Events
- 9/26Saturday
Race Against Racism 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm CET/GMT+1
Mauerpark TBC - 4/14Tuesday
Solidarität Rundgang 5:00 pm CET/GMT+1
Meeting point: Platanenstraße 24, 13156 Berlin
Promoting inclusive and equitable practices and removing existing barriers to enhance access and a sense of belonging to European higher education and the liberal arts.
Mission:Bard College Berlin aims to ensure equal access to educational opportunities by promoting participation, plurality, accessibility and a sense of belonging within all structures of the university. We are committed to preventing discrimination on the grounds of language, nationality, socioeconomic origin and status, ethnic origin, racist or antisemitic attributions, religion, disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, age, gender, sexual orientation, and to eliminating any existing discrimination.
Mission:
EOPN Office Values
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Commitments- Establish Complaints Office
- Holistic Review of the University System
- Measure Progress
- Promote Accountability and Transparency
- Publish Reports
- Increase Representation & Visibility
- Reduce Barriers to Education
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Community Goals- Staff & Faculty: Increase equitable and inclusive practices in employment processes such as recruitment, hiring, promotion & development opportunities, and employee satisfaction (retention rates) without discrimination and reducing structural barriers and bias.
- Students: Ensure accessible educational opportunities to applicants and enrolled students
- University System: Assess and implement inclusive and equitable practices, policies, structures, and procedures throughout the organization
- Communication: Encourage students, staff, faculty, and leadership to be transparent, remain accountable, to listen and have empathy towards one another for a stronger sense of community
Resources
Lauren Gaillard
Statement from the Director of EOPN
"With guidance from the EOPN office, my hope is to further equip the BCB community with the knowledge and best practices needed to navigate the complexity of the world and to empathize with individuals' identities. As a liberal arts institution, Bard College Berlin values democracy, and one of my personal aims is for the office to provide sustainable ways to highlight the plurality inherent in it. This office is dedicated to promoting accessible and equitable opportunities in higher education, which are key elements of our EOPN concept. Our commitments and community goals outline specific objectives we aim to achieve at BCB to drive systemic change. We acknowledge that creating such change and building equitable opportunities for all requires time, and it is this recognition that fuels our unwavering commitment to advancing what our office represents: equal opportunity, participation, nondiscrimination, accessibility, justice, and a sense of belonging."
Workshops and Events
The EOPN Office regularly holds empowerment workshops and invites experts to campus to talk about their experiences and provide support.
FAQ
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I am not sure whether what I have experienced qualifies as discrimination?
Even if you are not sure, a good talk with our EOPN Director can bring clarity as to what exactly happened. You are welcome to contact the EOPN Director, even if you are not sure whether what you experienced was really 'discrimination' and even if the incident happened some time ago. Often such experiences involve shame and guilt and can be very challenging and cause a lot of pain so that people find it difficult to talk about them. The EOPN Director can support you in reflecting on what you have experienced and, if you wish, in identifying further contact persons.
If you prefer external counseling, we have compiled some contact options for you.Where can I submit a complaint?
You can provide BCB staff with information regarding your concern via this reporting form.
It will take one to two business days to review and process any report submitted electronically. If there is an emergency or urgent concern please contact Student Life immediately (+49 157 57926 095).
Please note anonymous reporting limits the scope of response and possible follow-up actions.I was discriminated against, outside of campus, can I still be advised?
You are welcome to come and report your experience of discrimination to the EOPN office even if it did take place outside of campus context.
Our EOPN Director will be happy to provide initial counseling and, if needed, connect you with the necessary counseling center in Berlin that could help with further steps to assure you get an adequate answer to your problem.I was not discriminated against but I feel like I need to talk to someone. Can I still come by the office?
Everyone is welcome at the EOPN office. We are happy to listen to you even if you do not have a concrete complaint or a pending case of discrimination. If you need an open ear to listen, you are welcome to write us an email or just come by the office.
Please note that Bard College Berlin offers mental health services to all students. You can reach BCB’s counselor at counseling[at]berlin.bard.edu.Contact
Lauren Gaillard
Director of Equal Opportunity, Participation and Nondiscrimination
Office: Ground floor, K24
equalopportunity[at]berlin.bard.edu / +49 30 43733 139