Racist Incidents on the Campus of Western Kentucky University

WKU-Cup-Box-BRWAn African American woman serving as an assistant dean of University College at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, found a racist note slipped under her office door. The note said that the administrator should go back to Africa and made other disparaging remarks.

Earlier this academic year, an African American student found a racial slur scratched onto the finish of her automobile.

Gary Ransdell, president of Western Kentucky University, issued a statement which read in part, “I’m calling on faculty, staff, and student leaders to engage in a concerted effort to elevate the awareness and understanding of these issues. Preparations are underway to host such dialogues and will be announced in due course. I also welcome your individual suggestions as to ways we can best demonstrate that WKU is indeed a place that welcomes and embraces all individuals no matter their background or individual preferences.”

Western Kentucky University has an undergraduate enrollment of more than 17,000 students. African Americans make up 9 percent of the student body.

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