9/18/22: A whiteboard was defaced with a hate symbol, sexist slurs, and an offensive drawing Location: Residence Hall

Fall 2022

12/9/22: Student misgendered and subjected to insensitive language by staff member
Location: Campus Office
12/5/22: Report of Antisemitic remarks overheard at student gathering
Location: Fraternity
11/16/22: Report of student misgendered and dead-named in department-wide correspondence
Location: Academic Department
11/14/22: Report of racially insensitive language used by instructor
Location: Academic Department

Summer 2022

8/27/22: A hate symbol was found scratched into the ground on a dirt road
Location: Campus
8/8/22: Racist, xenophobic, and homophobic graffiti was written in a bathroom stall.
Location: Academic building
7/13/21: Operator of a passing bike yelled slurs and profanity at student walking on N. Pleasant St
Location: N. Pleasant Street
(Actual date unknown, possibly mid-June or earlier): Outdoor structure defaced with homophobic language
Location: Campus

Spring 2022

5/3/2022: Anti-Black email sent to student organizations and individuals
Location: Online
4/28/2022: A homophobic slur was written on a whiteboard.
Location: Academic Department
4/25/2022: Students report a rock was thrown at the window of their dorm room while they were away.
Location: Residence Hall.
4/13/2022: Student reports harassing and homophobic behavior from another student.
Location: Campus
4/8/2022: An offensive image was drawn on classroom equipment.
Location: Campus
4/7/2022: A student flyer was defaced.
Location: Academic Department
3/31/2022: Staff report inappropriate contact by representative of a vendor.
Location: Academic department.
3/26/2022: Report of attendee at University sporting event flashing a hate symbol.
Location: Sporting event
3/21/2022: Report of faculty member using sexist language.
Location: Academic department
3/8/2022: Reports that faculty refused to use a student’s correct pronouns.
Location: Academic department
3/8/2022: Event registration form used language that was not gender inclusive.
Location: Web registration form
3/7/2022: Homophobic slur yelled at student from passing car.
Location: Campus
2/18/2022: Report of path that is not accessible to wheelchairs after snow storm.
Location: Campus
2/21/2022: Poster in a residence hall defaced with racist and homophobic slurs.
Location: Residence Hall
2/21/2022: Racist caricatures on a blackboard in a residence hall.
Location: Residence Hall
2/15/22: Inaccessible walkway and building entrance reported.
Location: Residence Hall, Campus general
2/12/2022: Inappropriate behavior in a residence hall.
Location: Residence Hall
2/8/2022: Incident of transphobia reported in an academic department.
Location: Academic Department
1/25/2022: Lewd drawing made in the snow.
Location: Campus Pond
1/15/2022: Student reports online harassment.
Location: Social Media
1/12/2022: Unfair treatment of student reported in an academic department.
Location: Academic Department

Fall 2021

12/16/2021: Student reports being yelled at in dining area.
Location: Dining Hall
12/10/2021: Student reports being called a homophobic slur while walking on campus.
Location: Campus
12/1/2021: Student reports faculty telling them they can overcome their disability.
Location: Academic Department
11/29/2021: Students report seeing racist behavior in dining hall.
Location: Dining Hall
11/19/2021: Racist slur used on social media platform.
Location: Social Media
11/15/2021: Anti-Black and misogynist language reported in an online student forum.
Location: Social Media
11/10/2021: Racist and xenophobic language used in class by guest speaker.
Location: Academic Department
11/9/2021: Racially insensitive language used in a departmental meeting.
Location: Academic Department
11/8/2021: Ableist slurs and insults emailed to an academic unit.
Location: Online
11/6/2021: Transphobic slurs directed at a student on a bus.
Location: PVTA
10/15/2021: Paraphernalia from a hate group found in common area.
Location: Residential Area
10/12/2021: Sexist & misogynistic graffiti was found in a public area.
Location: Residential Hall
10/9/2021: Student reports Anti-Asian harassment
Location: Residential Hall
9/30/2021: A door was defaced with a homophobic slur.
Location: Residential Hall
Ongoing: Racist messages sent through online forms of student organizations.
9/27/2021: Anti-black racial and sexist epithet was found in a public space in a residential hall.
Location: Residential Hall
9/15/2021: Antisemitic and anti-Black symbols drawn in the dust on a student’s car.
Location: Parking lot
9/13/2021: Multiple reports of inappropriate behavior and homophobic slurs being used on campus by individuals who have no association with UMass.
Location: Outside of Campus Center
9/10/2021: Students report racially offensive language and racial profiling by staff.
Location: Administrative Department
9/9/2021 and ongoing: An anti-Black racist email is being circulated to student groups.
9/7/2021: Parents of a student report lack of accessibility to campus buildings and slow response to their concerns.
Location: Residence Halls, Dining Halls, Campus

