A Message from President Glassner and Dean Gonzalez on an Issue of Community Safety and Concern - The Source - Lewis & Clark

November 21, 2015

Dear Lewis & Clark parents and alumni,

Recently, there have been some troubling events on campus, and we want to make sure you’re informed with the facts, as we know them, and what we’re doing. Late last night, one of our students who is black was physically assaulted on campus by three white males who have not yet been identified. Our student was treated on scene by medical personnel, returned to his residence hall, and is now physically safe and is being supported on campus by staff and friends. At his request, we are respecting his privacy and not sharing his name. 

Earlier this week, some racist posts were made on Yik Yak, a social media network that allows people on or near campus to make anonymous posts. We have chosen not to share those hateful postings here so as not to amplify the message or further empower the poster.

We don’t know if these incidents are directly related. We are not dismissing the possibility that the assault is a hate or bias crime, nor are the law enforcement agencies that are investigating the assault. Anyone with information about either of these incidents is encouraged to contact Campus Safety (503-768-7777) or the Portland Police Bureau (Central Precinct, 503-823-0097, or the general non-emergency line at 503-823-3333). In an emergency, call 911 immediately. Information gathered will help to ensure the safety of the entire Lewis & Clark community.

We are committed to Lewis & Clark being a safe, welcoming, and equitable place. We will not condone racist rhetoric and violence, discrimination, or hate speech and are fully cooperating with the authorities to identify the people responsible for these recent events.

We are, first and foremost, a vibrant educational community of scholars and students. We are engaged in meaningful work, and our classes and activities will continue.

We are addressing these incidents in the following ways:

We want to reiterate that we take these incidents very seriously and are diligently working to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our students and community members. We will provide more information and guidance as it is available. Please visit this page for the latest information:  https://www.lclark.edu/live/news/31639-an-issue-of-community-safety-and-concern.Feel free to reach out to us with your concerns. Understand, however, that we are focusing our resources on our on-campus community, so our ability to respond to phone calls and inquiries may be delayed. 

To ensure the safety of everyone in our community, and to respond to our students’ concerns and needs, our priority is to find the people posting hate speech and the assailants quickly. We will not allow this situation to distract us from our mission of cultivating scholars in an engaging, creative environment. Even as we look forward to a swift and just resolution of these troubling incidents, we recognize this as an opportunity to have difficult but necessary conversations about the society in which we live, and to celebrate the cultural, ethnic, and social diversity of the Lewis & Clark community.

For ongoing updates on these matters, please visit The Source. Sincerely,

Barry Glassner, PresidentAnna Gonzalez, Dean of Students

https://www.lclark.edu/live/news/31643-a-message-from-president-glassner-and-dean