Dear Kent State University Students, Faculty and Staff,
In the fall semester, we committed to making you aware of incidents of bias and racism, and that we would do so even if these incidents were not viewed by the public nor shared on social media. In keeping with our promise of being transparent and open, we are writing to make you aware of the racist defacing of a plaque on the Kent Campus and the steps we are taking to address it.
Yesterday, we were made aware that the N-word was marked on a campus fixture. This act of vandalism comes from a place of hate, and Kent State will not tolerate it. The Kent State Police Department was immediately made aware of the incident and has begun a criminal investigation. To our Black students, faculty and staff, we realize the pain and hurt that this causes. Please know that we support you.
We look forward to the day when we no longer have to send such messages. Actions like this only reaffirm our values and our commitment to being an anti-racist campus. We call on everyone in our Kent State community to be agents of positive social change so we can create a better world for all of us. We ask that you step up as allies and continue to educate yourselves in order to counter racism and discrimination on all of our campuses.
On April 8 at 5 p.m., Kent State's Anti-Racism Task Force will host a virtual Town Hall via Zoom. At the town hall, we will not only reaffirm our commitment to anti-racism, but we will do so by announcing a series of immediate actions we will take in order to continue to dismantle racism at Kent State. Register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the town hall meeting.
If you have any information about the incident, we urge you to contact the Kent State Police Department at 330-672-3070.
Sincerely,
Todd Diacon
President
Amoaba Gooden, Ph.D.
Interim Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Lamar R. Hylton, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs