Project Goals

Research undertaken under a previous NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation program yielded empirical evidence that bystander intervention in bias incidents mitigated their negative effect on academic workplace climate.[1] However, we also found that bystanders seldom took action when bias occurred. This reluctance could be attributed, at least in part, to the perceived risk associated with responding and a lack of knowledge on how to safely and effectively intervene. Notably, the existing literature predominantly treated bystander intervention as a binary phenomenon, focusing solely on whether bystanders acted or remained passive, rather than exploring methods of intervention. This project aimed to address this critical gap by achieving the following major goals.

1. To elucidate the myriad ways that colleagues might intervene in bias incidents in the academic workplace employing the three-phase Act Frequency method 
2. To evaluate the potential benefits and risks associated with each intervention strategy for each faculty rank and minority status
3. To develop an interactive online colleague intervention guide and decision tool that institutions could use to train their members in effective intervention strategies for addressing bias in the academic workplace

Project Outcomes Report

            Our project encompassed a three-phase research initiative, rooted in the Act Frequency method, designed to shed light on the diverse methods through which faculty colleagues could intervene when bias incidents occur. We collaborated with partner institutions across the country to recruit faculty who had witnessed bias incidents where someone had intervened. The project unfolded as follows: 

Phase 1:  We administered a survey to faculty members, asking them to describe the intervention behaviors they had observed. 

Phase 2:  Different respondents rated the extent to which they believed each of the 32 behaviors nominated in Phase 1 represented typical actions people might take when they witness bias in the workplace.

Phase 3:  We validated and assessed the reliability of the resulting 18 item Bystander Intervention Behavior scale.  This phase also included the measurement of variables expected to correlate with intervention behavior.  Our analysis confirmed the validity and reliability of the scale and confirmed that intervention behaviors had a positive impact on mitigating the negative effect of bias incidents on academic workplace climate. Our findings were published in a peer reviewed journal.[2]

            Faculty often face substantial career risk when they choose to intervene in bias incidents, especially those in probationary roles or those whose identities are considered underrepresented in their respective fields. To encourage all faculty members to intervene, it was imperative that the recommended intervention behaviors were diversified in terms of their associated risks. To achieve this, we incorporated risk assessment questions in our Phase 3 survey, and the responses were analyzed by faculty rank and minority status. 

            Additionally, we developed an online, asynchronous course aimed at enhancing awareness of various forms of bias in the academic workplace and their impact. The course featured realistic scenarios depicting common instances of bias, particularly in contexts where faculty members collaborate on significant decisions (i.e., faculty meetings, promotion and tenure committee meetings, and recruiting meetings) and where they interact in the workplace in general. Based on our research findings, we created examples of how bystanders could intervene to mitigate the impact of the bias incidents. These scenarios were brought to life through animated characters in video format. We then integrated these scenarios into a comprehensive course on bias in the workplace and effective intervention strategies. 

            The course entitled “IncludeU®:  Bystander Intervention in the Academic Workplace” was launched as a pilot at UNH, licensed, and its trademark secured. It has since become a requirement for anyone serving on a search committee for faculty or administrative staff.  In collaboration with the UNH Office of Innovation, this project marked UNH’s foray into e-commerce and the establishment of infrastructure for future commercial endeavors. The team received the 2022 J. Brent Loy Innovator of the Year award for Include U® from UNH-Innovation. To-date, more than 450 UNH faculty and staff members have participated in the training, with a majority finding it beneficial in understanding bias and its implications in the academic workplace, as well as learning how to effectively intervene when encountering bias. 

We have developed a robust marketing plan that has already led to two four-year universities purchasing the training for dissemination on their campus.  UNH-Innovation has even assigned a sales team to the project, suggesting the likelihood of increased sales and wider dissemination in the near future. 

Last Modified: 11/09/2023
Modified by: Kate H Siler