Penn State president offers support to Black faculty who reported possible hate crime
Penn State’s president voiced support Tuesday for two Black faculty members who reported a possible hate crime at their home.
President Eric Barron labeled the report a “very serious possible hate incident” and said the unnamed employees found it “deeply distressing.” He did not offer additional details in the email to students, faculty and staff.
The faculty members told police they found a rope hanging from a tree Monday and felt it was deliberately placed there to harass them, Patton Township police Chief Tyler Jolley said.
The department’s investigation found a child arbitrarily threw the rope onto the tree. There was “no malice,” Jolley said.
It was not immediately clear if the faculty members agreed with the department’s finding.
The investigation is ongoing, Jolley wrote in a statement Wednesday. Additional witnesses may call 814-234-0273 or 800-479-0050.
The Centre Region has become more aware of possible hate crimes or forms of ethnic intimidation. More than a handful have been reported since the start of the new year.
Several members of the university’s Black Caucus said they endured “traumatizing” and over racism in January when more than four dozen users invaded one of the group’s Zoom meetings to hurl racial slurs.
An online event meant to honor the legacy of Black women who were at the forefront of movements against sexual violence was commandeered in February by a white man who demonstrated or displayed violent, racist messages.
There are several more examples, including a white nationalist hate group defiling the Martin Luther King Jr. mural in State College and a Pride mural in Bellefonte.
Barron encouraged those who experience or witness potential acts of hate to file reports with police. Acts of hate can also be reported to the Penn State Hotline at 800-560-1637 or by visiting hotline.psu.edu or equity.psu.edu/reportbias.
“The incident underscores the importance of our anti-racism work as a university and as a community of scholars,” Barron wrote. “It also underscores the importance of our town-gown work to build a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all who live here.”
This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 3:57 PM.