NDSU Community,
I am writing to express my deepest sympathies to the victims of the March 16 shooting in the Atlanta metropolitan area. As directed by both Governor Burgum and President Biden, NDSU’s flags will be flown at half-staff until sunset on March 22.
While the investigation is ongoing, we do know that six of the eight victims were Asian women. This incident comes amidst a dramatic nationwide increase in hate crimes directed at Asian Americans. According to a recently issued report from the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University Santa Barbara, anti-Asian American hate crimes in America’s largest cities increased by 149% in 2020.
For the Asian and Asian American members of our community, please know NDSU stands firmly against hate, violence and discrimination. We are committed to a welcoming, diverse and inclusive educational and work environment.
NDSU strives to make our community safe and welcoming. I would encourage everyone to read the very first policy in NDSU’s Policy Manual, Policy 100, which is our Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy. If you feel that you have been a victim of discrimination or harassment, you can find information about filing a report here.
No words that I can say are going to prevent all acts of hatred, but I want everybody in our community to know that NDSU will never stop working towards ending racism and discrimination.