Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong released a campus-wide email on Oct. 2 stating that the First Amendment protects students involved in recent racially charged incidents.
A state Attorney General’s Office report determined that students did not break any CSU executive orders or state laws, according to the email. The report itself is confidential as it names students whose identities are protected by FERPA—a federal law protecting the confidentiality of student records.
“The Attorney General’s Office also noted that the acts that occurred at Cal Poly, while profoundly offensive and insensitive—and demonstrating an appalling lack of judgment—were protected as free speech by the First Amendment,” the email stated.
The investigation did yield additional information that will be reviewed by the Dean of Students Office, which will address any individual or organizational violations of the student code of conduct.
Last January, flyers with racial statements about African-Americans regarding domestic violence, homicides, and assault were posted on campus. Then, in April, a Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity member wore blackface at a brotherhood event, which sparked on- and off-campus protests and national news coverage. As a result of that and other incidents involving fraternities—including sexual assaults, hazings, an alcohol related death, and violations of the university’s code of conduct regarding hosting events—the university placed Greek life on interim suspension.
The university pushed the incidents over to the Attorney General’s Office for investigation on May 4.
According to the email, the report confirmed that Cal Poly, as a state institution, is required to uphold the free speech rights of everyone on campus.
“We may not be able to change the acts and attitudes of a few, but hear me when I say that those voices do not reflect our values and what we stand for as a university community,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong vowed to improve campus climate by enhancing educational programming and fostering an environment to learn and appreciate the community’s differences.
University spokesperson Matt Lazier said a Diversity Action Initiative document released last spring looks at the diversity and inclusion efforts underway or planned for the campus.
Those include designing a 10-week diversity and inclusion seminar for students, increasing staff, and expanding the Black Academic Excellence Center, the creation of an American Indian and Indigenous Research and Cultural Center, and implementation of a new pre-enrollment diversity training for incoming freshmen and transfer students.
“I wish I could tell you that change will happen overnight and our campus will never experience another act of hate. Sadly, we all know that isn’t realistic. What I can give you is my personal commitment to do everything in my power to improve our campus environment and make a difference for all members of our Cal Poly community,” Armstrong said in the email.
This article appears in Awareness Issue 2018.
Hate speech is a form of defense used by white people to protect themselves from non-white people who will degrade their society, as an alternative to violence. If you do not let white people protect themselves with speech, then you are asking for a response of violence, because that will be the only option.
No, the USA is not a “multi-cultural” utopia. It is a White country built by White people for White people. And the more you insist it isn’t, the more it degrades into an unlivable third world society. So don’t bite the hand that feeds, that being the white hand, the hand that not only feeds you, but gives you a place to exist in.
Start respecting white people. Respect the fact that they have made the best societies that have ever existed, and that is why you, as a non-white, are here in the first place.
It is perfectly acceptable, normal, and healthy form of expression. Hate is a perfectly normal human expression. You are telling white people that they are not allowed to feel a certain emotion. This is beyond tyranny. Yes, we DO hate you. You are destroying our culture, our communities. You tell us we have no identity, when we have a clear history that clearly negates that. Continue to push.
Of course, you will probably delete this comment, because like I said, you do not let white people hold certain expressions or emotions.
‘Black Academic Excellence Center’ LMFAO?????? WTF this isn’t Georgia this is SLO what is our black population here 10% ? All of this signalling that SLO isnt racist is extremely racist and to be honest completely laughable.
Way to treat blacks like children. Multiculturalism is such a dead cat bounce.
Oh woe is me! Only us enlightened wealthy cosmopolitan liberals can make the world fair for the poor oppressed Africans. Only we can show them how great they really are after having all their accomplishments and great civilizations erased by the evil white males.