Photo from: @bsuutica on Instagram

Several Utica University students received racist text messages on Nov. 6 as part of a nationwide harassment effort targeting individuals of color.

At least 10 students received these text messages near Election Day and more students of color have received them since, according to Xavier Moore, president of Brothers On a New Direction, historian of the Black Student Union and vice president of Student Government Association. 

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, these text messages originated from difficult to trace phone numbers and the identity of the offenders have yet to be publicly identified. 

Moore expressed concerns about racial discrimination on campus and ways to improve the comfort and safety of students in the community. After the election, some students were upset by the actions of a few other students, he said. 

“A student reported that in South Hall students were running around their hall yelling racial slurs and glorifying Trump,” Moore said. “Another student reported that during the following nights of the election, students outside of a first-year hall were screaming partisan opinions and racial remarks.”

Utica University President Todd Pfannestiel said he was not made aware of these reports because no one has reported it to his office.

“We would deal with that directly,” Pfannestiel said. “If anybody would bring concern forward, we would immediately investigate. We would find out what happened, and we would take appropriate actions because that is completely unacceptable at this university and I will never put up with that.”

Anthony Baird, vice president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, said people have a right to celebrate their political parties win, however “the line gets crossed when we dehumanize someone in the name of that celebration and that’s when it becomes problematic.”

“When you hear things or expressions that are antithetical to the values that we espouse here on campus through our stand statement, individuals should be held accountable based on the policies that we have and the rules and sanctions that we have on campus,” Baird said. “If we allow one person to the next to the greater, dehumanize another, then we have a case of normlessness and that would only bring chaos.”

Moore said the campus must remain vigilant to prevent cases of bias and racial discrimination inside and outside of the classroom. It must be ensured that the students are aware of the resources available to them to which they can submit reports.  

“These texts are being sent through text, but the problem also lies on this campus,” Moore said. “Racist bigotry will only increase in intensity if this campus doesn’t put its foot down.”

Baird explained that the “community we get is what the community allows.” 

“It starts with students picking up against those behaviors that are not consistent with what’s appropriate and what is consistent with the values of the community,” Baird said. “One of the ways we bring about that civility on campus is when we see something, we say something. We stand up against it and we have policies that govern our behavior and support one another.”  

Moore said Pfannestiel “should give an actual speech, not just an email” to stand firm against racism, sexism and bigotry because most students of color have to adjust to being at a predominately white insitution.

“I come from a town with a more significant population of people of color, so coming here I had to adapt to not seeing myself in the community or faculty,” Moore said. “With a nationwide increase of discriminatory actions and bigotry, it makes students of color uncomfortable knowing people we trusted may, in truth, despise us for nothing more than the skin we were born with or the sex that we were born into.” 

Moore said the fight against racism is not limited to students of color and BOND is working to establish a student support organization, not only to demonstrate their opposition to racism, sexism and bigotry in all its manifestations, but also to demonstrate that victory will require more than just themselves. 

Shad Crowe, vice president for Facilities and Emergency Management, said his office has close ties with the identified agencies that are continuing to investigate the origins of the text messages and that information will be shared as soon as it is made available.   

“Our world is very small and a ‘lifetime’ happens very fast. There is no room for bigotry and racism. There is no time for hatred and division,” Crowe said. “I know we hear it too often, but it bears repeating, good people everywhere must continue to stand in solidarity against those vile actors intent on spreading hate and discontent – whose only goal is to create anarchy and pain.” 

To report a bias-related incident, visit https://www.utica.edu/bias-incident-reporting