Message from President Wong: Response to flyers

Dear SF State Community,

Once again, we have received reports that a series of racist, anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic flyers were posted on campus yesterday.  Members of our own community were disrespectfully targeted.  I am writing again to condemn these kinds of flyers.  We do not tolerate others attempting to impede the academic freedom of our students, faculty or staff as they engage in their scholarly and educational endeavors.

Student Affairs staff from the University Police Department, Equity & Community Inclusion, and Counseling & Psychological Services have reached out to affected parties to offer support. They will also work to plan a series of Town Halls for the rest of the Fall term to offer an ongoing safe and brave space for students to engage, critically reflect, vent, etc., on this and other similar incidents.

Immediately after receiving an email complaint on Thursday afternoon, University Police, through their Community Service Officers - with support from Facility Services and members of our Time, Place and Manner (TPM) Policy Work Group - swept through the buildings looking for these flyers. Any posters found on walls or other non-permissible locations per our current TPM were removed.  

We need your help – evidence is needed. Please call the Dean of Students Office or University Police immediately if hateful, racist posters are found, but DO NOT remove them. We will photograph them, note their location, and (if warranted) collect them for documentation.  Your removal of the posters prevents us from gathering much needed evidence. 

Let me be clear. I find these posters and this kind of activity repugnant and hateful. This conflicts with our campus values and our institutional commitment to equity and inclusion.

Dr. Les Wong

President