Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999
Students to hold Unity Rally for Tolerance
Penn State students are holding a Unity Rally at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12, to unify the majority and minority student communities in the wake of recent hate e-mail sent to some minority students this week and last.
The sponsoring minority student organizations hope the rally will help build tolerance, respect and understanding. In addition to speakers and musical performances, students may voice their support for unity at the open microphone.
The Rally will be held in the inner quad area of Pollock Commons and will move inside to the Pollock Recreation Room in the event of rain. The public is invited to attend.
The University has also developed a Web page in response to the hate mail that includes updates on the investigation -- as they are available -- and links to news releases about hate e-mail attacks at other universities.
Statements by Penn State President Graham B. Spanier, Vice Provost for Education Equity Terrell W. Jones and Black Caucus President Joseph Dawkins also are on the site, as well links to Penn States diversity efforts and national groups against hate.
Go to the Penn State Home Page on the Web at http://www.psu.edu/ and click on hate e-mail under announcements.
In a statement after the first messages were forwarded to him by students, Dr. Spanier replied (http://www.psu.edu/ur/diversityefforts/spanier.html): "I find this message totally abhorrent and I can assure you that we will deploy the investigative resources of the University to look into this. If we can find out who sent this, we will take action to have the individual fully disciplined and charged with any crimes that apply." He appointed Dr. Jones to lead the investigation.
The hate e-mail began appearing in a number of minority students computer accounts late Tuesday night, Nov. 2 from "The Patriot," who apparently was using a computer at an open computer lab at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Several other minority Penn State students received similar messages on Nov. 8. Penn States University Police and Computer Security are working with Temple University, the FBI, and the state Attorney Generals Office to solve the crime.
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Last updated 11/11/1999