Hate Crimes Report
Hate Crime – Bias Incident Information
St. Lawrence University informs incoming students about bias-related crime and prevention measures through programs that include workshops, seminars, discussion groups, and orientation sessions. The purpose of these programs is to disseminate information about bias-related crime, promote discussion, encourage reporting of incidents of such crime, and facilitate prevention.
A hate crime is a criminal offense committed against a person or property which is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias. A hate crime is defined under New York State law, Penal Law Section 485.05 – Hate Crimes, as follows:
A person commits a hate crime when they commit a specified offense and either:
a) intentionally selects the person against whom the offense is committed or intended to be committed in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person, regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct, or
b) intentionally commits the act or acts constituting the offense in whole or in substantial part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person, regardless of whether the belief or perception is correct.
Note: All hate crimes are bias incidents, but not all bias incidents are hate crimes.
Reporting a Bias Incident
An individual who believes that they have experienced or witnessed an act of bias, discrimination or discriminatory harassment, can report it by:
- Submitting it via the online bias incident reporting form: https://stlawu-advocate.symplicity.com/public_report
- Contacting Safety and Security.
- Contacting any CA in Residence Life.
- Contacting a member of the bias incident reporting team:
- Kimberly Flint-Hamilton, Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, kflint@stlawu.edu
- Pat Gagnon, Assistant Vice President & Director of Safety and Security, pgagnon@stlawu.edu
- Jodi Canfield, Associate Dean of Student Life, jcanfield@stlawu.edu
- Ashlee Downing Duke, CARE Team, adowning@stlawu.edu
- Mark Denaci, Associate Professor of Art and Art History, mdenaci@stlawu.edu
- Laura Rediehs, Associate Professor of Philosophy, lrediehs@stlawu.edu
- Debra Mousaw, Director of Human Resources/Employee Benefits, dmousaw@stlawu.edu
Procedures at St. Lawrence University for reporting bias-related crime
Students should notify Safety & Security at 315-229-5555 (x5555) immediately of all incidents of bias-related crime so that protection – including police protection – can be provided if needed. When the accused is a St. Lawrence University student, the victim should file a report with Safety & Security. Safety & Security can provide students, staff and faculty an opportunity to understand the legal, judicial, medical, and counseling options available to them, both on campus and in the Canton community.
Students, staff and faculty may file formal charges with the Canton Police. If requested, Safety & Security will provide students, staff and faculty with information to assist with that decision. Safety & Security officers or representatives of the University are available to accompany the complainant to the police station to file criminal charges. The University has no control over criminal investigations and criminal processes. Students, staff and faculty may pursue a university judicial hearing by filing formal charges with the University, whether or not they file formal charges through the Canton Police.
Bias Incident Process
The bias incident reporting process is a referral process, not an investigative one. Immediately after submitting a report online a reporting individual should receive confirmation of the submission, and the report goes to the chair of the bias incident reporting team. The report is then reviewed by team members. If bias, discrimination, or harassment is indicated, the report is referred to the Title IX Coordinator for investigation. The reporting individual will receive an email that the bias incident reporting team has reviewed the report.
For additional information contact Kimberly Flint-Hamilton, kflint@stlawu.edu (315 229-1881). For immediate assistance, please refer to:
911 Emergency
SLU Safety and Security Office: 315-229-5555
SLU Health & Counseling Center: 315-229-5392
Availability of counseling and other support services for the victims of bias-related crime
If you believe that you have been the victim of a bias-related crime, remember that the Counseling Center and Health Services are available to all students free of charge. All consultations are fully confidential, and counseling is available whether or not you decide to report an incident of bias-related crime.
Safety orientations are conducted each year for first-year students during New Student Orientation and for all students at meetings held in the fall semester in each residence hall. In addition, numerous educational and awareness programs are sponsored throughout the year by Student Life. Safety & Security issues safety alerts when appropriate with information provided in a timely fashion to all members of the St. Lawrence University community. Safety alerts may sent by the SLU ALERT Notification System to campus email and text messaging.
Hate Crime Reports Information - Annual Security Report
08/22/2023 Destruction, Damages or Vandalism Based on Race
04/03/2022 Destruction, Damages or Vandalism Based on Religion
10/30/2021 Destruction, Damages or Vandalism Based on Gender Identity