Penn is continuing to investigate a video that circulated last month in which two students appeared to express racist remarks and racial slurs.
An Oct. 27 email from Provost John Jackson Jr. — which described the video as “highly disturbing” — to University student leaders acknowledged the widespread condemnation of the incident by several on-campus organizations. Jackson wrote that Penn’s administrators “have been meeting with a wide range of student groups” to discuss the video and the progress of the University’s investigation.
“President Jameson and I take this incident — and its impact on our community — extremely seriously,” Jackson wrote. “As we stated at the time of the incident, and as President Jameson reaffirmed in his remarks at the University Council last week, there is absolutely no place at Penn for this kind of hateful speech.”
The video, which was reviewed by The Daily Pennsylvanian, was first posted to a private social media account and contained derogatory comments about Black people — including the repeated use of racial slurs.
In a statement to the DP, one of the students featured in the video wrote that the University, following its investigation, concluded he did not use racial slurs. He added that he was not issued any disciplinary measures.
Penn’s Code of Student Conduct states that although “the University condemns hate speech, epithets, and racial, ethnic, sexual and religious slurs … the content of student speech or expression is not by itself a basis for disciplinary action.”
“Student speech may be subject to discipline when it violates applicable laws or University regulations or policies,” the code of conduct continues.
According to Jackson, Penn’s investigation has included representatives from the Division of Public Safety, the Center for Community Standards and Accountability, and the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs. He added that the offices of Joann Mitchell — the senior vice president for institutional affairs — and Russell Composto — the vice provost for undergraduate education — have also taken part in the investigation.
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On Oct. 7, Vice Provost for University Life Karu Kozuma met with representatives of the Undergraduate Assembly to discuss the video. The day prior, the UA posted a statement to its Instagram account denouncing the individual’s actions.
Kozuma, Jackson, and Vice President for Social Equity and Community Chaz Howard also met with student leaders from UMOJA — the representative body for Black student organizations at Penn — on Oct. 13.
On Oct. 8, UMOJA publicly criticized the video in a statement posted to the group’s Instagram account.
“Over the past two years, the University has swiftly disciplined students for actions it deemed as violations of free speech, particularly toward those involved in campus protests and demonstrations,” UMOJA’s statement read. “We will not stand idly if this same level of urgency is denied to Black students in the face of blatant racism.”
Following UMOJA’s statement, the Descendants of Afro-Americans at Penn also issued a public statement condemning the video.
“It is imperative that the University protect its Black students and put an end to Anti-Blackness at Penn with the same vigor provided for all the other minority communities on campus,” the statement read.
That same week, Penn administrators also met with members of the Asian Pacific Student Coalition, Makuu: The Black Cultural Center, and the leaders of the remaining members of Penn’s main minority coalition groups, commonly known as the 7B — including the Lambda Alliance, Latinx Coalition, Natives at Penn, Penn Association for Gender Equity, and the United Minorities Council.
“We’re aware that conversations have taken place between Penn administration and several student groups, but we haven’t received any formal updates since, given the sensitivity and confidentiality surrounding the issue,” Wharton junior and UA President Nia Matthews and College junior and UA Vice President Musab Chummun wrote in a statement to the DP.
“Our focus continues to be on transparency, collaboration, and ensuring that student voices are represented in high-impact discussions,” they added.
In his email, Jackson also described Penn’s plan to organize “future opportunities to address these issues,” including educational events in partnership with Penn’s Office of Religious and Ethnic Interests.
