To Campus Community:

On Sunday night, in an incident distressingly similar to one that occurred two years ago, extremely repugnant racial slurs were scrawled on the car of one of our students.  The car was parked in front of the student’s apartment on 4 th Street.  Chico Police came to the scene and are investigating.  By California law, this is a hate crime, and carries with it a heavy penalty for anyone convicted.  If you saw anything that could help with this investigation or have any information about who might have committed this despicable crime, please contact either Chico Police or University Police. We will pursue the perpetrator aggressively, just as we have done with other hate-fed incidents, and seek prosecution to the full extent of the law.

Acts such as these are more than regrettable – they are contemptible and the work of cowards.  They are clearly hurtful to their immediate victims, but they harm and distress all of us.  They strike at the core values of our community – University and city – none of which are more important than civility and respect.

So many people on campus and in our surrounding community work hard to make Chico a welcoming place for students, faculty, and staff, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.  Acts such as these are blows not only to those who work to make Chico a good and safe community, but also to anyone who abhors hatred and intolerance.

Our response to these ugly acts reveals who we are and what we value. We are obligated both morally and intellectually to oppose hatred and intolerance, and to support those who have suffered their vile expressions.  We defeat the attitudes and behaviors that would otherwise separate us by recognizing them, confronting them, and condemning them.

Let us continue along the path we need to take – one that affirms our efforts to build a safe, supportive, and whole community.  

Paul J. Zingg
President