Sevan Sinton
Associate News Editor
A community meeting was held at Gettysburg College on Thursday, Sept. 27 after an incident regarding the Gettysburg College Men’s Swim Team. On Sept. 18, Gettysburg College told media that it was investigating an incident where a white swim team member used a boxcutter to carve a racial slur into the chest of an Black teammate. According to Gettysburg College President Robert Iuliano, the incident happened on Sept. 6 at an on-campus residence.
Iuliano said in a statement, “By now, some of you have heard about a student conduct report that recently was filed with the college arising from an incident where a racial slur was scratched onto a student by another student at an informal social gathering … No matter the relationship, and no matter the motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that demean, degrade, or marginalize based on one’s identity and history.”
Vice President of College Life Anne Ehrlich said in a statement, “[the] investigation is nearing its conclusion, and we can now report that the student is no longer enrolled at Gettysburg College.”
The victim’s family did not choose to pursue charges against the perpetrator, but they did issue a statement via Gettysburg College’s newspaper “The Gettysburgian:”
“Two weeks ago, on the evening of Friday, Sept. 6, our son became the victim of a hate crime … It is important to note that he was the only person of color at this gathering. The reprehensible act was committed by a fellow student-athlete, someone he considered his friend, someone whom he trusted. This student used a box cutter to etch the N-word across his chest.”
The swim team has said that the incident “is not a byproduct of an unhealthy athletic team culture or a reflection on the team itself; rather, we see in the captains the measure of what it means to be a Gettysburgian by their notification to their coaches … Racism has no home here—neither at Gettysburg College nor on our team. We stand united in condemning the actions that took place.”
The Gettysburg College Black Student Union and African Student Association held a meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25 where they discussed the incident and issued a joint statement saying, “We demand swift and decisive action from the administration to hold those responsible accountable and to ensure that Gettysburg College becomes a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Our community must come together to reject racism and bigotry in all its forms, and we will continue to fight for justice until real change is made.”
The Gettysburg College Men’s Swim Team’s first event is scheduled for Oct. 19; however, it is unclear if the incident will affect the team’s status for the season.