Penn Police is currently investigating threatening messages found in an office at the Annenberg School for Communication.
Annenberg School Dean Sarah Banet-Weiser detailed the incident in a Monday email addressed to the school’s community. She wrote that “all forms of hate, bias, discrimination, and intimidation have no place at Annenberg,” adding that such incidents “will not be tolerated.”
A request for comment was left with a University spokesperson and with Penn’s Division of Public Safety.
Banet-Weiser emphasized that threatening messages “undermine the sense of safety, belonging, and mutual respect that are essential to our community” and “negatively impact health, learning, and the work environment.”
According to Banet-Weiser, the school’s leadership is “taking this matter seriously” and will continue working closely with Penn Police as it conducts its investigation.
“I recognize that incidents like this can be upsetting and unsettling, particularly for those who may already feel vulnerable or targeted,” she added in the Aug. 24 message. “At moments like these, I encourage us to lean into the values that define our community: compassion, respect, inclusion, and care for one another.”
Banet-Weiser encouraged members of the community to take advantage of Penn’s wellness resources — including emotional well-being programming and offerings specific to faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students. She wrote that the school’s community members should take care of themselves and those close to them “during these uncertain times.”
Wellness at Penn also offers a multitude of initiatives designed to build connection amongst students, such as group therapy and workshops, peer support, and recovery communities.
“Thank you for your support of one another and for helping ensure that Annenberg remains a place where all members of our community can learn, teach, research, and work free from harassment and intimidation,” Banet-Weiser concluded.
Ayana Chari is the assignments editor at The Daily Pennsylvanian and can be reached at chari@thedp.com. At Penn, she studies political science. Follow her on X @AyanaChari_.
