MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — This weekend, a drawing of a swastika was discovered in a stairwell in Nittany Place, an off-campus apartment building near Penn State Harrisburg. This act of anti-Semitism is abhorrent, and counter to everything for which Penn State stands. Penn State Harrisburg police have referred the case to the Middletown Police Department for further investigation, and the Office of Student Affairs is reaching out to residents of the building to offer support.
We must protect against hate and prejudice of any kind, and strive to provide a community that is welcoming to students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds and walks of life. I fully support the message from Penn State President Eric Barron, shared Dec. 3 with the entire University community, about the importance of freedom of expression and religious beliefs; this message was shared following the vandalism and theft of a menorah at University Park. We strongly condemn all acts of intimidation.
Resources are available to students and others who may have been affected by contacting the campus office of Counseling and Psychological Services at 717-948-6025. Any community member who witnesses an act of intimidation is encouraged to make a report to campus police at 717-948-6232; call the Penn State Hotline at 800-560-1637 or report online by visiting hotline.psu.edu; or report an act of bias at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias.
John Mason
Chancellor, Penn State Harrisburg