Summer 2021

8/31/2021: Student used profane language in a foreign language to insult two native speakers of the language.
Location: Near Marston Hall
8/29/2021: Drivers of a vehicle yelled anti-Black slurs at students riding their bikes on University Drive.
Location: University Drive
8/25/2021: Xenophobic language used in a Zoom staff training.
Location: Administrative Department
8/9/2021: Students report culturally offensive use of their images for marketing purposes.
Location: Instagram
7/1/2021: Occupants of passing car yelled ethnic slurs at staff member and visiting family.
Location: Near Worcester Dining Hall

Spring 2021

5/12/2021: Faculty used offensive language in Facebook conversation.
Location: Facebook
4/20/2021: Multiple reports of Antisemitic graffiti on the Fine Arts Building.
Location: Fine Arts Building
4/5/2021: Zoom intrusion and antisemitic language during an online lecture about the holocaust.
Location: Classroom
3/21/2021: Faculty reported incidents of transphobia and misgendering in their department.
Location: Academic Department
3/17/2021: Student in class called COVID-19 the “China Virus”
Location: Classroom
3/17/2021: Occupants of a car yelled anti-Asian and homophobic slurs at student.
Location: Near Isenberg
3/16/2021: Students report violation of COVID-19 protocols and harassment for following protocols.
Location: Administrative Department
3/16/2021: Window vandalized with Anti-Black slur and unknown liquid.
Location: Residence Hall
3/15/2021: Inappropriate language used in blackboard discussion.
Location: Academic Department
3/2/2021: Offensive slur used in class setting.
Location: SPHHS
2/2/2021: Sexist content shared by unknown individual during Zoom class.
Location: SPHHS
2/2/2021: Offensive slur used in class setting.
Location: CNS
2/16/2021: Offensive slur used in class setting.
Location: SPHHS
2/15/2021: Racist questions and comments made by community member during online event.
Location: SACL
2/12/2021: Offensive slur used in class setting.
Location: HFA

Fall 2020-21

1/5/2021: Antisemitic email sent to several staff members.
Location: CNS
1/4/2021: Offensive imagery reported in campus building.
Location: Athletics
12/2/2020: Staff member received two threatening and phone calls from anonymous number.
10/21/20: Offensive language used in class setting.
Location: Education
10/05/2020: TA threatened with racial slurs during Zoom class.
9/25/2020: Multiple reports of anti-Black language used by unidentified users on a Zoom discussion session.
Location: HFA
9/24/2020: Students report that their pronouns are not being updated on their class rosters.
9/24/2020: Racist language reported in internal email sent to faculty.
Location: CNS
9/22/2020: Zoom lecture disrupted by racist and sexist comments.
Location: Engineering
9/16/2020: Offensive slur used in a classroom setting.
Location: HFA

Spring 2020

8/28/2020: Black Lives Matter signs defaced.
Location: New Africa House and Hillel House
6/22/2020: Multiple faculty receive racist spam emails.
5/26/2020: Student yelled at for walking on campus.
Location: Outside the Fine Arts Center
4/5/2020: Various reports of students using racial slurs on social media.
Location: Online
3/28/2020 and ongoing through 9/25/20: A series of zoombombings have been reported, disrupting meetings and classes, with perpetrators using racist and sexist language.
Location: Online
3/27/2020: An unknown individual screamed “Corona” at an Asian student. (Case# 20-158-OF)
Location: Outside CS building
3/10/2020: Student overheard their roommate mutter an anti-Black racial epithet. (Case# 20-131-OF)
Location: Residential Area
3/9/2020: Anti-Black racial epithet was drawn on a custodial services push cart (20-129-OF)
Location: Campus Center
2/15/2020: Anti-Asian comment written on a whiteboard. (Case# 20-74-OF)
Location: Residential Area
2/14/2020: Faint swastika etched into elevator plastic screen. (Case# 20-71-OF)
Location: International Programs
1/25/2020: A racial slur was found written on a flyer (Case # 20-25-OF)
Location: ILC

