What happened

On February 17, 2024, a Resident Advisor (RA) discovered that a community bulletin board featuring Black History Month was vandalized in Kahlert Village. The title of the bulletin board and its posters were torn into pieces and no other bulletin boards in the surrounding area were damaged. A similar incident of vandalism was discovered on the same bulletin board on February 25, where the title announcing Black History Month was ripped apart and one of the posters removed.

What is being done

The damaged signage and posters were restored and both incidents were subsequently reported to Housing & Residential Education and the Racist & Bias Incident Response Team. The cases were referred to University Police for investigation and the individual(s) responsible for the vandalism could not be identified.

If you have any information related to these incidents that may help, you can report the information using the Office of the Dean of Students’ website, report to the University of Utah Police by calling 801-585-2677, or fill out the silent witness form.

The University of Utah’s commitment

The University of Utah is a center of learning, with a vision that through education, we can impact our world for the better. Our foundational principles recognize our shared humanity and the dignity of all people. The university is committed to continue efforts that uplift and celebrate our campus community and enhance a sense of belonging.

What to do

If you see an instance of vandalism, including someone damaging or taking down posters, note the location and notify a campus official. Stopping this type of behavior takes collective awareness and action. To learn more about how bystander intervention can help prevent these types of incidents, visit https://wellness.utah.edu/workshops-training/#bystander.