July 26, 2019

Update on noose incident


President

Provost

As you know, many people in our community have been working through the emotional distress associated with the recent report of a noose on campus. There have been a number of positive steps in recent days, involving people coming together in solidarity and support for one another. We want to express our thanks to those in our community who have been leading these efforts to promote discussion and healing.

The Department of Public Safety is continuing to investigate the noose incident and is seeking help from the university community. A bulletin with additional information has been posted on the Department of Public Safety website and also is being sent to recent residents of nearby houses. (Please be aware before clicking through that the bulletin includes photos of the noose.)

Unfortunately, we continue to confront hateful actions in our community that are troubling and inconsistent with our values. On Thursday afternoon, a whiteboard left outdoors near Kingscote Gardens was found covered in scribblings that, among other things, crudely wished violence on cities in the Middle East and Asia. The Department of Public Safety responded, and the writings then were removed.

The Department of Public Safety believes it has identified the person responsible for the writings, who had recently been contacted by police regarding other conduct on campus. The person is not a member of the university community and has been given an order to stay away from the campus.

To be clear, behavior of the type that has occurred on campus recently is not acceptable. As members of this community, we seek to extend to one another the fundamental respect for each other’s human dignity that leaves no room for such vitriol and hatred.

We want to encourage anyone who is feeling threatened or fearful as a result of recent events to seek support from university resources. One of several events occurring this week will be held this afternoon, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., at the Black Community Services Center. Called “Turn Hate into Hope: Self-Care for Challenging Times,” the session will be led by Donnovan Somera Yisrael, a senior health educator at Vaden Health Center.

In addition, we are including below some of the other ongoing resources available to members of our community, wherever you are this summer. Please reach out for the support you need. You have our fervent best wishes for your health and well-being.

Sincerely,

Marc Tessier-Lavigne
Persis Drell

 

University Resources

  • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available for students 24/7 at (650) 723-3785 and https://vaden.stanford.edu/get-help-now. Students who are off-campus and traveling can still contact CAPS as a resource.
  • The Bridge Peer Counseling Center offers counseling by trained students and can be reached at (650) 723-3392.
  • The Graduate Life Office is available 24/7 at (650) 723-7288. Please provide pager ID number 25085 to the operator. GLO can be reached during office hours at (650) 736-7078.
  • Residence Deans (RDs) are available to help undergraduates. An on-call RD is available 24/7 at (650) 504-8022.
  • The Office for Religious Life offers pastoral care and spiritual guidance and can be reached at (650) 723-1762.
  • The Faculty Staff Help Center offers confidential assistance for faculty and staff. More information is available at https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/faculty-staff-help-center.
  • The Department of Public Safety can be reached at 911 in an emergency or 9-911 from a university phone, and at (650) 329-2413 in a non-emergency.
  • Reporting an Act of Intolerance can be done at https://deanofstudents.stanford.edu/acts-intolerance-protocol/reporting-procedure.