Three swastika drawings were found on white boards outside student rooms at Seattle University earlier this month, university staff said.
“The swastika is a powerful symbol of hate, one that cannot be ignored, particularly around the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,” an e-mail sent to student, faculty and community memebrs said. “Seattle University cannot and does not tolerate bias.”
Police were notified and the incidents are being investigated. Michele C. Murray, vice president for student development, and Natasha Martin, associate vice president for institutional inclusion and chief diversity officer, said in the e-mail that they would update students, faculty and staff if more information is available.
“All of us are entrusted to uphold Seattle University’s core values, which are rooted in our Jesuit heritage,” the statement read. “Hateful acts such as these are antithetical to our values, they violate our shared sense of decency and inclusion, and they demean the dignity of our human family.
“As a university community we commit ourselves to actively fostering an environment where we all thrive. Let us move forward strengthened and renewed in this commitment.”