Fall 2019

01/06/2020: An anti-indian slur was found written on a dorm room dry erase board (Case # 20-4-OF)
Location: Residential Area
12/19/2019: A person of Middle Eastern descent was verbally harassed (Case # 19-615-OF)
Location: GRC
12/05/2019: An antisemitic slur was found written in the snow (Case # 19-24290)
Location: Residential Area
12/04/2019: A swastika was found written on a dorm sign-in sheet (Case # 19-594-OF)
Location: Residential Area
11/11/2019 to 11/16/2019: There is a pattern of defacing and stealing Black Lives Matter signs from students' doors - 11/11/19-11/16/19. (Case #'s 19-558-OF, 19-564-OF, 19-560-OF, 19-566-OF, 19-567-OF)
Location: Residential Area
11/2/2019: A swastika was found drawn on a dry-erase board (Case # 19-541-OF)
Location: Moore Hall - Residence Hall
11/2/2019: A racial slur was found written on a dry-erase board (Case # 19-541-OF)
Location: Moore Hall - Residence Hall
10/30/2019: Several swastikas were found drawn in chalk (Case # 19-536-OF)
Location: Fine Arts Center
09/29/2019: A student received an anonymous note with an anti-semitic messages and swastika (Case # 19-439-OF)
Kennedy - Residence Hall
09/22/2019: Homophobic language was reported by students (Case # 19-420-OF)
Location: Cashin - Residence Hall

Spring 2019

05/03/2019: An Islamophobic slur was found on a bathroom stall (Case # 19-262-OF)
Location: Goessman Lab
04/18/2019: A Swastika was found on a bathroom stall (Case # 19-221-OF)
Location: Agricultural Engineering Building
04/14/2019: Racial slurs yelled from the building
Location: Kennedy Hall - Residence Hall
03/24/2019: Graffiti of a homophobic slur was found on a wall (Case # 19-154-OF)
Location: Wheeler Expression Wall
02/5/2019: Posters featuring people of color were vandalized (Case # 19-49-OF)
Location: North Campus

Fall 2018

12/8/2018: Transphobic verbal harassment resulting from a students’ restroom choice
Location: VanMeter - Residence Hall
12/5/2018: A swastika was drawn on Hanukkah sign affixed to an RA door
Location: Baker - Residential Hall
12/5/2018: A swastika was carved into a stall wall in the men's bathroom
Location: Baker - Residential Hall
12/4/2018: Homophobic graffiti carved into a stall wall in the men's bathroom.
Location: Baker - Residential Hall
11/29/2018: A swastika was drawn on the pavement
Location: Prince Crampton and MacKimmie - Residence Hall Courtyard
11/28/2018: A swastika was carved into floor signage
Location: Knowlton - Residence Hall
11/27/2018: Existing posters on a faculty door pertaining to LGBTQ and feminism were torn down.
Location: Thompson Hall
11/13/2018: An anti-Semitic, homophobic, and transphobic message was found on a residents dorm room door.
Location: John Quincy Adams - Residential Hall
11/7/2018: An existing poster denouncing racism was defaced with a racial epithet.
Location: Melville - Residential Hall
11/6/2018: Flyers and stickers from a white nationalist hate group were posted across campus.
Location: Herter Hall, Franklin Dining Commons, Bartlett Hall, Integrative Learning Center, Lamp posts
10/19/2018: An existing poster on a faculty office door was defaced with an Islamophobic note.
Location: Machmer Hall
10/17/2018: Racist graffiti carved into a stall door in the men's bathroom.
Location: Fine Arts Center
10/16/2018: Racist meme airdropped to phones during dinner.
Location: Berkshire Dining Hall
9/28/2018: Anti-Semitic graffiti found in a library book.
Location: DuBois Library
9/27/2018: An existing poster featuring an African-American man was defaced, his image was targeted and the posters were ripped.
Location: Thompson Hall
9/24/2018: An existing poster featuring an African-American man was defaced, his image was torn off.
Location: Machmer Hall
9/22/2018: Threatening racist graffiti was found on a bathroom mirror.
Location: Melville - Residential Hall
9/19/2018: Racist and anti-Semitic slurs reported by students.
Location: Thatcher - Residential Hall
9/18/2018: Vandalized student office, posters torn down and defaced. Image of President Obama cut out of large poster.
Location: Bartlett Hall
9/16/2018: An existing poster featuring an Asian man was defaced, his image was cut out.
Location: Marston HallResponding to Hate

In the aftermath of hate our priority is restoring a sense of psychological safety by providing mental health resources to help impacted individuals and communities rebound. Hate takes its toll and hateful acts aim to intimidate and hinder our goals of inclusive community. To all of our students, faculty, and staff who have been the targets of hate, do not despair. We care about you and stand with you. These hateful acts strengthen the resolve of every member of the UMass community to reject hatred in all its forms and stand united in defense of tolerance, diversity and inclusion.

To learn more about how the university responds to acts of hate review the hate response protocol. If you're frustrated by the rising tide of hate seek out local resources for advocacy and support, as well as national outlets for training and tools to combat hate.