Hate Crime Causes Safety Concerns for SLU Students

TW: antisemitism, mental health, sexual assault

The executive editorial staff of the Hill News writes with compassion for our fellow students in the wake of a hate crime that occurred on our campus this past weekend.  

At 4:22 a.m. on Sunday morning, St. Lawrence University’s Safety and Security staff responded to a call that said a Dean Eaton bathroom and hallway had been vandalized with Latin phrases, Pentagrams, Celtic Crosses, and Swastikas written in human blood.  

These symbols represent the historical pervasiveness of white supremacy, both in a global context and at this university. It is with grace that we offer our platform as a student newspaper to address the systemic inequity that plagues our campus. While the university has not explicitly labeled this event as a hate crime, we feel it is the most accurate description for what has occurred here.  

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a hate crime is defined as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”  

However, no one event can stand independently of the social forces that govern our society and it is essential that we seek to understand them.  

Officially, Safety and Security is considering this a “hate and bias incident,” which Sergeant Melanie Locy defined as “anything against basically anybody for religion, culture, race, or gender.” She said, “If somebody says they feel uncomfortable because of a drawing or word, because it relates to [them]… then that is considered bias.”  

The University is not designating the incident as a hate crime because at this point, the investigation is in the early stages and SLU cannot prove the motivation behind it. “Hate crimes are a little stronger [than bias incidents],” said Locy. “You have to show, basically, intention to offend a certain group or person.”  

Despite this being categorized as a hate and bias incident, some students claimed their concerns weren’t taken seriously enough when they spoke to Security. “I never called, but those who did said that when they voiced that they were uncomfortable living near [perpetrator], Security told them that it’s not a hate crime because he was drunk and high when he did it,” said *George, a student living on the floor where the incident occurred. 

Parents also tried to voice their concerns, but many went unheard. “They eventually stopped accepting parents’ calls,” said George. “My mom tried to call and they wouldn’t take it.” 

The administration’s formal response to the event didn’t come until Monday morning, when Vice President and Dean of Student Life Hagi Bradley sent an email which reiterated that this behavior is not tolerated by the University. The email also read that arrangements were still being made to remove the perpetrator from campus, more than 24 hours after the incident initially occurred. 

Bradley then invited students to call the Crisis Counseling Center Hotline, before announcing a “Mental Well-Being and Wellness forum” that would be open to all students. 

University President Kate Morris chose not to provide any additional comment when contacted by The Hill News. 

Residence Life checked in with residents of the floor and got their contact information so SLU counselors could reach out, according to Senior Associate Director Stacie Olney LaPierre.  

At this time, resources the university has shared with students are the Health and Counseling Center, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Chaplain’s Office. Olney LaPierre has also recommended the Peer Health Network. “Sometimes it’s easier to talk with peers rather than a more formal situation,” she said. “I just hope students do choose whatever resources make the most sense for them.” 

Olney Pierre also pointed out that Chaplain Shaun Whitehead has local contacts from a number of different faiths and denominations. “If a student wants to be connected with one of those individuals, Shaun can connect them,” she said. “It’s my understanding, I believe Shaun has connected with Ronnie Olesker who is a faculty member on campus and also works with the Jewish Student Union.” 

Students may also file Bias Incident Reports on the University website. 

Despite these promises of access to campus resources, some students feel that the administration has done little to address their safety concerns. Meredith Rose ‘24, a resident of the floor the incident occurred on, was disappointed by the resources offered to her and her floormates. “The first solutions we heard were to use a crisis appointment at the Health and Counseling Center or that they could arrange to have our floor blessed by a reverend,” Rose said. “Why wasn’t the first solution to remove the student immediately?” 

As of Monday, April 4 at 4:47 p.m. the student responsible had been removed from campus, according to an email sent to the residents of the Dean floor by Residential Coordinator Sean Collins. Olney LaPierre confirmed this as well. “Obviously in this particular situation, I can’t address any details,” she said. 

Even with the student being officially removed, Safety and Security has increased their presence on campus. “We did start doing some extra rounds, so the residents know that we are there and that we take it seriously,” Locy said. “That way they can also come to us if they see us in the hallways and you know, talk to us.” 

Locy did not comment on whether this is a long- or short-term plan, and if any other changes to security protocol will be made. If students feel unsafe on campus, Locy encouraged them to immediately let security know. 

Increased campus security and access to counseling does not accurately address the ramifications of this crime. The university has not offered adequate tools by which students can address all the factors that weigh their consciousness on a day-to-day basis. If anything, further securitization may present further risks for students of color that are all too familiar with the realities of racialized police violence. 

In the last year, the mental health of SLU students has become a cause for concern as the Health and Counseling Center faces staffing shortages. This issue escalated further last semester, when students engaged in protests against what they perceived to be an underwhelming response from the administration amidst rampant sexual assault on campus. Protesters called on the administration to prioritize student safety and reform the Title IX agreement. For sexual assault survivors, the resurfacing of traumatic experiences took a toll on their mental health, much in the way this most recent incident did for Jewish students and students of color in the St. Lawrence community.  

One Jewish student, who wishes to remain anonymous, was deeply disturbed by the administration’s lack of emphasis on the effects of anti-Semitism on the community here. “Saturday night’s incident was not just a mental breakdown, it was a blatant act of antisemitism,” they said. “Since then, there has been no prioritization of the mental health of Jewish people on campus, no apology, no discussion, nothing.” 

As a member of the Jewish Student Union, Max Berk-Wakeman ‘22 also thought that the University could have done better in terms of reaching out to Jewish students specifically. “All we have heard is what was said in the original email,” he said. 

Rose echoed these concerns, saying that “I personally feel as if the administration is not extending any extra support to the identities attacked by these symbols and words.” 

“Dealing with this incident has been very scary,” said Berk-Wakeman. “Many Jewish students on campus, including me, are starting to question our safety at St. Lawrence for the first time.” 

*Name has been changed.