An open letter to St. Joe’s students and colleagues:

We are writing on behalf of the Faculty Senate in response to The Hawk’s coverage last week of the racist incident that took place on our campus in September. We are deeply disturbed at the fact that a member of our St. Joe’s community chose to use a slur against two other community members and that they have experienced discomfort and fear as a result. We recognize, from the results of the campus Climate Survey of last year, that this is not just one isolated incident. Instead, it highlights the work we have in front of us to make our campus a safe and welcoming space for all individuals. We commend The Hawk’s editorial staff for their decision to bring this story to light and renewing what we hope will be an open and frank conversation about what we can all do to ensure everyone on our campus feels welcomed, respected and included. Above all, we as the Faculty Senate affirm an ongoing commitment to carrying out the St. Joe’s mission of “striving to be an inclusive and diverse community that educates and cares for the whole person.”

In solidarity,

Ron Dufresne, Catalina Arango, Brian Yates, Jing Lin, and Elaine Shenk

Faculty Senate Executive Committee