By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
On Sunday afternoon, Vice President for College Life Anne Ehrlich sent a campus-wide email with an update on the investigation into the racially-charged incident at an unofficial swim team social gathering in which a slur was cut into a student’s chest.
She informed the community that the individual who cut the slur into another student is no longer enrolled at Gettysburg College, writing that the “investigation is nearing its conclusion, and we can report now that the individual who scratched a slur onto another person is no longer enrolled at the College.”
According to statement from the victim’s family, the N-word was cut onto their son’s chest using a box cutter by a fellow student, who the victim “trusted.” Ehrlich acknowledged the family’s statement, which was published by the Gettysburgian on Friday evening.
“We appreciate the family’s statement, including its acknowledgement of the importance of such a full investigation, particularly given the nuances and complexities of this case, as their statement also highlighted,” wrote Ehrlich. “We previously made a commitment to the family that once the investigation was nearing its completion, we would work with them about how most constructively to move forward. Those conversations have already begun. I’d like to join President Iuliano in thanking the swim team members for so quickly bringing this to our attention.”
The family’s Friday statement also shared that they have filed complaints with the NAACP Pennsylvania Conference, NAACP Harrisburg chapter and Pennsylvania Commission on Human Relations. The family has not filed charges with police and also emphasized that they are aware they can press charges.
Ehrlich said that in her email that this “will be our final communication concerning the student conduct process related to this matter.”
The incident was first reported on by the Gettysburgian, who reached out to the College and received a statement on Wednesday.
On Thursday, President Bob Iuliano made a statement, thanking the upperclassmen swim team members who reported the incident to the College and expressing his “profound distress about what happened, its impact on those who have long been underrepresented on this campus and its implications for a community continuing its evolving efforts to create a truly inclusive environment.”
The incident has since garnered national media attention.
Shortly after Ehrlich’s email was released, the College and family also released a joint statement to the Gettysburgian on the incident, reiterating that the student who “scratched a slur onto another person is no longer enrolled at the College.”
Additionally, their joint statement emphasized that the College made a commitment to “work with [the family] about how most constructively to move forward.” Further, the statement reported that, “Those conversations have already begun and will continue. Both parties understand that this process will take time and are committed to working together.”
The Gettysburgian has republished Ehrlich’s full statement below:
“I am writing to provide an update following President Iuliano’s message last week regarding the recent racial incident that occurred at a student social event. The investigation is nearing its conclusion, and we can report now that the individual who scratched a slur onto another person is no longer enrolled at the College.
“Many of you have read the statement in the Gettysburgian submitted by the family of the complainant. We appreciate the family’s statement, including its acknowledgement of the importance of such a full investigation, particularly given the nuances and complexities of this case, as their statement also highlighted.
“We previously made a commitment to the family that once the investigation was nearing its completion, we would work with them about how most constructively to move forward. Those conversations have already begun. I’d like to join President Iuliano in thanking the swim team members for so quickly bringing this to our attention.
“As we’ve mentioned before, this was a serious situation that required a thorough and thoughtful investigation, and we thank the community for their patience as we worked through our process. This will be our final communication concerning the student conduct process related to this matter.
“Thank you for your continued engagement and support as we navigate this time together.”
The full joint statement between the victim’s family and the College, released to the Gettysburgian, is published below:
“The investigation is nearing its conclusion, and we can report now that the individual who scratched a slur onto another person is no longer enrolled at the College.
“On Friday, the family of the complainant in this investigation submitted a statement to the Gettysburgian. In that statement, the family began to outline some of the nuances and complexities of this case and acknowledged the importance of a full investigation. Gettysburg College has appreciated the family’s willingness to allow us to see the investigation through.
“The College had previously made a commitment to the family that once the investigation was nearing its completion, we would work with them about how most constructively to move forward. Those conversations have already begun and will continue. Both parties understand that this process will take time and are committed to working together.
“The College and the family both recognize the gravity and seriousness of this situation and hope it can serve as a transformative moment for our community and beyond. To point back to the statement in the Gettysburgian from the family:
“‘Rather, our intent is that — in some small way — a heinous act can serve as a transformative moment for Gettysburg College to live up to its ideals of diversity, inclusion and justice; to celebrate the College’s maxim to: ‘Do Great Work.’ We pray that together we can arouse a collective conscience promoting healing and help bring about justice for our son and the rest of the Gettysburg College community.’
“The family also wishes to reiterate, in reaction to comments made to the press the Gettysburg Police Department, that they are aware they retain the right to pursue local, state and federal criminal charges in this matter.”
At the end of the statement, they provided a link to President Iuliano’s statement on the incident released on Thursday.
September 22, 2024
Thank you for the good work you are doing keeping the campus informed.