Students are speaking out about the discrimination they have experienced at the University of Massachusetts Amherst after a racist and threatening email was sent to Black students on campus. The incident was far from unique; a litany of reported incidents of bias listed on the university’s website shows students have been sent offensive material, had slurs hurled at them on the street, or seen racist graffiti on campus on many occasions in recent years.
The bias incident list includes “conduct, speech or expression motivated, in whole or in part, by bias or prejudice” reported to the campus police department, or the university’s Office of Equity and Inclusion since September 2018.
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The university says these incidents are different from hate crimes because “no criminal activity is involved,” and they are dealt with through university grievance procedures rather than through the court system.
Sahar Fatima can be reached at sahar.fatima@globe.com Follow her on Twitter @sahar_fatima.