Monitoring
Although this situation may not be ongoing actively, the Racist & Bias Incident Response Team is working with appropriate departments to monitor and prevent future reoccurrence. Those 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 February 3, 2024, an individual was walking to their car near the northern side of campus. As the person got into their car, a group of unidentified individuals driving by reversed their vehicle and yelled a homophobic slur out the window before driving off.
What is being done
The incident was reported to the Office for Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action and the University of Utah Police Department.
If you have any information related to this incident that may help, you can report the information using the Office of the Dean of Students’ website, report to the University of Utah Police by calling 801-585-2677, or fill out the silent witness form.
The University of Utah’s Commitment
The University of Utah is a center of learning, with a vision that through education, we can impact our world for the better. Our foundational principles recognize our shared humanity and the dignity of all people. The university is committed to continue efforts that uplift and celebrate our campus community and enhance a sense of belonging.
What to do
If you see or hear someone shouting slurs or engaging in threatening behavior, note the location and notify campus officials. Bystander efforts are one way of combatting conduct that can be wrongfully seen as a prank or joke but can cause real harm.
Support and resources
Counseling and support services are available from various entities on campus. Visit Campus Resources | #SAFEU (utah.edu) for more information.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Ana Ascencio, RBIRT Manager, at RBIresponse@utah.edu