To the campus community,
We became aware today of a recent social media post by an Ithaca College student that contains an abhorrent racial slur. The college strongly condemns such language as antithetical to our values, and we understand the hurt that our community has experienced as a result of it. Such incidents are a reminder that we can never become complacent, and that education is a constant and ongoing necessity when striving to make our campus a place where respect for all people is truly our community’s standard.
As an immediate step, we have reached out directly to the student who posted the video, to help the student learn from the harm that it has caused. I also am inviting our campus to an open conversation during the noon hour on Tuesday, Dec, 11, in Klingenstein Lounge in the Campus Center. The discussion will be co-facilitated by La Jerne Terry Cornish, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; Bonnie Solt Prunty, dean of students; and Sean Eversley Bradwell, director of the Center for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Social Change (IDEAS).
We invite all members of the campus community to participate in this dialogue and to share your concerns, your questions, and your suggestions.
As always, anyone who has been affected by a bias-related incident can find support, resources, and options for reporting incidents at www.ithaca.edu/diversity/support.
As a reminder, the college cannot regulate the speech of our community members, but that does not mean we must simply let racist speech go unchallenged. As an educational institution, we are obligated to use the empowering force of learning, dialogue, and critical examination to create a campus environment where all can learn, live, and work in peace.
Rosanna Ferro
Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life