On Wednesday, Ohio University President Hugh Sherman sent a university-wide email updating students, faculty and staff on the steps it has taken regarding the racist hate crime that occurred over the weekend.
On Sunday, a trash bag with a racist note taped to it was placed outside a residence hall room in Sargent Hall, located on West Green. According to a previous Post report, the note contained racist language and sparked outrage among the campus community.
A second incident — which OUPD believes is unrelated to Sunday's hate crime — occurred early Monday morning and involved an OU baseball player who urinated on a Black resident assistant’s door in James Hall, also located on West Green, damaging property inside the room. OUPD charged the student with criminal mischief and has not been able to determine a racial motive in the case. OU is also addressing the James Hall incident through its Student Code of Conduct Process, according to Sherman’s email.
OUPD is currently investigating the incident that occurred in Sargent Hall.
Following those events, many individuals took to social media to express their feelings regarding the situation and ask OU to protect students of color on campus. In the email, Sherman acknowledged those who asked OU to be more transparent in its response to the racism on campus.
Sherman reaffirmed the university’s dedication to an inclusive campus and said university staff has met with students living in both James and Sargent halls to learn more about how the incidents have impacted students. Sherman also said OU has offered students a chance to move to a different residence hall.
Sherman said he is personally committed to building a respectful community and asked those who experience or witness a “campus climate or bias-related incident” to report it to University Equity and Civil Rights Compliance.
Anyone with information on the Sargent Hall incident is encouraged to contact OUPD by phone at 740-593-1911 or email at police@ohio.edu.
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