From the President, re: Antisemitic Graffiti on Campus

November 1, 2024

Yesterday, when I was alerted about the discovery of antisemitic graffiti on campus it was a troubling reminder of the bigotry and discrimination that continue to divide our society and the work we need to do to uphold our values as a social justice institution.

At a time when we are deeply focused on establishing a community of care - supporting every member of our Southern family who is in pain or feeling scared and vulnerable during this period of global turmoil - it is unacceptable that our Jewish community was targeted in this way. When one part of our extended community is harmed, we are all harmed as a result.

Actions intended to intimidate and dehumanize cannot be the way we live together and treat one another.  Such actions violate the social justice principles that define our community and will not be tolerated.

Conduct of this nature contravenes university policy and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. University Police are continuing their investigation into this matter and the graffiti, which was found in three bathrooms and on one vending machine, has been removed by our facilities team.  Please report any future incidents to University Police in a timely manner. Police may be contacted at (203) 392-5375 or through Silent Witness or the LiveSafe app.

In these challenging times, it is critical that we stand together with empathy and unity, lifting each other up and rejecting intimidation, harassment, discrimination, and all forms of unfair and harmful treatment. If you or someone you know would benefit from support, below is a list of campus resources that may be helpful:

Everyone has the right to feel safe and respected on our campus. Therefore, let us lead the way by disavowing hateful and threatening speech and actions in any form. And let us renew our shared commitment to provide an environment where individuals of all identities and experiences are welcomed, appreciated, and fully included. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Dwayne Smith
Interim President