Students report racial intimidation, harassment following Presidential election
On at least two occasions since the Nov. 8 presidential election, the Central Michigan University Police Department has received complaints of racially-charged intimidation on or near campus.
Two incidents were reported by students on Nov. 9. The first involved an African-American student walking on Washington Street who heard someone from inside a passing car scream at her “Trump won you f---ing n----r.”
Later in the day, two African-American students confronted a white male student in the Towers Residence Real Food on Campus Dining Hall after he used a racial slur to address a group of African-American women discussing President-elect Donald Trump.
CMUPD Lt. Cameron Wassman said the department reported both incidents to the university’s Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity.
The incidents are part of an “uptick” in complaints about racial or gender harassment or intimidation on campus, according to Kathy Lasher, director of the Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity.
“Some of the incidents we’re seeing might not rise to the level of harassment and discrimination under the protocol or under the law,” Lasher said. “We’ve been working with Dr.(Carolyn) Dunn’s office on finding other avenues for people who want to have a discussion and express themselves on campus.”
Since the election, OCRIE has facilitated forums for minority students to express their feelings on what they call hateful rhetoric surfacing on campus. On Tuesday, the program “What Now?” — a conversation about racial issues held in the Bovee University Center Auditorium — gave students a voice. The incident in the RFoC was discussed.
Lasher would not confirm if OCRIE is investigating the two incidents. She would not provide any other data on how many incidents have been reported since Nov. 8.
“We can’t speak to specific cases if they’re involved in our office due to FERPA concerns,” Lasher said.
FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of students’ personally identifiable information.
Staff Reporter Jonathan Hogan contributed to this report.
