Presbyterian College is committed to creating an environment where every member of our campus is treated with respect. Our honor code emphasizes the importance of respecting “persons and property of the community” and clearly states that PC “will not condone discourteous or dishonest treatment by peers.” We uphold these principles to ensure all community members can thrive in a respectful atmosphere.
Bias incidents may be reported using the BIAS INCIDENT REPORT FORM or by contacting any of the following college employees:
Dr. Selena Blair
Vice President of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion & Title IX Coordinator
864-833-8206
sblair@presby.edu
Dr. Erin McAdams
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
864-833-8233
esmcadams@presby.edu
Andrew Peterson
Dean of Students
864-833-8486
atpetso@presby.edu
Sandy Dowdle
Executive Director of Human Resources
(864) 833-8207
sldowdle@presby.edu
We encourage you to report incidents that negatively impact our campus climate, especially those involving bias. Bias includes intentional or unintentional acts of hostility or bigotry—through words or actions—targeting someone based on race, national origin, religion, citizenship, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or military service.
Bias incidents may include discrimination, hate speech, harassment, offensive imagery, threats, vandalism, physical confrontation, or similar conduct or communication online or through social media.
The bias report form is not for emergencies. For immediate threats, violence, injury, fire, or crime, call 911 or Campus Police at 864-833-8911.
We encourage all members of our community to report any incident of bias whether you are a complainant, bystander/witness, or a concerned member of the PC community.
Once a report is filed, it is reviewed by the Vice President for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion & Title IX Coordinator, the Executive Director for Human Resources, the Provost, and the Dean of Students. It is then assigned to the appropriate college official for investigation.
If you provide contact information, the Vice President for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will reach out within 48 hours. The investigating college official will follow up within 24 hours of receiving the report.
Presbyterian College believes that free expression and open inquiry are the lifeblood of a transformative education. We actively encourage the honest exchange of ideas—even challenging or controversial ones—as essential to intellectual growth. At the same time, we recognize that our mission calls for respectful interaction within our community. These dual commitments—to academic freedom and to civil discourse—sometimes create tension, but both are necessary. As we learn, live, and work together, we strive to honor these complementary values, recognizing that navigating this balance is part of what makes our academic community both challenging and rewarding.
Learning requires intellectual challenge, which sometimes means engaging with ideas that make us uncomfortable or that we find offensive. At Presbyterian College, we protect the right to express differing viewpoints both in and outside the classroom. Academic discussions remain protected even when topics are controversial. We distinguish between critiquing ideas or actions—which is part of healthy discourse—and targeting someone’s personal characteristics, which may constitute bias. Our bias reporting process respects this distinction and is designed to protect community members without restricting legitimate academic freedom or the expression of controversial ideas.
For concerns about academic freedom:
503 South Broad Street