Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The University of Utah racism response team is investigating two separate incidents from this fall — one where feces was found on the door to a student's room and another report of people dressed like the Ku Klux Klan trying to recruit people in a dorm.
The first incident happened in September, according to a University of Utah spokesperson. A paper towel with a brown substance, which appeared to be feces, was found on the door to a student's room. The student was immediately moved to another dorm and staff cleaned it up that night, the spokesperson said.
The second incident happened in October at the same dorm building, according to the spokesperson. A resident assistant at the dorm overheard two students talking about some people who were dressed in "white KKK-like attire" who were trying to recruit people in the dorm. The RA reported hearing the conversation to the front desk of the dorm, and housing staff reviewed three days worth of surveillance video, but didn't find anything, the spokesperson said.
Two other on-campus incidents of racism or bias have yet to be fully resolved, according to the U.'s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion department.
On Dec. 10, a student reported that they had found a racial slur and other bullying language written in the dust on the windows of their car in the parking lot of the Chapel Glen residence hall several days earlier. The student who reported the incident does not identify as Black, so it doesn't appear the defacement was targeted at them, the department wrote.
That incident is currently under review. The university's Racist & Bias Incident Response Team has been notified and is working to identify the people responsible, the department's website says.
The U. also reviewed a September incident where two students allegedly called a contract worker a racial slur and threw sunflower seeds and coffee pods at the person. That incident was reported to campus officials, who were able to identify the two students involved and hold them accountable through the U.'s conduct process.
The U.'s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion department is currently monitoring the September incident because although the situation is not actively ongoing, the university's Racist & Bias Incident Response Team is working with the appropriate departments to make sure it does not happen again.
"Let me be clear, racist and hateful behavior on our campus is an offense to our entire community, particularly our communities of color," U. President Taylor Randall said in a statement sent to students in November. "These actions will be called out for what they are — behaviors rooted in hate and racism. I will remain steadfast and vocal in our working with our leadership team to create a safe, welcoming and equitable campus that fosters values of respect, diversity, inclusivity and belonging. I encourage everyone on our campus to do the same."
Things of this nature also occurred recently targeting a Black history mural on the campus of Washington University in Clayton, Mo., prompting a call for a hate crime investigation by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Missouri-based human rights organization that describes itself as the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization.
In a statement regarding the incidents at the University of Utah, CAIR national communications coordinator Ismail Allison said, "It is not sufficient to merely react to incidents of hate and bigotry after they occur. The university must be proactive in challenging racism and white supremacy. We call on university officials to offer an anti-racist curriculum to all students and make clear that acts of bigotry targeting any minority community will not be tolerated on campus."
The University of Utah condemned the reported acts in a statement published on its website Tuesday and acknowledged "fear and frustration in our students and community members when they are already feeling vulnerable" with such incidents, university officials wrote. "We understand that the community, especially our Black students, are feeling exhausted, targeted and disconnected but we must remain vigilant in striving to ensure that all our staff, students and faculty are able to find a place of safety and belonging as a part of our campus community.
"The university strongly condemns the KKK and white supremacy, as the values held by these groups are contradictory to a sense of safety and belonging for our community. We will continue to name racist acts, investigate and hold the perpetrators of these hateful acts accountable when they are identified. Additionally, we will proactively implement efforts that uplift and celebrate our communities as we witness an increasing number of racist acts on our campuses across the nation. This is the time to draw together and call out these acts when we see them."
The University encouraged students and community members to "be vigilant and speak up," and asked anyone who has any information about either of these incidents, to report it to its racism response team at 801-587-2002 or University Police at 801-585-2677.
Contributing: Ashley Moser, Arianne Brown
