OMBUDS

Safe and secure reporting for Universities

Data Process Model

Data Models from Tableau

Violent Hate Crime Victimizations, By reporting to Police and Most Important Reason for Not Reporting, 2015-2019

2019 On-Campus Hate Crimes at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions

In 2019, over 27,000 criminal incidents were reported and only 758 were considered hate crimes on college campuses.

42% of crimes are unreported. We’re seeing incidents relating to discrimination are either not being reported as frequently or categorized correctly. As diversity in universities increases, resources need to follow. In a survey conducted by Niche, almost half of the high school students said that a diverse student body was “a must-have feature” on their campus.  

The climate is shifting and universities need to be prepared. Through OMBUDS we’re systematically changing the way DEI data is collected and reported.

Taking a Closer Look… 

We surveyed various Temple University students about their current process to report grievances related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

Temple has over 50,000 students and faculty.

Looking at a safety and security report from 2022, Temple reported 1 crime as a hate crime reported and 15 crimes relating to sexual assault. Now keep in mind, other forms of discrimination were not even mentioned. This is great until you see the following statistics from the 2022-Higher-Education-DEI-Survey by Hanover Research.

  • “Black students feel that the resources available to under-resourced groups are inadequate”
  • “67% of students with disabilities feel they’ve been negatively singled out because of their identity”
  • “50% of college students report a lack of awareness about DEI initiatives as the largest barrier to getting involved.”

We conducted our own survey of Temple University students. 58% of Owls are unsure of how to report an issue meaning 25,000+ students and faculty are uninformed of the process and are unlikely to file a report. This limits the University’s progress and leaves students and faculty feeling unsafe and unsupported.

“Schools, unlike the state, must take up every report for adjudication and response according to the victim’s wishes. For most campus survivors, then, their school may be their only resource for justice and safety.”– knowyourix.org

Our solution is to give Temple University easy tools to measure progress and accountability and solve each issue brought to your attention. 

Key Processes Impacted 

In the current situation, it’s hard to keep universities accountable for their DEI efforts due to the fact that there is no centralized database pertaining to colleges’ and universities’ grievance reports. Each college customizes the metrics in which they are measuring. Leaving no room to compare to one other (different variables, statistics, etc.). The end user is left ignored and confused. Looking at the current “As-Is” process for Temple, Navex, and the end user, we can see a lot of missed opportunities and chances for confusion. 

OMBUDS can improve the following processes:  

  • Quantifying college’s/universities’ DEI progress
  • Systematically changing the way DEI data is collected and reported
  • Improving incoming/prospective student recruitment

We want to make sure every student’s and faculty’s concerns are addressed and handled. This can prevent colleges and universities from falling into serious crisis management and instead provide safety for students and staff alike and save the university thousands in PR damages.

Seeking to find an understanding by appropriately handling offenders and tracking areas where the university needs progress. 

Data Sources: 

Examples of “as-is”

University-specific 

Reader Interactions

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