Texas A&M President Michael K. Young announced on June 25 that a reward would be offered to anyone with information regarding a racist event that occurred on June 24 at an off-campus apartment complex.
According to the announcement, Young’s office learned on June 24 that someone attached racist comments written on paper to an A&M student’s car. The notes included the N-word, “You don’t belong here” and “All Lives Matter”.
Young said the reward is $1,200 to anyone with valid information regarding the incident, such as identity of the responsible party. The announcement also stated that racist acts will not be tolerated on campus and there will be consequences if any acts like this occur in the future.
“Those who promote hate, discrimination and disrespect are not welcomed at this institution,” Young said. “We are tired of bigoted members of our community marring the experiences of students of color. For those found responsible of racial or ethnic harassment, we can and will enforce appropriate sanctions under our code of student conduct.”
Young also said in the statement that racism is not an Aggie core value, and it will not be accepted.
“As Aggies, we often talk about our core values,” Young said. “We need to live them. Let me be clear: Incidents like the one yesterday have no place at Texas A&M. Anyone who believes that hate is acceptable is not wanted at Texas A&M.”
Park West, the A&M apartment complex where the student’s car was located, published a statement on their Twitter saying they are helping the University Police with the investigation.
“We do not tolerate this type of behavior,” the statement reads. “Park West aims to cultivate an environment where our staff and residents can feel like we are their home away from home. We remain committed to assisting in this investigation in any way possible.”
To report acts of racism, visit stophate.tamu.edu. Also, if you have any information regarding the ongoing investigation, call 979-845-8897 or email [email protected].
This is a developing story and will be updated as we receive additional information.