Fwd: Racial Incidents on Campus

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lou Anna K. Simon, President <presmail@msu.edu>
Date: Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 2:31 PM
Subject: Racial Incidents on Campus
To: MSU Students <msustudents@msu.edu>

October 4, 2011

Dear MSU Student:

I have been made aware of a recent incident on campus involving
graffiti with a racial/ethnic slur directed at an individual student
on the door of the student's room. Shortly after this incident, I was
also made aware of an incident involving the same racial epithet
written on the walls of a different residence hall, along with
sexually explicit graphics on several walls in the same residence
hall. In this case, the vandalism was discovered in the early hours of
the morning and removed very quickly by staff.

Both incidents were immediately dealt with by Interim Vice President
Maybank, Assistant Vice President Gore, and the Campus Living staff.
Importantly, their first concern was the well-being of the individual
student affected in the first incident. They also communicated with
students in residence halls alerting them to the incidents and staff
began to implement support programming. Dr. Maybank initiated
communication with the student leadership. This work is on-going. I am
very concerned about this behavior and its impact on individual
students and our University community. Such behavior is not
representative of MSU's values nor should it be tolerated.

It should go without saying that the University supports free speech
including the use of words that are offensive to most in our
community. However, given the nature of these incidents, the MSU
police were immediately contacted and the matter has been turned over
to them to investigate, not only as a form of vandalism, but also as
potential ethnic intimidation. I am personally awaiting the outcome of
the police investigation.

Regrettably as I was preparing to send this letter to you today, I was
made aware of a third incident of racial/ethnic intimidation on
campus. The MSU police have been asked to investigate this incident
individually and as part of this rash of incidents. In my many years
at MSU, this rash of incidents at various parts of the campus in such
a short timeframe is unmatched, is extraordinarily troubling and
creates a legitimate concern that all of us must address.

Acts of this nature have resulted in members of the community feeling
threatened and devalued. As a member of the MSU community we ask for
your cooperation and assistance in sustaining a campus that is
supportive of everyone. If you are a victim of or have knowledge of
these incidents, please contact the MSU police (355-2221). If at any
time you are a victim of or a witness to behavior that is contrary to
our values of inclusion, you should report them to the appropriate
person or office, including the MSU police, Office of Student Affairs
and Services (Interim Vice President, Denise Maybank) or the Office
for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives (Director, Paulette
Granberry Russell). Your residence hall mentors, cultural aides, and
the staff of Residence Life are ready to assist you. Please know that
we are committed to creating and maintaining a climate where all
members of the MSU community are welcome and respected.

Sincerely,

Lou Anna Kimsey Simon,
Ph.D. President