Indiana University South Bend is aware of concerns regarding the activities of a campus employee on a personal social media account and is actively looking into it. We understand these expressed views are offensive to many of the students, faculty, and staff on our campus. As Chancellor Elrod shared in her message last week, IU South Bend does not tolerate any acts of racism, bigotry, or prejudice and is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion in all we do.
As a public institution, Indiana University is bound to uphold the U.S. Constitution, which protects free speech. We also must ensure that both students and employees are free from discriminatory actions on the basis of protected classes such as gender, sexual orientation, or race, in pursuit of their education and in the workplace. Such actions would violate Indiana University values and policies, and we would investigate and address those allegations according to our processes. We encourage anyone with such concerns of discrimination to report them to the Office of Institutional Equity and Inclusive Excellence or submit a report online at: https://reportincident.iu.edu/report/index.html
IU South Bend leadership is engaging with those raising concerns about this matter and planning opportunities for community conversations on the racial inequity and unrest that is rightfully in our local and national spotlight currently. Diversity and inclusion are foundational to IU South Bend’s mission, and we invite all members of our community to participate in open, respectful dialogue as we work together towards a more equitable and just society.
