Skip to main content

President Huftalin's Message About Hatred, Racism Following Incident

 

Note: The following message was emailed by SLCC President Deneece G. Huftalin on Feb. 4 to everyone at the college.


Dear SLCC Community:

With a heavy and disappointed heart, I must share that today during our Black Student Union’s Poetry Slam, unknown online hackers entered the virtual space and displayed anti-Black racist messages and inappropriate images of children.

What was meant to be a liberating space for freedom of speech, creative expression and celebration was affronted inexcusably by online hackers.  As our country has mourned and protested this year over other social injustices, inequities and harm experienced by our African American and Black community members, this incident reminds us that even very close to home there are people who are intentionally seeking to foster anti-Black messages of hate and new forums where they can find opportunities.

My thanks go out to Ms. Glory Johnson-Stanton and other Student Affairs and Health and Counseling staff who acted quickly and compassionately to support the Black Student Union leaders and students in attendance.  Please know that continued support and assistance can be found through the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, the Dean of Students Office or through the SLCC Center for Health and Counseling.

Our Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs staff, advisors and the members of the Black Student Union have planned important and meaningful events to celebrate Black history.  My hope is that all of you will stand in support of their work by attending their events, engaging with them in community and conversation and finding ways to make your own spaces more inclusive.  

There is no space for hateful and racist speech on our campuses.  SLCC Public Safety, Utah Highway Patrol, and SLCC’s Office of Information Technology are actively investigating this incident and we will take action against those who were involved.  We have strong mechanisms for reporting and responding to hate and bias speech, including the Hate & Bias Incident Report Form and we continue to strengthen our mitigation mechanisms to ensure all our campuses, learning and working spaces, including (now more than ever) online spaces, are free from racism, hate, intimidation and interference with learning. 

Deneece

Deneece G. Huftalin, PhD
President
Salt Lake Community College

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...
Post a Comment
Read more

SLCC All Access

Did you know you can access SLCC lab software for free from your own computing device?   Come learn how SLCC is supporting BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) with All Access. The goal of All Access is to provide any time, any place, and any device access to college computing and lab software SLCC students, faculty and staff.  All Access works on almost any device from a PC or Mac, to tablets and smart phones.  With All Access you can use programs like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, AutoCAD, MatLab, Mathematica, MyITLab, NetBeans, and online Library Databases.  We also provide you with online storage space so you can save your files in the cloud and have access to them wherever you are.  Anyone is welcome to this session where we will cover the basics of All Access, give you some tips and tricks for getting the most out the system, and we’ll also have some people there to help get your computer set up.  When and where: ...
1 comment
Read more

SLCC Alumnus and U.S. Diplomat to Speak at 2025 Commencement

Salt Lake Community College’s 2025 Commencement speaker Branigan Knowlton will share his perspectives drawn from a 12-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. In serving his country, Knowlton has honed his foreign relations and diplomacy skills in Hong Kong, Mexico, Colombia and Italy. Knowlton is also a proud Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) alumnus (2002).     Knowlton currently serves at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. Before reporting to the embassy, he was detailed to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport as part of the Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship program. In Bogotá, Knowlton worked for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and in Hermosillo, Mexico, he worked for the Bureau of Consular Affairs. His first assignment abroad was in Hong Kong, where he worked for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.     "I've actively sought opportunities that push me into the unfamiliar, even when ...
Post a Comment
Read more