What happened
On January 18, 2021, a student resident at the Lassonde Studios residence hall reported that they left their car parked in the Lassonde parking lot from January 12-18, and when they arrived at their car on January 18, they found racial and anti-LGBTQ+ slurs (the N-word and the F-word) written in the dust on the windows of the car. The student does not identify as a member of either group, so it does not appear the defacement was targeted at them.
What is being done
The incident was reported to Housing & Residential Education, University Police, and the Racist and Bias Incident Response Team. Surveillance footage from the surrounding cameras was reviewed, but a responsible party was not identified. University Police will further investigate and if any university community members are identified as having perpetrated this defacement, the Office of the Dean of Students, Human Resources, or other appropriate administrator will ensure that appropriate action is taken to address the incident.
What to do
Be vigilant and speak up. If you see someone behaving suspiciously in parking lots, engaging in defacement or vandalism, or notice a vehicle that has been defaced, note the location and notify a campus official. If you are interested in learning more about the variety of resources the U offers to support diversity and inclusion, please visit the Office of the Dean of Students in the Union Building, Room 270, deanofstudents@utah.edu, 801-581-7066, or the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Park Building, Room 208, or https://diversity.utah.edu/our-team/. To find out more about resources available to University residents related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, visit the Equity Lounge. To make a report of a racist or bias incident, visit the public reporting form.
The U is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion
We want to acknowledge that this incident was reported on Martin Luther King Day. The words written evoke white supremacy, and remind us that a violent, racist and homophobic past is still with us today. Acts like this invoke fear at a time that we are already feeling disconnected and when we are still 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. While we do not tolerate such behavior, when done covertly, we cannot stop the act in the moment. What we can do—and what we will do—is build our anti-racist muscles. We will continue to facilitate events and implement efforts that celebrate our communities as we witness an increasing number of racist acts on campuses across the nation. We will not allow a cowardly act to divide us or make us fear one another. This is the time to draw together.
For support in Lassonde, contact Resident Director, Carolyn Pavlovic at cpavlovic@housing.utah.edu.