What happened

On August 31, 2023, the University of Utah Police received various complaints regarding an individual claiming to be a preacher near the A. Ray Olpin Student Union engaging with students and stating they would “go to hell for their sins” as he held a large, double-sided sign above his head with a “warning” to those who may form part of protected classes under university policy.

What is being done

The incident was reported to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (OEO/AA) and the Racist and Bias Incident Response Team (RBIRT).

The U is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion

Although the conduct is protected by the First Amendment, it does not represent the views of the University of Utah. The university continues to condemn bias, discrimination, racism, bigotry, and hate in the strongest possible terms. We support fostering an inclusive campus and are committed to diversity. U administrators want to assure students, faculty, and staff that they are dedicated to creating a safe, welcoming, and equitable campus where we work together to engage, support, and advance a living, learning, and working environment that fosters values of respect, diversity, inclusivity, and academic excellence.

What to do

Be vigilant and speak up. The university respects the free speech rights of the campus community but it also recognizes that protected speech can still be hurtful. The university encourages members of the campus community and visitors to express their views in the most respectful way possible.

We will continue to name the biased acts, and do what we can to achieve cultural change on campus. While offensive, hate speech and slurs are generally still protected under the first amendment, but where and when we can, we will take action that is allowable within those afforded free speech protections. Additionally, we will continue efforts that uplift and celebrate our communities and enhance a sense of belonging on our campus.