Closed
After a period of 90 days with no new information, cases are considered closed. However, if new information becomes available or there are other updates those will be posted here. Individuals who believe they have been the target of bias, intolerance or discrimination may report an incident to the public incident report form (bias and intolerance) or the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (sexual misconduct and discrimination).
Please direct any questions or concerns in regard to this bias incident to the RBIRT Manager at RBIresponse@utah.edu.
What happened
On December 10, 2021, a student resident in the Chapel Glen residence hall reported that they left their car parked in the Chapel Glen parking lot, and when they arrived at their car on December 6th, they found a racial slur (the N-word) as well as other bullying language written in the dust on the windows of the car. The student does not identify as Black, so it does not appear the defacement was targeted at them.
What is being done
The incident was reported to Housing & Residential Education and the Racist and Bias Incident Response Team and the reporting student was encouraged to report to University Police as well. Surveillance footage from the surrounding cameras has been reviewed, but a responsible party has not of yet been identified.
If through the course of some review or investigation any university community members are identified as having perpetrated this defacement, the Office of the Dean of Students, Human Resources, or other appropriate administrator will take action within University Policy designed to hold the individual(s) accountable and provide additional education about the harm caused to the community by this type of behavior.
Housing & Residential Education will post messaging throughout the Chapel Glen residence hall calling out inappropriate and racist behavior, encouraging folks to speak up, providing support resources, and reminding them that they are welcome, valued and belong in our community.
What to do
Be vigilant and speak up. If you see someone behaving suspiciously in parking lots, engaging in defacement or vandalism, or notice a vehicle that has been defaced, note the location and notify a campus official. If you are interested in learning more about the variety of resources the U offers to support diversity and inclusion, please visit the Office of the Dean of Students in the Union Building, Room 270, deanofstudents@utah.edu, 801-581-7066, or Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Park Building, Room 208, or https://diversity.utah.edu/our-team/. To find out more about resources available to University residents related to equity, diversity, and inclusion, visit the Equity Lounge. To make a report of a racist or bias incident, visit the public reporting form.
The U is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion
The words written evoke white supremacy and remind us that a violent and racist past is still with us today. Acts like this invoke fear at a time that we are already feeling disconnected and when we are still striving to ensure that all our staff, students, and faculty are able to find a place of safety and belonging as a part of our campus community.
While we will not tolerate such behavior, when done covertly, we cannot stop the act in the moment. What we can do—and what we will do—is build our anti-racist muscles. We will continue to name the racist acts, investigate, and hold the perpetrators of these hateful acts accountable when they are identified. Additionally, we will proactively implement efforts that uplift and celebrate our communities as we witness an increasing number of racist acts on our campuses across the nation.
We will not allow a cowardly act to divide us or make us fear one another. This is the time to draw together and call out these acts when we see them.
Support and resources
Counseling and support services are available from several entities on campus:
For support in Chapel Glen, contact Resident Director Caitlyn Lee, CLee@housing.utah.edu, 801-587-0820.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Brian Jay Nicholls, Special Assistant to the Chief Safety Officer at RBIresponse@utah.edu.