Statement on KKK Incident at The U

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 22, 2021

Contact: Avi D. Gordon, Executive Director Alums for Campus Fairness

917-332-1185, [email protected]

Alums for Campus Fairness (ACF) at The University of Utah (The U) is concerned about recent incidents involving white supremacists on campus.

In early October, a group of men walked into a dorm dressed in white hooded robes like the KKK. Now, we have learned that The U is investigating a second incident from early September, in which a Black student reported that feces was smeared on their dorm room door.

We call on Vice President Mary Ann Villareal and the Racist and Bias Incident Response Team to swiftly and thoroughly investigate these clear instances of bigotry. As Jewish alumni and allies, we are concerned about the threat that increased white supremacist activity at The U will have on the safety of the campus Jewish community.

While the recent statement from The U is a start, ACF will hold VP Villareal accountable for their commitment to “thoroughly reviewing internal processes to determine what actions are needed to address these issues and improve systems moving forward.” We call on The U to take tangible measures to protect all communities threatened by the rise in white supremacist activity on campus.

About ACF: Alums for Campus Fairness (ACF) is America’s unified alumni voice on issues of antisemitism, demonization of Israel, and bigotry. With over forty-five chapters, ACF positions thousands of alumni on the front lines of key issues at their alma maters and works to ensure that universities remain pillars of open dialogue and equal opportunity for all students. For more information, please visit www.campusfairness.org.