What happened

On Saturday, April 30, University of Utah Police took a report from a person who is not faculty, staff, or student who was on campus to attend the Monster Jam event. The victim parked their vehicle in the lot adjacent to the Central Parking Garage. When the victim returned to their vehicle after the show, they noticed their car had been keyed and the word “Gay” was carved into the paint on the passenger side door.

 The victim is LGBTQIA+ therefore this may be classified as a hate crime.

What is being done

The incident is being investigated by University of Utah Police and was referred to the Racist and Bias Incident Response Team. Video footage of the event shows a group of individuals around the vehicle around the time the incident may have occurred, but information from those in the area may help the investigation proceed.

If you have any information related to this incident (or others) that may help, please report by filling out the form at the Office of the Dean of Students website. Or you can report to University of Utah Police by calling 801-585-2677 or filling out the Silent Witness form.

If, through the course of some review or investigation (by University Police, or other appropriate investigative body), the individual(s) responsible is identified, the Office of the Dean of Students (if confirmed to be a student), Human Resources (if confirmed to be an employee), or other appropriate leader, will act within university policy designed to hold the individual(s) accountable and, if appropriate, provide additional education about the harm caused to the community by this type of behavior.

What to do

Be vigilant and speak up. If you see someone engaging in vandalism, or talking about vandalizing property, 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 make a report of a racist or bias incident, visit the public reporting form.  

Stopping this type of behavior takes collective action, and bystander intervention efforts are one way of combatting conduct that can wrongfully be seen as a prank or joke but can cause real harm. To learn more about how to incorporate bystander intervention into your toolkit, check out the information here: https://wellness.utah.edu/workshops-training/#bystander.

The U is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Acts that demean, diminish, invalidate, and erase the experiences of members of our LGBTQIA⁺ community will not be tolerated. These acts cause harm and diminish a sense of belonging and safety for our LGBTQIA⁺ students, staff, faculty, and other community members. We are striving to create a campus community where individuals find a place of safety and belonging, and have the space to explore, express, and celebrate their various identities. While we will not tolerate such behavior, when done covertly, we cannot stop the act in the moment. We will continue to name the biased acts, investigate, and hold the perpetrators of these hateful acts accountable when they are identified. Additionally, we will continue efforts that uplift and celebrate our communities and enhance a sense of belonging on our campus.

Support and resources

If you have experienced or are impacted by biased or hateful behavior on our campus, we want to know so that we can address those acts quickly and provide support. Incidents can be reported to the Racist and Bias Incident Response Team here. Counseling and support services are available from several entities on campus: https://safeu.utah.edu/resources/

For trans and non-binary students, the LGBT Resource Center has online Trans Resources or can be visited in person in the Union. The Women’s Resource Center and University Counseling Center can provide confidential counseling services.

For trans and non-binary employees, Human Resources offers the Employee Assistance Program for counseling support. Anyone who is transitioning can seek additional support from HR for name changes and to work with colleagues on your team, if necessary. Additionally, the HR team has updated systems to include individuals’ chosen name, which includes the campus directory, Kronos, Bridge, new employee applications and more.

If you experience harassment or discrimination, visit the Office of Equal Opportunity, and please report.

For education to gain an understanding of trans and non-binary people, things affecting the trans and non-binary community, and how to be an advocate, The Trevor Project or the National Center for Transgender Equality are great places to start. U of U Health has created a Transgender Health Program, which is a great resource for trans and non-binary people, and also hosts several seminars that are educational for those interested in supporting the trans community.