Updated: Monday, Nov. 14, 5:17 p.m.
Individuals involved in a racially charged video in blackface are no longer students at ACU, said Dr. Phil Schubert, president of the university, in an email to students, faculty and parents.
“Harassment of any kind is not tolerated at our university, and action is being taken to minimize the spread of this senseless attempt to make fun of others,” Schubert said in the email. “I cannot emphasize strongly enough that this kind of hurtful behavior has no place on our campus or on behalf of ACU. Whether on social media or in person, we must hold ourselves to high standards of accountability for what we publish or say.”
Schubert’s email linked to the university’s anti-harassment policy, which defines “discriminatory harassment” as following (emphasis added):
Article IV, Section B
“Discriminatory Harassment” – any detrimental action based on an individual’s sex, religion, race, age, color, national origin, veteran’s status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law when such conduct:
- is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with or limits the individual’s work or educational performance or one’s ability to participate in or benefit from the University’s educational program or activity; or
- creates a working, learning, or living environment that a reasonable person would find intimidating, hostile, or offensive.
Examples of Discriminatory Harassment may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Threats or insinuations that a person’s status or other condition of employment or academic status may be adversely affected because of one’s legally protected characteristic.
- Unwelcome verbal or written expressions, derogatory comments, epithets, degrading jokes, or innuendos regarding one’s legally protected characteristic.
- Posting objects, pictures, videotapes, audio recordings or literature that may embarrass or offend an individual because of one’s legally protected characteristic. Such material, if used in an educational setting, should be clearly and significantly related to educational purposes.
- Bullying, defined as repeated and/or severe aggressive behavior likely to intimidate or intentionally hurt, control or diminish another person, physically or mentally because of one’s legally protected characteristic.
Regarding expulsion, Article X, Section E reads:
Anyone who violates this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action. Disciplinary measures available to remedy Harassment or retaliation include, but are not limited to, the following: verbal warning/reprimand; written warning/reprimand in employee or student files; requirement of verbal and/or written apology to victim; mandatory education and training on harassment by means of reading assignments, videos, classes or other presentations; referral for psychological assessment or treatment; alternate placement, suspension, probation, termination, or expulsion; or other action university deems appropriate under the circumstance. Additionally, interim remedial measures may become permanent.
Schubert concluded his email, saying harassment will not be tolerated at ACU.
“This has offended me and I am deeply sorry for how it has offended others, and left an inaccurate representation of who we are and what we believe as a Christian university,” Schubert said in the email. “We must and can do better as we work together to build an inclusive, diverse campus community in which each person is respected and loved.”
____
Monday, Nov. 14, 3:39 p.m.
Students have taken to social media to speak out against about a racially charged Snapchat video posted to Twitter this morning.
The video showed a white female student outside a room in Gardner Hall wearing “blackface” makeup. The video was captioned “This is why black lives matter exists.”
A student with the Twitter username @JNacole503 posted the photo at 9:38 a.m.
The post was retweeted 67 times and other students replied or copied the video to new Tweets. Some tagged the university Twitter @acuedu and the Optimist Twitter @acuoptimist.
The university Twitter responded saying Title IX has been notified to handle the situation.
Please remove the link to this video, as it serves only one purpose: to further spread sensationalism and hatred. The students involved are no longer ACU students (per email from President Schubert).